BEING HUMAN SERIES 5 FIRST INTERVIEW

THE WORLDS BEST SCIENCE FICTION FANTASY AND HORROR MAGAZINE

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A JUSTICE LEAGUE MOVIE IS A WASTE OF MONEY

Mark Millar on Bryan Singer and the future of comic-book movies

HOLLYWOOD EXPOSED

EPISODE VII WORLD EXCLUSIVE

Why youll see three lms a year insiders on Disneys new hope

INSIDE
/ TRUE BLOOD / / MAN OF STEEL / / PRIMEVAL: / NEW WORLD / SMALLVILLE / / THE / WALKING DEAD

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HOW SMALLVILLES STAND IN BECAME SCI FIS HOTTEST NEW SHOW
STAR TREK
Ronald D Moore versus JJ Abrams

THE SUPERHERO REBORN

TWIN PEAKS SEASON 3

What could have been

THE WOLVERINE
Why Logan broke away from the X-Men universe

DOCTOR WHO
Matt Smith on Series 7 and the new companion

GREMLINS
How Steven Spielberg saved Gizmo

FEATURING LIFE OF PI / TERRY PRATCHETT / KICK-ASS 2 / BSG: BLOOD & CHROME / GRANT MORRISON / / / /

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The Wheel of Times final revolution has begun.

Its time for the last battle.

Count down to one of the most anticipated fantasy conclusions of all time at facebook.com/TheWoT and pre-order your copy today.
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There are two observations made in this issue by Mark Millar, the superhero answer to Mr Wolf in Pulp Fiction called in to clean up the blood-splattered seats of 20th Century Foxs Marvel movies that really sticks with you when you ick through this copy of SciFiNow. Were living in the world we always dreamed of, where everyone is superhero literate and the guys who grew up reading comics are now the ones making the movies, and every hotly tipped comic-book property making a break for mass appeal, from The CWs masked melodrama Arrow and Hugh Jackman and James Mangolds Samurai noir The Wolverine, to Zack Snyders backwoods Man Of Steel, has clearly been the beneciary of this altered paradigm. We now have people at the heart of adapting some of our most beloved properties who understand on a fundamental level that delity to the spirit of a much-adored geek icon is far more important than delity to the letter of his convoluted origin story or labyrinthine family tree. Equally importantly, the at scans as theyll be called come the Age of Apocalypse dont need to be spoon-fed superhero 101 every time a new blockbuster premiers or a TV show debuts. Theyre now so conversant in the language of origin stories, secret identities and arch-nemeses that those small and large screen morality plays were getting so excited about are given the green light and the greenbacks to happen in the rst place. As Mark Millar says, Its what weve always dreamed of.

James Hoare Editor

GET EXCITED ABOUT WARM BODIES

Weve seen the softer side of all sorts of supernatural beasties, but never a zombie. Its so hard to love someone who clearly looks deceased, is totally unintelligible and such a messy eater, but Warm , Bodies says to hell with that. Nicholas Hoult plays R a zombie who shufes mindlessly through dystopian America until he meets Julie (Teresa Palmer) and starts to feel something in his chest. This promises to be a scary, funny and sweet take on the walking dead.

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CONTENTS
THIS ISSUE

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EVERY ISSUE
06 PORTAL

Whats happening Subscribe to the in the world of sci- magazine and save today

62 SUBSCRIPTIONS 130 NEXT ISSUE

Your rst look at the next issue of SciFiNow

STAR WARS Episode 7 What to expect from

GRANT 58 MORRISON

38

58 46 118 MARK MILLAR GREMLINS Talks X-Men: Phase 2 Back in town

A DE R IN S I CCE SS

M OD

CL E RN

ASS

IC

Taking on his critics

TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D 54

Legacy of Leatherface

24 DOCTOR WHOat Christmas Matt Smiths nightmare

44 Star Wars Figures 46 Mark Millar 52 Life Of Pi
Take a sneak peak at the book that collects every Star Wars toy. The comics legend talks ushering in a new generation of X-Men movies. Discover how Yann Martels seemingly unadaptable novel was realised on the screen. The director on updating Tobe Hoopers classic and tearing open the north/ south divide. The legendary comicbook scribe on why hes embracing indie comics.

PORTAL

06 Being Human 08 Man Of Steel

FEATURES
18 Arrow
The team behind the Smallville successor on staying true to the comics. Matt Smith on being a Christmas curmudgeon.

REVIEWS
66 Sightseers
Murder and bloodshed rule the countryside in this horror-comedy from Kill Lists Ben Wheatley.

The cast of the supernatural at-share talk Season Five. David S Goyer on creating a more grounded Caped Crusader as the trailer hits. Writer Seth Grahame-Smith tells us why the bio-exorcist will be just as crazy. As the series takes a midseason breather, the cast discuss the events so far. Whats new in Bon Temps for Season Six.

24 Doctor Who

67 Life Of Pi

08 Beetlejuice 2 14 Grimm

28 Millennium FX

Can Ang Lee replicate the sense of wonder found in the lifeafrming novel?

The special effects team talk us through their work on Doctor Who. We visit the set as Primeval goes Stateside. As the dust settles, we talk to industry insiders about the impact of the new trilogy.

67 Safety Not Guaranteed

32 Primeval: New World 38 Star Wars 2.0

54 Texas Chainsaw 3D

Discover the truth behind the notorious crank classied ad.

70 Star Trek: The Next Generation

Our mega-review of the gamechanging second season.

15 True Blood
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58 Grant Morrison

Does the fourth instalment of the iconic series manage to build on the series legacy?

77 Halo 4

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SUBSCRIBE

MEET THE TEAM

The cast and crew take aim

ARROW
BOOK CLUB
80 Essential Read: The Island Of Dr Moreau 100 Smallville
Learn about the beliefs and attitudes that inspired HG Wells to write his most timeless novel. A crash course on the writer who helped inspire Twilight.

18

Q. Whos your underrated superhero of choice?

IM LIVING THE DREAM RIGHT NOW STEPHEN AMELL

Family guy, eco-warrior and, er, life elemental thing, hes more grounded than your average cape.

A. Animal Man

James Hoare Editor

EWS I ERV INT

A. Union Jack

Jodie Tyley News Editor

Give us a movie about our national hero, the halfgeezer, half-super spy Union Jack. #TrueLad.

A. Cannonball

Steve Wright Sub Editor

TIMEWARP
We return to the titular town and re-evaluate the ten seasons of the show that de-mythed Supes.

VAULT

124 The Hobbit

Been around for ages surely has to be a shoo-in for Days Of Future Past? Or is it just me?

84 Beginners Guide: Tanith Lee 86 Nexus

110 Ronald D Moore 114 Twin Peaks 118 Gremlins

With An Unexpected Journey now in cinemas, why not get something to remember it by? Theres still time to get some Westeros-inspired goodies for your loved ones this festive period. The best of the webs nerdfriendly merchandise, collected here for your benet. Brush up on your board gaming with this set from Wizards Of The Coast.

The writer gives his thoughts on Star Trek, BSG and JJ Abrams. Writer Mark Frost on working with David Lynch and where they went wrong. We discover how this creature feature took everyone by surprise. Think you know everything about the witches in the city? Dream on

125 Game Of Thrones

Batman Beyonds Terry McGinnis: a futuristic protg of the elderly Bruce Wayne.

A. Batman 2022

Stephen Kelly Writer

Can this do for nanotech what Robopocalypse did for robotics? Styles the name of the game in this tale of the astral plane. The author on why he went Victorian for his new novel.

126 Geek Chic

93 Mind The Gap

94 Terry Pratchett

122 Charmed

127 Dungeon!

100 SMALLVILLE
The Complete Guide
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NEWS

PORTAL
THE HOTTEST NEWS FIRST

Your essential, trustworthy and unrivalled guide to the latest genre happenings

WE KICK OFF WHERE WE LEFT OFF WITH HAL TIED BRACKENCHAIR TO A KATE
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TRIVIA BEING HUMAN STAR SOCHA PREVIOUSLY APPEARED IN DYSTOPIAN BRIT FLICK SHANK.
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10 THE WALKING DEAD
We mine the comic for future storylines and lay the shows dead to rest

12 BSG: BLOOD & CHROME

The lowdown on the much anticipated Battlestar Galactica prequel
MONSTER HOUSE

14 MERLIN
The cast give their thoughts as the hit series comes to an end

BEING HUMAN IS BACK

WORDS JODIE TyLEy

The new cast tease big things to come in the fifth series

he welcome mat is laid out at Honolulu Heights for another year. When Being Human returns for its fifth series, nothing much has changed between vampire Hal (Damien Molony), werewolf Tom (Michael Socha) and new ghost Alex (Kate Bracken). We kick off where we left off with Hal tied to a chair, reveals Bracken, and Tom and Alex are deciding whether or not its time to let him out, whether hes safe or not. At the end of Series Four, Hal succumbed to his bloodlust, and the newest tenants are taking care of him. Its not like this behind the scenes, however, as Molony tells us. Our first day they had to feed me mashed banana. I hate bananas anyway, and Michael was purposefully getting it all over my nose and cheek, and there were eight takes of it. I was like, Surely we got it now?! Without Hals OCD cleaning, the house has gone to pot, and so have their jobs at the caf. Now, Hal and Tom have ventured into the hotel business, landing roles at The Barry Grand, the same seaside hotel that houses this years big bad. BAFTA-nominated actor Phil Davis, who appeared in Merlin as the man who mortally

wounded Uther Pendragon, has been cast as hotel lodger Captain Hatch. Hes described as bitter, manipulative, obsequious and cruel, trapped in a failing body and harbouring a secret that could rattle your soul with fear. Davis tells us what appealed to him about the part. I read an early draft of the last episode, which is the best for Captain Hatch, and it was irresistible and awful. Thats the thing about this show; its quite gory and grown-up, but its very funny and hip at the same time. Its a lovely combination, and Captain Hatch chimes in with all of that. The last series was dominated by the threat of the Old Ones, a band of ancient vampires headed up by a veiny Mark Gatiss. Creator Toby Whithouse has confirmed that the first episode will tie the loose ends of their story and move on, but there will be a reprisal for Mr Rook (Steven Robertson). We last saw the mysterious Rook taking away Alexs body and removing all evidence of Toms public transformation. Molony confirms that he cant be trusted, He has such an agenda and you never know whether hes good or bad, but he comes to the fore this series as a threat and as a help to us, he reveals. Its really uncertain until the end. Keeping true to the tone of the show, there will be jokes among the blood and maggots, as Molony continues, There are great moments of comedy, whereas last year there was an impending doom of The Old Ones are coming, he says. What I like about this series is that the big bad the menace is so much more subtle and under their noses right from the very start.

Phil Davis as the bitter and manipulative Hatch.

Being Humans fifth series returns to BBC Three in early 2013.

SubScribe www.imagineshop.co.uk

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NEWS

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SUPERMAN BEGINS

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Theres absolutely no winking says director Zack Snyder WORDS JODIE TYLEY
You will believe a man can y when Man Of Steel arrives, according to screenwriter David S Goyer. The new trailer, currently being shown before The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, reveals an almost Batman Beginsesque approach. Its not surprising when you consider the story was plotted by The Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan and writing partner Goyer. What Christopher and I have done with Superman is try to bring the same naturalistic approach. We want our stories to be rooted in reality, like they could happen in the world we live in, Goyer told Bad Taste.

MAN OF STEEL: ITS 100% SERIOUS

He says they considered what would happen if a story like this was real. Clearly, were going to see those who worship him, and others who take a more militaristic approach. Not helping will be General Zod, played by Michael Shannon, although the actor has denied that hell be asking the Last Son of Krypton to kneel before him like in Richard Donners Superman II. Zack Snyder is pleased with Shannons portrayal. You could get actors who go, Its Zod, its not 100 per cent serious, or [you can play it] slightly with a wink; there is none of that with him, he tells MTV. It could be the last opportunity for Superman to prove he can work on the big screen. Superman Returns grossed only $200 million in the US compared to its estimated budget of $270 million. Snyder says Man Of Steel, on the other hand, will be an opportunity for audiences to have their heroes taken seriously.

HIGHEST GROSSING US SUPERHERO MOVIES

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES $447,937,000 THE DARK KNIGHT $534,858,444 AVENGERS ASSEMBLE $623,357,910
WWW.SCIFINOW.CO.UK

TOP 5

Man Of Steel will be released on 14 June 2013.

RESPECT THE ABSURDITY OF BEETLEJUICE 2

Writer Seth Grahame-Smith is denitely not ordering Hawaiian

UNHOLY NIGHT

SPIDER MAN 2 $373,585,825

SPIDER MAN $403,706,375

eth Grahame-Smith is one of the most in-demand writers in Hollywood, having worked with Tim Burton to bring Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Dark Shadows to the screen. Warner Bros recently splurged $2 million securing the rights to his latest book, Unholy Night, and his next assignment is to pen the sequel to Beetlejuice. The thing that scares me and the thing I love about Beetlejuice is there are very few ways to get it right and a whole host of ways to get it wrong. The original premise Beetlejuice Goes Hawaiian certainly seemed that way. It would have been a strange experience, Smith laughs. Im not sure it would have worked, but Tim [Burton] wanted to shoot it like one of those old Sixties teen surf movies, and Beetlejuice wins a surng contest.

Thats the thing with Beetlejuice you have to respect the absurdity of it all. Its not the rst time Smith has thrown himself at a well-loved property, having helped bring Dark Shadows to the big screen. Im not sure people knew what to make of the movie, he says. We were warning people it was a mixed bag of strange. Its the same for Beetlejuice in a way, because Dark Shadows certainly had its legions of fans who were expecting something specic, and with Beetlejuice theres even greater pressure. You have to write something that excites you personally. Im sure in a years time well be talking about how horribly wrong it went, but for now Im optimistic.

Unholy Night is available to buy now.

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TRIVIA THE CHARACTER OF WHITNEY FORDMAN CREATED FOR SMALLVILLE WILL APPEAR IN MAN OF STEEL.

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FIVE THINGS WITH

HOT NEWS
Chlo Moretz

NEWS

CHLO MORETZ
The teen genre queen talks vamps, Carrie and Kicking-Ass
INTERVIEW JOE NAZZARO 15-year-old Moretz is returning to wreak bloody havoc as Hit Girl in Kick-Ass 2. She may have lost the pigtails, but shes gained a customised vehicle: the purple, lethal-looking Hit Cycle. I think Kick-Ass 2 is more I dont know, its just more, she tells us. For my character its not as crazy because shes growing up Theres more of an idea of who you are when youre going to high school and trying to gure it all out.

Hit Girls back

Kick-Ass latest recruit is Jim Carrey as Colonel Stars, a founding member of crime-ghting group Justice Forever. Without her Big Daddy (Nicolas Cage), Moretz is missing out on the fun this time around. In the last one, it was me and Nic Cage, and Aaron [Johnson, who plays Dave/Kick-Ass] wasnt working with Nic, she says. In this one, Aaron is working with Jim and Im like, Nooo! But hes crazy and fun and doing a lot of rad stuff with the character.

2 Missing The Mask

Playing a pint-sized killer is nothing new to Moretz, but in Let Me In she had to play a murderer beyond her years. [Director] Matt Reeves gave me a journal and asked me to write in it, so every night I sat in bed and wrote this back story for her, she says about Abby, the centuries-old bloodsucker. Imagine being 300-years old and forgetting your parents and family, and everyone you knew and loved will die while you still live forever.

3 Interview with the Vampire

As angst-riddled teen Carolyn Stoddard in Dark Shadows, Moretz endured weeks of testing possible werewolf make-up for her full-moon transformation, before it was ditched in favour of digital effects. [Director] Tim Burton and I talked about it and came up with a more feline/fox approach to it, and I ended up walking around like a freak, with green legs and green and blue dots all over my face!

Would-be Werewolf

PA Photos

In the upcoming Carrie remake, she takes on the role played by Sissy Spacek in 1976. In our lm, we use telekinesis as a sense of becoming something and growing up, reveals Moretz. Its something she can look at and say, This might be who I am! It really is an extension of herself, so when shes overly happy or angry, it comes out. It takes any of the strongest emotions and multiplies them by 100.

Telekinetic Teen

I WAS WALKING AROUND LIKE A FREAK, WITH GREEN LEGS AND DOTS ALL MORETZ MY FACE! OVER CHLO
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Kick-Ass 2 and Carrie open in 2013.

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THE WALKING DEATH SENTENCE

MORE MICHONNE
Actress Danai Gurira nailed her performance as the shifty-eyed, Samurai sword-wielding ghter, but so far we havent uncovered much beyond her survival skills. Excitingly, viewers will get answers soon. Her back story is something well unravel in time, says Gurira, who reveals she will also become an ardent protector of youngster Carl (Chandler Riggs). I feel like I connect to her because its not about being soft; its about having as much ferocity as you do heart, she continues. When you can see good from bad so clearly, you feed good and you want to destroy the bad, and Carl is nothing but good. She wont be taking any cheek from the teenager, though, as Riggs reports, She burns holes through my eyes. She is such a great actress, and she knows how to bring the energy it bounces off on to me, which is cool. Weve seen some pretty gnarly sights so far, including a pregnant-looking Walker that devoured the Lori buffet, and a gutting that ended with Michonne getting covered in entrails. When The Walking Dead returns, special effects master Greg Nicotero has plenty more horrors to smear on the screen. Theres a scene where he comes close to addressing the question of what would happen if a walker was cremated. Being a fan of the genre, I feel [that] part of my responsibility is to keep changing it up [and] doing something that we havent seen before, he says. Last year we had the bloated ball walker, and this year we have a couple of cool things like that, so this made complete sense. I want audiences to go, Oh shit, thats awesome! so getting a chance to do some crispy critters was fun, and you just havent seen it done before.

DEAD TO RIGHTS

The Walking Dead may be on probation, but heres what to expect when the series returns in early 2013 WORDS JODIE TYLEY

EXPECT MORE GORE!

COULD SIMON PEGG MAKE A CAMEO IN THE FUTURE?

The Shaun Of The Dead actor and pioneer of a whole new sub-sub-genre (rom-zom-com) is an avid watcher of the series. In fact, he texted effects guru Nicotero after episode four, The Killer Within. The thing that made me laugh is, he wrote Having to shoot your mom is so 2004! because, of course, in Shaun Of The Dead he had to shoot his mom when she became a walker, so they did it back in 2004. Nicotero also revealed there was talk of Pegg playing Dr Jenner in the CDC back in Season One, and they already have Andrew Lincoln and David Morrissey masquerading as Yanks. I think its funny that all of our leads tend to be British guys pretty soon well get Nick Frost. We just keep bringing all the British guys over to be in the show.

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HOT NEWS
The Walking Dead

NEWS

COMICS VS TV

ALERT! How it all goes down in the comic-book series

SPOILER
STOP HERE IF YOU DONT WANT TO KNOW WHOS BITTEN THE DUST
t was pin drop quiet through that whole scene, says Sarah Wayne Callies, who played Lori. We didnt close the set, so the whole crew was there. Anyone else is better suited to this than Maggie [who is forced to operate the fatal caesarean], but she is the one whos there, so Lori has to turn her into a matriarch in the space of two minutes to save her babys life. Thats a remarkable story, and obviously it will affect Maggie for the rest of the season, and likewise, Carl has to become a man, because theres no one else to put Lori down, and theres no one else to be the bearer of her nal words. In a way, it was an intimate process, because Glen [Mazarra] lost his mother shortly before they started writing this season, so I was very aware that this was a scene that he had written about a woman saying goodbye to his son, having just said goodbye to his mother and heard many of those words. People have asked me, How does it feel to leave the show? Watch the episode, and youll know exactly how I feel, because its all there.

POTENTIAL

SPOILER ALERT!

Governor sinks to new lows

The big bad gets a whole lot worse when he brutally rapes and tortures Michonne. Its in retaliation for her biting off his ear as payback for cutting off Ricks hand. Actress Danai Gurira conrms the pair have a violent relationship, but is this too dark? Odds it happens: 20-1

A new love triangle?

With the introduction of Tyreese (who will be played by The Wires Chad Coleman), Rick will gain a recruit and the ladies a love interest. In the comics, he catches the eyes of Carol and Michonne. Things dont work out very well for Carol, though, as she spots the pair in a clinch. Odds it happens: 10-1

hey say once you have that moral moment where you try to appeal to everybodys conscience and try to be the voice of reason, you get the bite or something like that, says the recently departed IronE Singleton. Something happens to you, so its interesting how that goes. Ive thought about that; I was like, Oh wow, T-Dog is appealing to the group; it kind of sounds like Dale in a more condensed, abridged fashion, and the next day you know hes getting bit. In the beginning, I had no idea I was going to go out so heroically, because when I was cast I was told that I would [be in] two, maybe three episodes, but I ended up staying on the show for three seasons. Its not my call to say that I wanted more or less; Im just so pleased to have been a part of something so special and so historic.

SPOILER ALERT!

Bloody vengeance

Michonne breaks into the Governors apartment and mutilates his genitals, drills through his arm and scoops out his eyeball before going for his zombie daughter. She currently has no reason to do this, but showrunner Glen Mazzara has hinted that these characters will have a lengthy arc. Odds it happens: 5-1

War breaks out

The Governor leads an assault on the prison and the Atlanta survivors, delivering an ultimatum: surrender or die. He drives a tank through the prison fences, destroying their safety, which would make sense since they killed those army men and stole their armoured vehicle. Odds it happens: 2-1
Will Michonne emulate her comic-book counterpart?

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where you have ten minutes of story and a cliffhanger, followed by ten minutes of story and the cliffhanger. Then, after ten episodes it would resolve itself in a pre-act structure as a whole movie. So when I set out to develop this, my thinking was to design a mission. The So Say We All speech that Olmos famously ad-libbed in the original series helped to define the character, but Pasqualinos portrayal will allow us to understand the trigger behind his hatred of the robotic race of Cylons He wants to incinerate them, but why? And the more I thought about it, the more I finally came up with the answer that his hatred came from a very personal place, says Eick. Through that experience, [he] came to feel that the Cylons were [an] unforgivable race of creatures that, of course being responsible for our genocide, needed to be gotten rid of. Where most sci-fi TV shows are forced to keep outer-space exploration to a minimum due to budget restrictions, Caprica included, the makers of Blood & Chrome decided on a different tack. We wanted to make it fresh and accessible, but not duplicative of the last BSG, so we made this a green-screen composite universe, explains Eick. The environments were painstakingly crafted by the same visual effects team that worked on BSG. Weve been able to create something that feels completely different from what people may have seen three and four years ago, but that nevertheless retains a certain echo of what we had done so the fans still feel like theyre immersed in that same universe. Original series creator Ronald D Moore was reportedly tied up with other projects, and therefore couldnt be involved, but Eick insists the series still bares his influence. We were always kind of existing in the same mindset, he says. Battlestar was a child we gave birth to together, and this new grandchild of it naturally has his genetic imprint on it. I wouldnt ever claim otherwise. Despite the pairs previous endeavour, Caprica, being cancelled after 19 episodes, theres hope that Blood & Chrome will continue beyond the DVD release. There was absolutely the kind of very organic evolution where we leave the characters at the end of this story and what we would pursue as our next tale and Im very hopeful and optimistic that well be doing that soon.

BATTLESTAR BEGINS
We go back in time to meet a younger, pluckier William Adama in Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome interview Joe NAZZARo
Its journey to the screen is an unusual one, airing on YouTube channel Machinima Prime, then on the Syfy channel before coming out on DVD within months, but BSG veteran and current producer David Eick says he never intended it as a traditional pilot. It was always developed as a project for an online environment, he tells us. Kind of like the Raiders Of The Lost Ark-style, adapted to the Thirties-style movie serials Theres the reimagining, the prequel, and sitting somewhere between the two comes Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome. Its fronted by former Skins star Luke Pasqualino, whose fresh face is a million light-years away from the man he eventually becomes, William Adama (Edward James Olmos). In this prequel of sorts, hes a cocky young pilot assigned to the newest battlestar in the Colonial fleet: the pre-battle-bashed Galactica.

STAR WARS

Despite not being the hoped-for full series, fans will rejoice at returning to the BSG universe.

The original commanding officer of the battlestar Galactica, William Adama, played by Edward James Olmos.

Battlestar Galactica: Blood & Chrome will air in its entirety on Syfy in early 2013, and is being serialised on youtube. com/machinimaprime.

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In the comics, Queen earned Deathstrokes ire by sticking an arrow in his eye.

Je rey Robinson

DEATHSTROKE

In the comics, Speedy is Arrows sidekick, but so far its just a pet name for his little sis.

Willa Holland

SPEEDY

One of the worlds nest assassins who violently cleaned up his daughters hometown.

Michael Rowe

DEADSHOT

A drug lord who, in the comics, Queen inadvertently funds.

Kelly Hu

CHINA WHITE

Will be trying to take down her own fathers maa crime family in Starling City.

Jessica De Gouw

THE HUNTRESS

Is there any good-natured competition between Green Arrow and Hawkeye? I actually met Jeremy [Renner] in Los Angeles. We had a mutual friend. If anybody wants to set up a live archery competition on television, Im fully in. I work hard, so lets do it. Anything for charity. I do have some learning to do, because he has a really high-tech bow, and I still use the bow that I used on the island. Its tougher to shoot with because the draw weight is only 15 pounds, so I need to get into shooting with compound bows and stuff like that. What kind of pressure are you under to live up to the comics? I only felt pressure one time throughout this entire process, and that was the camera test/hair and make-up day when we were shooting the pilot. I had been there for a couple of weeks, I arrived on set on this particular day, and it seemed like there were 1,000 cars there. I knew that everyone was there to work on the show, and if I didnt do a good job it wouldnt go to series, and nobody would have a job, so I felt under pressure.
MAY THE BEST BOW WIN

(Emily Bett Rickards)

The manager of a computer software company.

FELICITY SMOAK RAMOND

Dramatically altered from the comics, this canary doesnt have superpowers.

Katie Cassidy

BLACK CANARY

ARROW VERSUS HAWKEYE

Star Stephen Amell wants to take on Jeremy Renner

How many scenes have you had with John Barrowman? Denitely more than one. I consider John to be a mentor at this point. Hes had really interesting advice, because hes been a part of this world. Hes a really interesting guy, and its such a coup for us to have him on our show. I wish I could talk about what he plays, but I cant.
Arrow is airing now on Sky 1 HD

DARK KNIGHT TO DA VINCI

The man who co-wrote The Dark Knight Rises and the upcoming Man Of Steel is taking on the hero of the Renaissance period, Leonardo da Vinci. David S Goyer has produced an eight-part historical drama, titled Da Vincis Demons, about the artists quest to expose the lies of religion. Theres a complete gap in his history from the time he was about 27 to 32, says Goyer. For a creator like me, thats just gold, because you can come up with all sorts of stuff. As the rst series wraps up production in Wales, Goyer recently conrmed that Starz Entertainment has already started paving the way for a second series of the much-anticipated historical fantasy. I can say the coolest thing thats happened so far, he continues, is I turned in my rst cut of episodes one and two, and Starz green-lit the writers room for Season Two. So we will have the scripts for Season Two

ART ATTACKS

First look at David S Goyers fantasy-historical mash-up

written before Season One premieres. Playing the 25-yearold genius is Tom Riley, who is excited by the prospect of telling the untold story People . dont really know what he was like at that time, agrees Riley, and what kind of scrapes he must have got into to put together the ideas that live on now. Were trying to do a period of his life that has never been seen before.

WE YOUR

Da Vincis Demons airs on FX in spring 2013.

Tom Riley stars at the titular, enigmatic genius.

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LOVES A HEXENBIEST

fairy tale romance

Grimms Bitsie Tulloch and Sasha Roiz on their spellbound passion

T
2

he mid-season finale of grimm ended with the apt line: to be continued sorry. everything was falling into place; adalind the deliciously evil hexenbiest is back, Juliette is busted snogging captain renard and nick has moved in with monroe at last.

when the series returns next year, we will find out how the love triangle will pan out. Actress Bitsie Tulloch (Juliette) teases whats to come: i was shooting a scene last night, im not going to say with whom, that was so complicated a love scene that it required a stunt coordinator and took eight hours to shoot. And this is what

happens when you do your own stunts she says, revealing a nasty bruise on her arm. This is from the love scene. i cant say [what happens], but it is worst around my legs. There is a lot going on. You havent seen anything like it in the show so far. odds are this clinch was instigated by renard, who has been attracted to Juliette since he woke her from her coma. hes a more intense suitor than nick, but were not quite sure whose side hes really on. actor sasha roiz is enjoying the debate, its fun being the antagonist, and its fun having a lot of secrets, he says. But a lot of stuff gets revealed this season, and a lot of dynamics change very quickly. so well see where it all leads, but i never thought of him as the bad guy. i just thought of him as somebody with a purpose.

The latter half of the season will be more lively for Juliette.

grimm returns in february 2013 on watch.

MERLIN CASTS ITS FINAL SPELL

Katie McGrath
Morgana

The cast say farewell to the much-loved show

devoted fan base that made the show a unique, surreal and special experience. my words wont do justice to the honour of being King arthur, so i shall just say that it has been an exceptional one and that knowing the show has been a part of so many peoples lives has been humbling.

i have always said the success of the show has stemmed from our audience being able to relate to the characters on different levels being based on the universally loved arthurian legend is only a tiny part of its success. its a story about acceptance and growing up. the breathtaking finale of this series leaves you with no doubt that characters have been on their journeys and had their stories told its completely the right time to draw our telling of the story to a close.

have been part of such a brilliant show and such a great team. i think weve told the story we set out to tell. i believe the key to any successful show is making sure you leave people wanting more!

Richard Wilson

firstly, i would like to say that im extremely sad that merlin has come to an end. speaking as gaius, i feel i have mentored the young wizard as far as i can he is much smarter and greater than me now, and i am simply exhausted!

Gaius

Colin Morgan
Merlin

Bradley James

Angel Coulby
4 3

Gwen

it has been a very special and memorable five years making merlin. i feel extremely proud to

the merlin years have provided me with fond memories, great experiences and beloved friends, and all the while we were supported by a

Arthur

this was always going to be a five-year journey that we embarked on, and i think the show has run its natural course. the show has grown and grown each year, and now weve arrived at its strongest point, and weve achieved what we set out to do i know this is the end, and i know this is goodbye, but thank you for being there on the journey with us, because it has been a lot of fun!

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TRIVIA most of the creature names in grimm were derived from german names or scientific terms.

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FRESH MEAT

HOT NEWS
True Blood

NEWS

NEW BLOOD
S
BEN (Rob Kazinsky)

WORDS JODIE TYLEY

Whos who guide to the newcomers in True Blood

eason Six may be the rst for True Blood without series creator and showrunner Alan Ball, and be two episodes shorter due to Anna Paquins pregnancy, but its no less packed than usual for HBOs supernatural sensation. Heres your at-a-glance guide to whos moving in, what it might mean for the regulars and how much this injection of new blood will spice up the show...

Four other nuggets to ponder ahead of Season Six

THE REST IN PIECES

WOLF STYLE

Eastenders ex-pat Kazinsky is playing Ben, a charismatic faerie who strikes up a probably naked bond with Sookie and helps the Stackhouse siblings uncover the mystery of their parents murder. Despite his charm, he is described as dark, unpredictable and extremely dangerous. After three years running up the apples and pears to pick up the dog and bone (sorry), Kazinsky is set to break out in 2013, appearing in not just True Blood, but Guillermo del Toros Pacic Rim, too, having been forced to pull out of The Hobbit trilogy.

New Blood Rating

No stranger to neck-chomping cadavers, Blade Runner star Rutger Hauer actually had a hand in kicking off this small screen sub-genre, playing vampire Lothos in Buffy: The Vampire Slayer. Hes also dabbled in the classics albeit somewhat ignominiously as Dracula in Wes Cravens Dracula III: Legacy, Abraham Van Helsing in Dario Argentos Dracula 3D and Kurt Barlow in 2004s Salems Lot. Hauer will play Macklyn, an ominous gure linked to Sookie and Jason (Ryan Kwanten), and its tempting to assume hes connected to their parents deaths.

Shirtless werewolf Alcide (Joe Manganiello) and Sookie could still get it on, with departing showrunner Alan Ball saying that the door isnt closed for the couple following their sofa-based sexcapade in early Season Five.

MACKLYN (Rutger Hauer)

THE STACKHOUSE ON THE LEFT

Jason (Ryan Kwanten) is haunted by the death of the his parents to an obsessive degree, which is set to dominate the season. It really begins to shift the very bre of who he is and everything that he thought he was, Kwanten told The Hollywood Reporter.

STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON

He may have gotten so wrapped up in Lilith (Jessica Clark)s poisonous vampire gospel that hes prepared to kill for it, but Bill (Stephen Moyer) isnt beyond redemption. Hes been lost and hes found something to grab hold of that he thinks is the right way forward, Moyer told TVLine.

New Blood Rating

NICOLE JANSSEN (TBC)

HOYT COULD BE BACK

Although Hoyt (Jim Parrack) left Season Five with a certain amount of nality heading for Alaska and unable to remember his childhood friend, Jason the actor has revealed that the option is there for the loveable everyman to return. I know that Alan Ball told me that they didnt want to kill him, he told TV Guide.

Incoming showrunner Mark Hudis has put out the call for a new character. Nicole Janssen is described as a white, 20-something dogooder to the core whose hippy idealism is ultimately vaguely idiotic and dangerous. A true bleeding heart, not at all concerned with money; shes concerned with the common good and doing whats right Life hasnt beaten her down yet. Basically, she sounds like an even more profoundly dull character than Sookie was at the start of show. Just Bills type, then.

New Blood Rating

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HIGHLIGHTING FANTASY T
YOU can be the hero in this new Fighting Fantasy documentary
he Fighting Fantasy gamebook series not only popularised sword and sorcery (among other genre tropes) in the UK in a way scarcely equalled until Peter Jacksons Lord Of The Rings trilogy, but its tied into the birth of Games Workshop, the breakout of Dungeons & Dragons and the rise of all forms of interactive storytelling. Its a suitably epic saga that director/producer Sean Riley wants to tell to the highest possible standard with a TVquality documentary Where did the idea for Turn To 400 come from? My current job is to come up with factual programme ideas to develop and pitch to TV stations, so Im always on the lookout for stories that might make a documentary. TV stations like reasons for a

BOOKS OF WAR

documentary, like anniversaries, etc (you can see where this is going). Anyway, Games Workshop is around the corner from my ofce it sparked a conversation in the pub and a few hours reminiscing about cheating playing Fighting Fantasy books under the duvet. Before you know it, Im emailing Ian Livingstone and Steve Jacksons publishers with the idea for the documentary. Why do you think this is a story that needs to be told? I have a great deal of nostalgia for the Fighting Fantasy books, and once Id discovered more about the story behind them (the lengths Steve and Ian went to get GW off the ground are incredible!), I thought that their determination to follow their dreams would be a great example to everyone. Plus, there were 16 million copies

of the books sold worldwide, so I expected there to be an audience for the lm! What has your own relationship with Fighting Fantasy been like? I was about eight when Warlock Of Firetop Mountain hit the shelves, so my rst book was actually Forest Of Doom. I was blown away and the books became a collecting obsession until sex, drugs and rock n roll took over (well, rock n roll, anyway there was precious little sex and drugs in the little seaside retirement town I grew up in!). Ive now got two boys, and think theyll love the books when theyre old enough. However, when I went searching for my collection, it appeared to have disappeared. When I got my new copy of Blood Of The Zombies, I opened it to do a bit of research and was glued for a weekend. Do you have any more geeky projects lined up after TT400 ? Not at present theres still the day job of trying to get factual TV ideas commissioned, and as part of that weve discussed Ians involvement in Next-Gen, but TVs a tricky business, and people are constantly paranoid about having their ideas stolen! Im always open to peoples ideas, though! Find out more about Turn To 400 at www.turnto400.com.

I love The Who Shop in East Ham, because its near me and is full of Doctor Who stuff! Naomi Wong, London

STORE TREK

Some places are worth leaving the house for

The Who Shop 49-41 Barking Road Upton Park London, E6 1PY www.thewhoshop.com

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UKS FIRST KLINGON WEDDING L

ife-long Trekkie Sonnie Fustavsson, 29, and convert Jossie Sockertopp, 23, travelled all the way from Sweden to Londons ExCel centre to get hitched in the rst wedding of its kind. The pair wore traditional Klingon attire with prosthetic foreheads at the Destination Star Trek event, inspired by an episode of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine where Klingon Worf ties the knot with science ofcer Jadzia Dax. They exchanged vows and swore to unite against all opponents before cutting the Borg cube cake. Cake designer Charlotte White talked us through this unusual mission What was the big day like? I was lucky enough to attend the Klingon ceremony. It was really quite romantic! The service was read in both Klingon and English so that we could understand what was being said. The words were all about two hearts nding each other Im a big softy really! I had heard that Klingon couples normally duel with swords during the ceremony, but I was grateful that this was left out, as I was a bit worried that the cake might get knocked over! What was the couples reaction to the cake? They were thrilled I think it exceeded their expectations! When they had mentioned a Borg Cube, I think they

5 THINGS From SciFiNow.co.uk

This couple boldly went where no couple has gone before

IRON MAN 3 ISNT A SERIOUS MOVIE, SAYS KEVIN FEIGE tinyurl.com/IM3-movie

imagined that they would get that one cube cake. What they didnt expect was my air for the dramatic! The bride really enjoyed her slice of cake. What next, a Comic-Con wedding? I am looking forward to the next couple who will challenge my cake decorating skills in this way! I have a reputation as a vintage-loving girl, but what few people know is that I have a lm degree and wrote my dissertation on superhero movies, so a Comic-Con wedding would be my idea of heaven! I always thought that Selena Kyle should have married Bruce Wayne. Batman wedding, anyone? See more of Charlotte Whites cakemaking skills at www.restorationcake. co.uk.
3 2

KATEE SACKHOFF ON RIDDICK 2

tinyurl.com/blood-nudity

TWILIGHT VOLTURI JOINS THE VAMPIRE DIARIES tinyurl.com/Twilight-TVD

Which solo Avengers movie are you most looking forward to?
Captain America: Winter Soldier, a bit darker and an AMAZING story arc in
the comic!

@WesWyndamPryce

Ant Man for me, Edgar Wright was born to make that movie.

@DanDoolan

NEILL BLOMKAMPS ELYSIUM

tinyurl.com/elysium-damon

Dont do anymore solos, apart from Iron Man they have all been terrible until now. Just do Avengers 2 & 3 :)

@OGGames

Going by the trailer, Iron Man 3 looks like its going to be massive.

@stevenmorrish

4
Charlotte did an excellent job on the Borg cake.

CHRIS HEMSWORTH TALKS THOR AND JANE tinyurl.com/jane-thor

Not solo, but Id like to see Guardians Of The Galaxy and how Marvel can pull that one off.

@mavieenlair

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must-see tv
Arrow

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THERES DEFINITELY A HUNGER FOR SUPERHERO SHOWS ON TELEVISION

MARC GUGGENHEIM
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TVs Dark Knight Rises

ARROW

WORDS JODIE TYLEY INTERVIEWS SAMUEL ROBERTS, JOE NAZZARO

THE MAKERS OF ARROW HAVE FINALLY FOUND THE FORMULA FOR SMALL SCREEN SUPERHERO SUCCESS, EARNING A FULL SERIES AND STRONG RATINGS. WE CHAT TO THE CAST AND CREATORS ABOUT WHERE THEY GO FROM HERE
reen Arrow is the street level superhero who doesnt belong in big clubs like the Justice League; hes ghting for the little guy. The TV adaptation has stayed true to DCs last remaining hippy and abides by the cardinal rule: no superpowers. The showrunners arent afraid of its origin, though, and so far the series has seen appearances from Deadshot (Michael Rowe), Deathstroke (Jeffrey Robinson), The Huntress (Jessica De Gouw) and China White (Kelly Hu), but theyre merely assassins who dabble in cosplay. Its for this reason that Arrow has snared as many viewers as the Emerald Archer has enemies, bagging a full-season run. We chatted with executive producers Marc Guggenheim and Andrew Kreisberg, who revealed that there will be more characters orbiting the DC Universe, waiting to crash-land when the series returns in 2013. The latest in the rogues gallery is Count Vertigo (Seth Gabel). Theyve changed his name to suit his new role as a drug peddler, Vertigo instead being the name of the substance taking Starling City by storm. Chances are he will go straight to the top of Arrows naughty list, particularly as his sister, Thea (Willa Holland) has become a pill-popping party girl while Olivers been away.

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Count Vertigo, I would say after Merlyn, is probably his most well known villain, says Kreisberg. When your last name is Vertigo, of course youre going to grow up to be a supervillain who uses vertigo as a weapon. Seth Gabel is terrifyingly awesome in the part. First of all, how he gets the nickname the Count is kind of fun and spooky, but also how he is able to create this vertigo effect without using certain superpowered means and thats whats fun for us. There are some characters who for the most part have transitioned literally from the comics like Deadshot, who despite his costume is still the worlds greatest assassin and Deathstroke and China White, but Count Vertigo is our first real, complete overhaul. Were really excited about it. on the Emerald Archer. Aside from using their healthy bank accounts to fund their after-dark activities, they both had a young sidekick in tow, a clown-like arch-enemy and a platoon of vehicles named after their alias (Quickly, to the Arrow-Plane!). The two joined forces in the Justice League, but its unlikely that Batman will feature in this retelling; theres only room for one superhero in the city. Theres no shortage of fanboy references, though, as Guggenheim says, The DC Universe is sprinkled throughout the series. Fans of DC will catch references to other locations and concepts, and youll definitely feel like youre seeing the non-powered corners of the DC Universe. The sources that Arrow is drawing from are Andy Diggle and Jocks Green Arrow: Year One, which rewrote the origin into the shipwrecked tale were familiar with, and Mike Grells The Longbow Hunters, which made the bold move of isolating the hero from other iconic DC characters. Grell took away Black Canarys sonic scream, and when Oliver Queens long-time pal Hal Jordan (Green Lantern) visited, it was strictly in civilian clothes. The Arrow writers have paid homage to these touchstones by recruiting Grell to draw the police sketch Oliver is shown in the pilot episode; his bodyguard is named after Diggle, and Dinah Laurel Lance works for CNRI, which sounds tantalisingly close to canary. Its something the writers enjoy weaving into the show, reveals Kreisberg. One of the fun things for us with this project is that Marc and I are both comicbook fans and comic writers. There are so many great, wonderful characters in the DC Universe who have never gotten their fair shake in TV or film, so its fun for us to

A
The emerald archer
Stephen Amell on becoming the saviour of Starling City
What kind of physical training are you doing for this show? I like to get a little bit of a lead-up for shirtless scenes; I like for them to let me know a little bit. I showed up in LA two Saturdays ago, and my buddies had done a congratulations cake for me, and they had done my head, but made Arrow super-fat on the cake. I train when I can and I do everything I normally would do, but I wear a super-heavy weight vest. What research did you do, and how do you feel about the Smallville take on Green Arrow? I had never seen Smallville, so I didnt know, and I wasnt worried about comparisons because this show is so different. I didnt know anything about the Green Arrow character prior to auditioning for the role. I thought the pilot was very all-encompassing, and I trusted the people that were involved in the project. After we shot the pilot, I educated myself and read a bunch, but were not leaning on the comics and then filling in the story and the characters; were dealing with the characters and building out from that. If you dont care about what Oliver is going through, the fight scenes and the action sequences arent going to mean anything. How do you get in the mindset of someone whos a little unhinged? I use how tired I am with the schedule its actually really helpful. Hes come back to Starling City with just one idea and one mission, and hes trying to go from point A to B. But what he didnt consider when he was on the island was how it was going to affect his relationship with his sister and his mother, and how he was going to go about this and not have people suspect hes up to something, so he becomes a little bit unhinged. He becomes angry, and thats fun for me, and theres romance, of course. Didnt you recently say you had no life; you had a TV series? Is it hard to deal with? No, because Im living the dream right now. At a certain point things will slow down and Ill have ten days where I will not get out of bed, but that is not today. When I screen tested for this, I walked into Peter Roths office hes the president of Warner Bros Television and he knew that I was Canadian, so he said, [adopts comical Canadian accent] Ey, so whats going on oot there? and I said, Mr Roth, Im not Canadian today. And there will be a moment when Im tired, but it is not now. What kind of pressure are you under to live up to the comics? When the show debuted, I definitely sat in my trailer in silence, looking at Twitter and wondering if people watched it, because all of a sudden it was out there in the world, so there were all of these anticipatory, adrenaline-laced feelings, but no pressure.

s always, the aim is to root these characters in the world we recognise. similarly with christoPher nolan in the Batman

films, he took a lot of fantastical characters and really tried to ground them in reality, Kreisberg continues. Thats what weve been trying to do we havent gone into the DC Comics playbook, grabbed a character and said, We should do an episode about this person. Weve been designing our stories to tell the best stories we can, then we look at the DC Comics playbook and say, Is there something we can put through the prism of Arrow? Its fitting that Arrows showrunners look to the Caped Crusader for inspiration, since that was the original motivation for Green Arrow in the comics. Introduced in 1941, billionaire Oliver Queen was almost a mirror image of Bruce Wayne in the hope that his huge popularity would also rub off

Green Arrows long origin story provides ample storytelling material for the series.

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arrow

Speedy come, Speedy go

Willa Holland on the notso-annoying little sister
This is very different from the other shows youve done like The OC and Gossip Girl. Was there a big adjustment? Yeah, this character is a lot more layered than anything else. People have been asking me, Youre playing this little sister again, how is that? But to me, Thea is a completely different person; she comes from a similar wealth realm, but what shes gone through is so very drastically different from Caitlin [her character in The OC]. Yes, shes using drugs, but I think she has different reasons. I honestly dont think shes an addict. I feel like in the last five years shes had nobody to talk to, no way to express herself and honestly needed to suppress everything that was going on in her mind, and had no idea how to do it other than drug use. You characters nickname is a callback to the comic-book. Do you look to that character for any inspiration? I did actually, not that Im allowed to do anything about it or say anything about it, because Im still completely in the dark. I have no idea whats going to happen, or even if it will. There are a lot of hints towards it, so fingers crossed, because I would love to pick up a bow and arrow and start kicking some ass. I would love to put on the red and yellow. Did you have a favourite comic when you were a kid? I didnt read too many comics, Im not going to lie about that, but every single day when I got home from school, who didnt watch Justice League? Its like the first thing thats on the TV; youve gotta do it, so of course I knew of Green Arrow.

There are some villains on The show ThaT have never been on Tv or in film before Andrew Kreisberg
go through the catalogue and find these quirky, interesting people and pepper them throughout the series. They make us happy, so we hope fans will feel the same. These winks are the only thing in the show thats being treated with a bit of jest, since the leading man is not only a hero, but also a cold-blooded killer. Weve seen him fire his lab-made weapons into wrongdoers skulls episode after episode, and there are no plans of letting up. Were heavily invested in keeping up the same level of action throughout the series, because that is one of the signature aspects of the show, he adds. Its what makes it different from every superhero show youve seen before. Viewers are going to see Oliver grappling with his moral compass, though, something that began with the introduction of Helena Bertinelli, aka the Huntress. She is essentially the funhouse mirror version of Oliver Queen, inadvertently forcing him to confront all sorts of philosophical questions about justice, vengeance and whether he has a thing for girls in leather. Morality issues will be an ongoing theme, as Kreisberg confirms, Because of Olivers actions as well see throughout the series there will be other people who will desire to join or emulate him, and well get to see where Oliver draws the line, because he does draw lines. Part of whats interesting about the first year is were seeing this hero at his nascent stage, and his morality will be evolving. The island taught him a certain way of looking at life that hes brought back with him and affects the interactions with his family, friends and confidants even his enemies. His world view will be slowly evolving. Slow is the key word, as the creators have drip-fed flashbacks to the island since the pilot, and the shows writers are playing the long game. One of the things about Green Arrow is that his origin is basically a five-year origin story, says Guggenheim. Superman doesnt have that and Spider-Man doesnt have that. So well be continuing that hybrid of present day riveting narrative, intercut with these informative flashbacks. Well discover why Edward Fyers [Deathstrokes employer] is on the island and how Yao Fei [Oliver Queens island-dwelling predecessor] plays into it, and Olivers real journey from being the callow youth that we met in the pilot to being someone who can survive. After this year well have no doubt that Oliver can survive for four more years hell have to survive on the island. The writers have been careful to include enough revelations along the way to keep viewers interested a lesson Guggenheim learned from working on FlashForward. I learned I think the hard way that the audience these days is looking for answers and for plot to move a lot faster than earlier shows, he says of the shows premature cancellation. I like to say that other shows with heavier mythology have worn out their welcome, so our goal has been Lets give answers quickly and present new questions afterwards. Were moving through so much story that we never take our foot off the gas. Superheroes live and die by the actors who play them, and a casting misfire can lead to (outerwear) pants around the ankles. Take Nicolas Cage and his hairpiece as Ghost Rider or Alicia Silverstone as a pouting Batgirl, for example. Casting Stephen Amell as Oliver Queen could have been a risk; his previous roles including a bit-part as a werewolf in The Vampire Diaries and a busboyturned-prostitute in Hung. However, hes proven that hes got the quiet, brooding intensity of a castaway-come-antihero who can turn on the debauched playboy charm when the script calls for a party (every other episode).

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Black canarys cry

Katie Cassidy on the superhero-in-waiting
Can you relate to the way Laurel feels about Oliver? I have two sisters, and theres no way for me that I could ever come back from that and forgive someone. Having said that, she is obviously willing to face him. Its like a love addiction; she loves him, but she knows shes always going to get hurt. I feel thats the only way to explain it, because I often wonder myself, Why is she still talking to this person? Its interesting that shes chosen the profession that shes chosen, but I think that comes more from family than anything else. Her father is a cop, and I think hes instilled in her drive and a lot of values, and she expects everybody else to live up to that. I think shes seen the potential in Oliver, so she knows its there; its just a matter of him living up to who she thinks he is. When you were preparing for the role, did you look at the comics at all? They didnt necessarily ask me to. I went in and had a meeting, and heard what they had to say about what they thought of the character and where they saw the character going, and that was very much everything I wanted and was invested in. It made me excited and certainly inspired me. I had done research and read about the comic-book series and who Laurel and her alter-ego was, but I wasnt necessarily basing the character on that. Will we see Black Canary? Um I feel thats a question that you should ask Marc [Guggenheim] and let me know what he says!

Subtle and not so subtle references to the source material are never far away.

hen auditioning for the lead role, guggenheim says they werent looking for how many chin-ups the guy could do, though no one

would doubt Amells abs. It was all about charisma, he says. When youre casting for a television show, its different to casting a movie. Youve got to cast someone who people will literally invite into their living rooms and bedrooms every week. Even though we feel like Stephen is a future movie star, we feel he has that accessibility and watchability that you look for in casting a television star. Arrow is a diversion from the kind of superheroics Guggenheim is used to, having written the screenplay for Green Lantern, but he thinks this is why he works on television. He doesnt have magical powers; hes the hero all of us could be. Theres that wish fulfilment aspect, that quality of If I went through what this guy went through, I could end up with his powers. The show has struck a chord from the offset, attracting the CW networks biggest audience of any show in three years. Kreisberg thinks the reason for its pull is the entire ensemble; not just Oliver. One of the things that makes him perfect for television is that, unlike a lot of superheroes, Oliver has a lot of people in his life, he says. Most superheroes tend to be loners, but Oliver has got a mother, a stepfather, a sister and a best friend, and the love of his life is still around. Whats interesting about him is that hes sort of alone in a crowd.

He has this dark secret, but its really hard to keep it hidden because there are so many people in his life. Its not as easy as Batman alone in his mansion with only Alfred who knows everything. Like many other cornerstones of Batmans life, Arrow has his own version of Alfred in bodyguard John Diggle (David Ramsey). But unlike Alf, he makes a blunt distinction between waging a war and being a murderer. Even love interest Laurel differs from Lois Lane and Gwen Stacy by considering the fact that this enigmatic crusader is a killer. Shes equally unimpressed with his public persona, and understandably so; this is the guy who delivered the one-two punch of hooking up with her sister and inviting her on the boat trip that ended her life. Arrow is a million fictional worlds away from Smallville with its saturated visuals and clean, ironed shirts. Even though they lived by a no flights, no tights rule, the makers struggled to make Supes relevant. It even featured a version of Green Arrow (Justin Hartley), a shades-wearing boyband member that demanded a whole new level of disbelief to buy the fact that he survived being stranded on an island. Instead, the creators of Arrow looked to Ethan Hunt in Mission: Impossible for their new spin, and just as Christian Bale is the flipside of Adam West, one doesnt obliterate the other. But this new version of Oliver Queen definitely could, given the chance; hes more sinister and in need of some serious counselling. Youre able to lock on to how difficult it must have been for Oliver Queen to

spend those five years in isolation, and the damage that did to his psyche and to make his actions as a vigilante not something everybody would be celebrating, says Kreisberg. Normally when theres a superhero movie or TV show, everybody is rah-rah behind someone putting on a mask and a cape and fighting crime. In the real world the police would be after this person, people would be sceptical, and I think all of those things make the world feel more grounded, real and lived in, and really makes you get behind Oliver and his crusade in a much more emotional way. This seems to be where previous superpowered shows went wrong; the likes of The Cape and No Ordinary Family were swiftly axed. It was certainly the motivation behind Arrow, as Guggenheim admits his affinity with this formula stems from the same frustration viewers feel. In many ways its like we had to do this show because no one else seemed to be doing it, and theres definitely with the success of The Dark Knight and all the superhero films a hunger for that on television, he says. Now weve been doing it for a few episodes, we understand the challenges involved, but we have an amazing crew in addition to an amazing cast. Were doing a little movie for television every week thats the goal. With a SHIELD TV show on the cards, it gives us more faith than ever that a masked saviour or several can make this formula work for television.

Arrow will return to Sky 1 HD in 2013.

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TVs Dark Knight Rises

arrow

What we said about Arrows all-important first six episodes on SciFiNow.co.uk

Hit or MiSS?

Pilot 1.01

A tightly packed drama that promises future payoff as soon as each dynamic is established, and amazingly choreographed action sequences of gunfire, martial arts and bow-fu. Over the first 60 minutes of its existence, Arrow establishes itself as the most thrilling, narratively rich and downright impressive genre TV debut of 2012. VERDICT HHHHH

Honor Thy Father 1.02

Only in time will we find out whether Honor Thy Father was the second, more confident step on level ground before the climb or early evidence of the show running out of steam. Regardless, its a fantastic piece of entertainment that deserves far better considering the ghastly Birds Of Prey kicked off with around 3 million more viewers. VERDICT HHHHH

Lone Gunmen 1.03

Starting strongly, Lone Gunmen fast-tracks you so breathlessly to its resolution that it feels like a two-part episode cut short. Theres a perfunctory bit of moral handwringing that is only slightly more complex than Deadshot going Were the same and Oliver replying, No were not! SHUT UP! Its definitely no way to treat a much-loved character. VERDICT HHHHH

An Innocent Man 1.04

Theres no shortage of jaw-dropping reveals as Walter discovers that Olivers mother has been keeping some WTF?-scale ropey CGI in a warehouse, and she finally meets John Barrowmans Well Dressed Man Then the . single biggest development in the show since the pilot comes crashing through the door of Queen Manor and flips the status quo VERDICT HHHHH

Damaged 1.05

You ve got to cast someone who people will invite into their bedrooms every week
Marc GuGGenheiM
SubScribe www.imagineshop.co.uk

If theres one thing Arrow is getting sharp at, its in reflecting the themes of the episode by chronologically continuing the tale of what happened to Oliver on that island. This time, were treated to an appearance of a much anticipated comic-book villain, but Damaged is more about advancing the characters, and is another high point as a result. VERDICT HHHHH

When Arrow first opened fire, comparisons to Smallville were never far away, but Legacies brings them all crashing back in as were given some chocolate sprinkle moralising, a love triangle (or square) and a bit of family drama. Its only a matter of time before Oli is helping the hallucinatory ghost of Robert Queen oil his tractor or chop wood. VERDICT HHHHH

Legacies 1.06

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DOCTOR WHO
Time For Reection

A
TIME REFLECTION P

FOR

way from the pressures of saving the world on Doctor Who, Matt Smith is much more relaxed than his frantic TV counterpart; in fact, hes a bit of a sloucher. Grabbing a rare quiet moment backstage at Londons MCM Expo, he slumps in a chair across from SciFiNow before meeting thousands of fans and cosmic, cosplaying Time Lords and aliens. Its a demanding gig both on set and off-duty when youre so recognisable that a trip to the supermarket causes children to halt like Weeping Angels in the fruit and veg aisle. Some kids sort of freeze, like this he marvels, letting his jaw drop and his eyes boggle. Its always amazing, because youre like, Hey! Whats going on? and then they look at their mum like, What is going on? Thats whats been wonderful about being in the show its watched by children. Its not just pint-sized sentient beings that enjoy time-traveling on a Saturday night, though. Since Smith joined, the show has successfully gone Stateside for the rst time in Who-story, in the process sending his own star status rocketing. As the youngest Doctor, hes taken the Time Lord beyond guardian of the human race and to new realms of respectability as a fashion icon. His indie band hairdo, on-trend tweed jacket and ankle-high boots belong in the threadaware districts of London. Even the TARDIS was drafted into the vintage craze, with its central console made up of antique gadgets, including a gramophone speaker, a typewriter and Eighties touchphone. Out of uniform, Smiths dresseddown togs are much less amboyant. Hes wearing skinny jeans, a khaki shirt and a black leather jacket thats concealing a Dalek. Asked whether he collects anything at conventions, he whips out a miniature Supreme Controller from his breast pocket. When I rst started this job, a little boy gave me a Dalek, and Ive kept it, he says, bringing a whole new meaning to the motto keep your enemies close This is three years old. His arms a bit droopy, but I keep it in this jacket.

OST SERIES SEVEN, SMITH WILL HAVE SURPASSED DAVID TENNANTS RECORD AS THE LONGEST SERVING DOCTOR IN NEW WHO. THREE YEARS ON, WERE PLEASED TO REPORT

DOCTOR WHOS MATT SMITH TAKES TIME OUT FROM FILMING THE SECOND HALF OF SERIES SEVEN TO TALK CHRISTMAS, TURNING THE BIG 5 0 AND THE NEW COMPANION THATS KEPT EVERYONE GUESSING
WORDS JODIE TYLEY

that he still gets the same buzz from wielding the sonic screwdriver. I was lming yesterday, and I cant even begin to explain he says, exing his ngers in search of words to describe Part Two. It was this wonderful set with this array of particular characters, and it was like a fairy land of an alien world. It was remarkable, and me and Jenna [Louise Coleman] were just going, Good day at work, right? Now were past the initial ve-episode run, the latter half of | 025

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Series Seven is going to hone in on the new girl, as Smith continues, It was all about the fall of the Ponds and their demise, and this season will be all about the new companion and introducing her into the world of Doctor Who. Its one of the really exciting things about this show that transition and change and the anticipation that creates. I was talking to Steven Moffat about it the other day, and we were saying when I started there was a sort of uproar at my age when Daniel Craig started [as 007] there was uproar: How can Daniel Craig be James Bond? And now look at him on the cusp of the greatest James Bond movie ever! Of course, the early Sixties signalled the start of another British institution, and at 6.15pm on 23 November 1963, the BBC debuted its new family science ction show. In 2013, the Doctor celebrates half a century on Earth, and Smith believes it can be every bit as big as the Bond extravaganza. Thats the plan completely, he says, I think for it to get to 50 is remarkable, and Im very proud to be in a show with that history, heritage and legacy. To be the incumbent Doctor when its his birthday is fantastic. Were going to make it the biggest year of the show ever on a global scale, hopefully. Theres the genesis of the

NEIL GAIMAN HAS THIS WONDERFUL ABILITY TO THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX
MATT SMITH
Is this the rst we see of Jenna-Louise Colemans new companion?

Saturday Night At The Movies

ASYLUM OF THE DALEKS
The pitch: The Doctor and the Ponds (on the verge of divorce) end up in the Asylum, where the mad Daleks are banished. Did you know? In the room where Rory stumbles upon the Daleks, the special weapons model from Eighties episode Remembrance Of The Daleks can be seen.

Series Seven, Part One aimed to deliver mini movies every week. Heres the story so far

DINOSAURS ON A SPACESHIP
The pitch: Rory inadvertently brings his dad along for a space adventure with Queen Nefertiti and hunter John Riddell. Did you know? Both David Bradley (Solomon) and Mark Williams (Brian) appeared in the Harry Potter lms (as Filch and Mr Weasley respectively).

A TOWN CALLED MERCY

The pitch: The gang travel to the Wild Wild West, where the townsfolk are under threat from a renegade cyborg whos bent on revenge. Did you know? This was the second Doctor Who episode to be lmed in Spain. The rst was The Two Doctors .

THE POWER OF THREE

The pitch: Earth is invaded by tiny black cubes, and the trio must watch carefully to see what they mean for humanity. Did you know? This was the last episode lmed with Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvill. When they entered the TARDIS and closed the doors, the actors all hugged.

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Doctor [Adventures In Space And Time, a documentary by Mark Gatiss] and well obviously make a 50th anniversary episode special, and then theyll be all sorts of live events that surround that. Were going to make it a big year for Doctor Who on the BBC. of expertise in keeping the bike upright, he is adamant that the prehistoric beast in Dinosaurs On A Spaceship was the trickiest to ride. The Triceratops was a nightmare, he says, I had to wear special pants because the curve of the dinosaur was actually metal. So were all sat there going, Well, you know where youre sat with that curve! And theres this great big metal thing just digging into your goonies. The Evel Knievel antics will feature in episode six when the series returns in spring 2013, along with a companion that looks like shes stepped out of Topshop rather than the Victorian era. Well start to uncover what this mysterious brunette will mean to the Doctor, since every TARDIS-traveler has their own unique impact on the Time Lord. Amy was known for giving him a verbal slap every time he slipped into alien territory, and even River Song says he needs someone around to keep him grounded. So what kind of Doctor is he with Clara on board? Its something that you learn as you go quite a lot of the time, because obviously I dont know Jenna when she gets the job, just like any job, but this particularly where their relationship throughout the show is so important to the story, its something that is constantly evolving as you get to know each other a bit better, he says. But, of course, we meet him having lost Amy and Rory, who were a very important part of his life, so we meet a slightly different version of him. I think being with anyone being with a different actress, being with a different character ultimately its going to change you. Speaking of change, we couldnt leave without asking the question that everyone wants to know the answer to. Not Doctor Who? but Doctor for how long? Both Moffat and Smith have shirked regeneration rumours surrounding the 50th, but the actor is coy when it comes to the specics. I take it year by year, you know? See what comes, he says. I love working for Steven Moffat and I love making the show; its unlike any job Ill ever have, and Im proud going into the 50th year. One thing that wont be factoring into his decision, though, is a fear of typecasting. There are bigger things to worry about, he insists. Who cares? If people want to typecast me they can, I can sit and have my egg sandwich and not really give a damn about it.

DOCTOR WHO
Time For Reection

SNOW JOKE

The Doctor battles an army of evil snowmen this year. Matt Smith, villain Richard E Grant and victim Tom Ward tell us what to expect
admirer. Hes obviously a man of authority, but very shy and awkward both around his children and his young Governess, who he has strong feelings for but doesnt know how to tell her, says Ward. She nds it sweet, but rather funny and slightly sad. Fans will also recognise a few other familiar faces, as Matt Smith reveals. Weve got Vastra, Jenny and Strax making a return appearance, which is terribly exciting, he says, referring to the more eccentric supporting cast from A Good Man Goes To War . And it does the sort of wonderful Doctor Who-ey Christmas things you know: snow, aliens, good will, good cheer, someone trying to take over the world. Hopefully, it makes for good Christmas Day telly. The action orbits Darkover House, which becomes a conductor for the evil force thats manifesting. Richard E Grant is taking on the role of the villain. When youre born with a tenfoot long face, you dont get hero roles, he told us, marking his third turn in the world of Who after the Scream Of The Shalka webisode and Curse Of The Fatal Death Red Nose Day one-shot. Hes a Doctor once more, only this time hes called Doctor Simeon. The actor admits that come Christmas Day, he will be on the sofa waiting for Who. I love Christmas and everything about it, and Ill be watching TV after lunch. I hope I can stay awake after the feast! The Snowmen will air 25 December on BBC One.

NTIL RECENTLY, THE ONLY TYPICALLY SIXTIES THING LEFT ABOUT DOCTOR WHO WAS THE METROPOLITAN POLICE PUBLIC CALL BOX, BUT NOW THE ANNIVERSARY

is fast approaching, the writers are getting nostalgic. The premiere episode of Series Seven, Asylum Of The Daleks, included some authentic exterminators, and now novelist-turned-Who-dabbler Neil Gaiman seems to be following suit as he takes control of the Cybermen. Hes revealed plans to return them to their near-silent Sixties circuitry, as well as incorporating everything thats happened since. Its an ambitious premise, but unsurprising when you consider that his rst foray into the Whoniverse explored the relationship between the Doctor and his TARDIS, played by actress Suranne Jones. In the episode The Doctors Wife, we discovered that she chose him rather than the other way around, and witnessed some wonderful exchanges between the pair (Doctor: You didnt always take me where I wanted to go; TARDIS: No, but I always took you where you needed to go). What Neil does is he comes in with a brilliant initial idea, which only a man of his mind could do, says Smith. If you take something like American Gods, you go How? Where? I cant kind of correlate it. He has this wonderful ability to think outside of the box, and it really lends itself to fantasy and science ction. Running themes surrounding the Eleventh Doctor are his love of hats from the top-kind to a Fez and a Stetson and a willingness to jump aboard any moving thing, including a horse and a Triceratops. Sneak peeks from next series reveal the two passions combined as Smith and Coleman were spotted riding a Triumph motorcycle across London Bridge with the Fez in tow. Despite pap pics exposing Smiths lack

Richard E Grant takes on baddie duties this Christmas.

THE ANGELS TAKE MANHATTAN

The pitch: The Ponds are transported to the States, where even the Statue of Liberty is a Weeping Angel. Did you know? There was a scene penned by Chris Chibnall that was never shot, but made its way to YouTube, featuring Rorys goodbye to Brian from the past.

Doctor Who: Series Seven, Part One is available on DVD and Blu-ray now.

ach year, showrunner Steven Moffat seems to look to the classics for inspiration. Weve had the Christmas Carolinspired Katherine Jenkins-starrer in 2010; CS Lewis The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe in 2011 and this year is set to put a dark and toothy spin on Raymond Briggs The Snowman. The Doctor must save Christmas by battling an army of snowmen, but hes uncharacteristically not feeling the festive spirit. Writer Moffat revealed that the Time Lord is struggling to move past the Ponds goodbye. Hes lost Amy and Rory to the Weeping Angels, and hes not in a good place: in face, hes a Scrooge. Hes withdrawn from the world and no longer cares what happens to it. So when all of humanity hangs in the balance, can anyone persuade a heartbroken Doctor that its time to return to the good ght? Enter JennaLouise Coleman

It wont be the rst time weve met the Doctors companionin-waiting, but shes not playing Oswin Oswald, the unfortunate mutilated girl from Asylum Of The Daleks . Coleman admitted that she couldnt be playing the same person, since

WHEN YOURE BORN WITH A TEN FOOT LONG FACE, YOU DONT GET HERO ROLES RICHARD E GRANT
Oswin died at the end of the Series Seven opener. This time, she will be a 19th Century Governess who takes care of a widower Captain Latimer, played by Tom Ward and his two children. We chatted to the Silent Witness alumni to discover more about the ex-Navyman, her employer and avid

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DOCTOR WHO
Monster Makers

BEHIND THE SCENES (AND SCREAMS) WITH SERIES SEVENS CREATURE CREATORS
WORDS JOE NAZZARO

oNS ER M T M K RS AE
I
WORDS JOE NAZZARO

Doctor Whos

Hes chased viewers behind their sofas all over the world with the Weeping Angels, Silurians and more. FX wizard Neill Gorton takes us through the creation of some of the shows iconic monsters
ts tough to keep a secret on Doctor Who. In a conversation with Millennium FX chief Neill Gorton, for example, about his companys work on the show, the make-up supremo refuses to provide any specics, but does note that a very big return thing will be shot on location in just a few days. Sure enough, a week later, the internet is ooded with photos of Gortons newly redesigned Cybermen. Gorton is proud of his teams work. We always try to give them a minimovie feel, he explains, including our animatronic triceratops in Dinosaurs On A Spaceship. We also did the Gunslinger character [for A Town Called Mercy], which was more of a standard cyborg, but it was a fun character to do, and I got to direct the prequel for that episode. Marcus [Wilson] the producer had seen a short lm I did, and said, Were doing these little two-minute DVD extras; would you like to do one with the Gunslinger? The Doctor Who crew was made available for a day and we managed to get the actor [Andrew Brooke] back, so that was fun to do. Im hoping if they do more of them, theyll let me have another go at it. We also did an old age make-up on Arthur Darvill for Rorys deathbed scene. The producers didnt want to use an older actor, and Arthur wanted it to be him as well. Thats the beauty of working on this show: in just three episodes youve got dinosaurs, cyborgs and an old age make-up; thats a fabulous variety of things. Gorton is especially proud of his animatronic dinosaur, which was originally intended to be an all-digital character until he pointed out that the episode lent itself to a physical creature. I said, Look, there are ways of building a great head and body and blending it with CGI, but if its all CGI its very hard for the actors to interact with it. The shot of Matt Smith with the dying dinosaur was changed on the day, because they could actually get up close and work with it a lot more it was so much better than doing it against a green screen. Cost-wise, you pay per shot with CGI, whereas you pay just once for animatronic characters, and you can shoot it as much as you want. That really helped with the budget, because they could get more shots than with CGI and get it done right, plus everybody got into this spirit of having this blooming great dinosaur on set. I dont think anybody anticipated seeing something of that scale brought to life in front of them! The team also helped bring back the Weeping Angels. We dusted off some of the old stuff, but came up with some new looks for broken-down and damaged angels, and we did the cherubs as well. The cherubs had to be models, so we had a team sculpting different ones with interchangeable arms and heads to get a range of poses. I wasnt sure if they were going to look creepy, but they really work. Gorton is amused that some viewers dont realise that most of the Weeping Angels are actors. The body painting, fullhead facial prosthetics, costume elements and interchangeable parts; theyre actually quite complicated, especially when you have several different angles in a shot. We did build a couple of actual statues, but they can only do one | 029

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oNS ER WorldMags.net M T M K RS AE
Doctor Whos
Seventies Sontaran in terms of the face and shorter stature, so we took something we felt had lost its way design-wise and tried to put it back on track a little bit. One character I always found interesting was Davros, where Ive never heard a single negative comment. With nearly every character weve done, theres always somebody that says, I prefer the original; you shouldnt have touched it! but with Davros I never heard a bad word. I think the overall impression people got was that we didnt change it, but its completely different. While we went back to the Seventies Michael Wisher look, if you look at my Davros and the original, there are a lot of differences, so just a bit of an illusion. Every other character has had some sort of comment, but with Davros theres never been a peep. Looking ahead, Gorton has no shortage of projects to keep him busy. In addition to Doctor Who and the current season of Being Human, Millennium are also working on the new CBBC series Wizards Vs Aliens. Ive got a meeting next week to start planning Series Two, and Ive been reliably told that there are going to be a lot more new characters. By all accounts, Season One has gone down very well, so thats all good news. The value on the screen is amazing considering its CBBC, so I think were all quite proud of the quality of the show.

As well as creating the Gunslinger from A Town Called Mercy, Neill also directed a prequel short to the episode.

RUSSELL T DAVIES LIKED HIS FUN ANIMAL PEOPLE AND THINGS LIKE THAT; STEVEN MOFFAT WANTS MORE CHARACTERS LIKE THE SILENCENEILL GORTON
pose, so we use actors 90 per cent of the time, but nobody refers to how good the make-up is, because they dont understand thats what it is. The viewer has to believe its a solid object, but youre basically looking at a soft rubber face that is supposed to be stone, so we put a lot of work into making sure the paint nish is right. Doing that is a complicated process, but its a credit to our team that people dont notice. were proper dinosaur people, and there was something cool about them that I thought could be tweaked into something much more 21st Century. But when the scripts came in, the producers said, We want something more human I thought, But thats not a Silurian! Why dont we just come up with a different alien? I know a lot of people get upset when things change, but no one ever does anything just for the sake of it. If you look at the later Sontarans, they were atrocious, so we wanted to design something more like the classic As for the remainder of Doctor Who Series Seven, I just got the script yesterday for the nal episode, says Gorton, so we shoot that in a few weeks and were nished. The second half has been enormously busy, and were knee-deep in stuff as we speak. Weve got a big crew, and theres a lot going on!

TS BEEN SEVEN YEARS SINCE GORTON AND MILLENNIUM FX SIGNED ON FOR THE NEWLY REBOOTED DOCTOR WHO. WHILE THE LEAD ACTORS AND PRODUCTION TEAM HAVE COME AND GONE, THE MILLENNIUM TEAM IS ONE OF THE

Doctor Who: Series Seven, Part One is out now on DVD and Blu-ray, priced at 18 and 20.49 respectively.

few groups that has remained from day one. That has helped provide the series with a unique visual aesthetic. I think the continuity is that its still us doing it, notes Gorton, so youre always going to have my inuence, as well as [partner] Rob Mayors inuence and the way we approach the work. Everyone has a bit of a signature to their work, so people can look at ours and spot it as Millennium. Its not something I can necessarily see, but I can look at other companies and spot their signatures. With Steven Moffat as producer, its not that we tried to make anything look particularly darker or meaner, but the stories have been down that line. Where Russell [T Davies] liked his fun animal people and things like that, Steven wants more characters like the Silence, so the nature of the stories drives any change; he believes Doctor Who should be scary, so we design scary things. The Cybermen arent the only monsters from the original series to be given a facelift. With the Silurians, I actually loved the old ones, claims Gorton, which were a little bit goofy and Seventies-looking, but they

Neill admits to worrying about whether the cherubs would be sufciently scary, but believes they really work.

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PRIMEVAL: NEW WORLD

SET VISIT
WORDS MICHAEL SIMPSON

NEW
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PRIMEVAL: NEW WORLD

SET VISIT

WORLD
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ITV1S DINO HUNTING ALL AGES SCI FI ROMP PRIMEVAL MAY HAVE LIMPED TO A SORRY CONCLUSION, BUT THE CONCEPT IS FAR FROM SPENT, CROSSING THE ATLANTIC AND SETTING UP SHOP IN CANADA WITH AN ALMOST ALL NEW CAST AND CREW OF SCI FI VETERANS, INCLUDING STARGATE AND SANCTUARYS AMANDA TAPPING AS DIRECTOR. WE GO BEHIND THE SCENES IN THE VERY REAL LAB COMPLEX THAT SERVES AS THE BASE FOR PRIMEVAL: NEW WORLD TO DISCOVER HOW THE SHOW WOULD RATHER EVOLVE THAN GO EXTINCT

s we walk down the corridor of an industrial building in Maple Ridge on the outskirts of Vancouvers suburban sprawl, its easy for SciFiNow to imagine that we have already entered the Primeval universe. Before arriving to visit the main set of the new Canadian spin-off, Primeval: New World, we were told that we should only go into designated parts of the building. Its exactly the kind of instruction you would expect if this really was the headquarters of a secret operation to ensure that prehistoric animals remain in the past. Somewhere in this former factory is the TANK, the base of operations for the franchises newest team of dinosaur hunters. As we pass humming turbines and banks of switches, we try to guess whether the people going by are extras on the show or employees of the R&D facility that still operates here. At one point a serious-looking man in a blue lab coat squeezes past with a trolley carrying two large gas cylinders.

PRIMEVAL: NEW WORLD DOESNT PRETEND TO BE THE BRITISH SERIES

AMANDA TAPPING
The crew is almost halfway through lming 13 episodes, and the designs of the digital dinosaurs are being kept under wraps. We do, however, get some hints from the man supervising the VFX team, Stargate veteran Mark Savela. The real trick is creating something that you have never seen, and what weve all come back to is Jurassic Park, he explains. It was such a milestone. It was so good looking. It really set the bar, and even 20 years later thats been one of our big references. And theres so much new in dinosaur history. Now, the dinosaurs have feathers and fur. So weve gone back to basics and then hopefully expanded on that, so youll see some pretty exciting-looking dinosaurs. The interview with Savela is in a large white room that feels uncomfortably like a meat cooler. We happily leave it and continue on to the TANK, passing rooms containing technical equipment and trays of batteries. These look like they could be props for Cross Photonics, the ctional hi-tech company owned by multi-millionaire anomaly chaser Evan Cross, who is played by Eurekas Niall Matter. Cross becomes a man obsessed with getting to the bottom of these anomalies; how they occur, how can he stop them, what comes in and out of them and why is it happening? Matter tells SciFiNow during a break in lming. All of his research goes into that. He still runs his company with the help of his best friend, Ange Finch (Miranda Frigon). Without her the company would be obsolete. She keeps the thing going because Evan is completely obsessed with guring out this other side of his personal life. | 033

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PRIMEVAL: NEW WORLD

THE REAL TRICK IS CREATING SOMETHING THAT YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN
MARK SAVELA
We nd Crosss HQ in a large room in a back corner of the factory. His ofce is on an upper level above several glass-fronted rooms lled with camera equipment and computers. The staircase up to it passes another room containing books on animal tracks and other natural history topics. As we enter Crosss ofce, we notice a whiteboard covered with complex equations, as well as several neat stacks of scientic journals on the oor. The biggest thing with Evan is that he is very OCD, and I actually have that exact same quality in my personal life, Matter says. It will become known to audiences later on why he is so OCD and what the signicance of his OCD is. sudden his bare arse is out. He was dead serious, too, going through the rehearsal. This reputation as a prankster is one Rahim embraces, but he is also a dedicated professional with a desire to learn. Im always asking questions, Rahim says. That and making sure we are seeing the same kind of dinosaur and youre not overplaying or underplaying have probably been the biggest challenges. And making sure that technically I am as accurate as I can be so when they get to the edit they keep my stuff in and they dont go, Where was Danny looking? He was seeing a 20-foot dinosaur and its only two feet high. Not only do Rahim and Matter live together; they also have similar histories. Before a serious accident steered him towards acting, Matter worked in Albertas oil patch because, in his own words, he was a badass. Similarly, Rahim describes himself as a bit of a naughty boy at school who only got into acting when he was put on report. That experience has served Rahim well in the role of Crosss head of security, Mac Rendell. Hes one of these kids that could have quite easily got lost and ended up in jail or doing something he shouldnt have done, so options were becoming very limited for him, Rahim says. Evan comes one day and knocks on his

S THE CREW SETS UP ANOTHER SCENE BELOW, SCIFINOW SPOTS MATTERS ROOMMATE AND CO STAR DANNY RAHIM. THE 26 YEAR OLD BRITISH ACTOR LANDED A ROLE IN PRIMEVAL: NEW WORLD AFTER AUDITIONING IN

the UK. Today, he is dressed in nothing but jeans and a lab coat, and from what Matter tells us theres a danger he could remove them at any moment. Danny Rahim is a constant challenge for me because well be doing blocking and all of a sudden hell just have his pants down and his arse is out, Matter says. Two days ago Im walking into the scene behind him and all of a 034 |

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PRIMEVAL: NEW WORLD

SET VISIT

Primeval versus Extinction

Primevals highs and lows in the ght to stay on air

New World Era (2012)

Opening Ratings: 134,000 (Canada) Closing Ratings: TBC
The Primeval universe gets a whole new cast and promises a more adult tone and a new lease of life. Dinosaurs walk the Earth once more, but how long will they be sticking around for this time?

NEW WORLD ERA SERIES FIVE ERA SERIES FOUR ERA

Series Five Era (2011)

Opening Ratings: 2.6 million Closing Ratings: 1.7 million
Series Five airs on Watch and is repeated on ITV1, giving the ratings a huge kick in the nads. Series Six is talked about, along with a movie, but both seem unrealistic as Hannah Spearritt admits to SciFiNow that shes looking beyond genre, while Andrew Lee Potts heads off to join Canadian spin-off New World.

Series Four Era (2011)

door and talks about having known his father and offers him a job, basically. Mac, being the outgoing person and having this sort of joie de vivre and embracing life, takes up this opportunity and comes over, and then becomes [the] security at Evan Crosss rm. Rahim is not the only British actor to turn up on the set of Primeval: New World, of course: Andrew Lee Potts makes a well publicised appearance in the series premiere. Although hes not passing the baton, his role is clearly to link the show to its origins. He was a great crossover, and so fantastic that he was there sort of handing over the reins, says fan favourite Amanda Tapping as she prepares at Vancouvers Bridge Studios to direct an episode. But Primeval: New World doesnt pretend to be the British series. Its clear from speaking to Tapping, who directs three episodes, that the production team is trying to give the spin-off its own identity. This is a Canadian show and we dont hide the fact that were in Vancouver, says Tapping. Its liberating to be able to show this gorgeous city and the setting and not hide it. I think the very nature of the fact that were shooting in Vancouver gives us a different palette than London. To be able to shoot up in the mountains and also to have a city by the ocean, it just gives it a different feel. Primeval in London

Opening Ratings: 4.45 million Closing Ratings: 4.09 million

The longest gap between series so far is bridged by ve webisodes, but the meteor is denitely hurtling towards the primordial Eden of the dino-hunting sci- show as Series Four is a cost sharing deal between ITV, BBC Worldwide, Watch, Impossible Pictures and the German broadcaster ProSieben.

Series One to Three Era (2007-2009)

Opening Ratings: 7.09 million Closing Ratings: 5.01 million
Reviews were promising and ratings were solid as the effects folk behind Walking With Dinosaurs let everyone know just how good theyd gotten at rendering prehistoric oddities. So its a shock when ITV cancelled it, although it was revived for a fourth season.

SERIES ONE TO THREE ERA

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SET VISIT

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PRIMEVAL: NEW WORLD

A Primeval Primer
Never seen the show before? Dont let that put you off New World, as we explain some of the recurring plot devices
Primeval: New World sees the ushering in of a new era and a whole new cast.

AnomAly: The semi-stable holes in space and time

in which at first prehistoric creatures make themselves known, and then eventually vicious killers from the far future.

AnomAly Detection Device: A big computer with handheld variants about the size of an Eighties mobile phone by which the original ARC team track Anomalies, also known as ADDs. AnomAly locking mechAnism: A device used by the
original ARC to stop critters from bursting through Anomalies by and Doctor Who fans will love this reversing the polarity of the Anomaly.

ARc: Anomaly Research Centre, both the organisation in which the original shows dinohunters belonged and their physical base. ARC is the headquarters of ARC get it? The fans call themselves ARCadians which is a surprisingly , classical reference. electRo musculAR DisRuPtion WeAPon: Or EMDs, energy weapons from the future adopted by the original ARC circa-Series Four. Available in various models, they have three settings low, medium and high and are powered by nuclear power cells. FutuRe PReDAtoRs: Terrifying killing machines possibly
evolved from rats or bats, available in mutant and non-mutant forms. They seem to exist in every possible future timeline, even the ones in which the events behind their creation by ARC dont come to pass. Pretty bleak for a family show, isnt it?

is so Its an iconic city and its got a very different vibe from here, and so you feel that in the show. The location is just as much another character. A core of strong characters has helped the British series survive despite several major cast changes and once being left for dead by its network. That is a quality that Primeval: New World s production team is intent on replicating. If you dont care about the characters, it doesnt matter whether they have dinosaurs or spaceships or anything that these people are dealing with, Tapping says. If you dont care about the core group of people, youre not going to watch the show. Back on set, SciFiNow is shown a brief teaser trailer of the series that reveals a more cinematic style and another distinct difference between the British show and Primeval: New World. Its a little edgier, a little darker and theres a little more gore in it, says Miranda Frigon when we catch up with her briefly. Its probably not something my grandmothers going to want to watch me on. After seeing what she means first-hand, were not sure how we feel about breaking for lunch. Outside catering, however, we meet the bubbly Crystal Lowe, who plays Crosss right-hand woman, Toby Nance. The Scottish/Chinese actress can be seen in the Canadian crowd-sourced horror film A Little Bit Zombie and has a long list of TV credits, including four episodes of Smallville. Nance is her first role as a series regular,

though. Toby is 25, shes a scientist, shes really brilliant, but shes also young and excited, says Lowe. Shes totally about the science: science, science, science. Personally, Crystal Lowe isnt. I want to pet dinosaurs, but Toby wants to study them, help and fix them and put them back together.

istory sHows, However, tHat sci-fi series must appeal to more tHan just admirers of genre favourites if tHey are to survive. every series needs a Hook tHat appeals to a wider audience,

the tAnk: The New World teams base and the

Canadian answer to ARC. Possibly the fans will call themselves TANKies. Thatd be cute.

time tRibe: People from different periods of time

who have banded together to wander nomadically through anomalies from era to era throughout history. A conscientious (albeit damaged) bunch, they avoid contact with other humans so as not to interfere with history.

which brings us back to dinosaurs. As Jurassic Park proved and pre-teen boys everywhere will attest, few things have broader appeal than the sight of a giant, slobbering reptile. We leave the set still having not seen one, and indeed the first teaser footage shown at Vancouver Fan Expo in April 2012 used dinosaurs from the original Primeval intercut with newly shot live-action scenes. Terra Nova, which dealt with similar subject matter on a greater budget and with a more mainstream cast, crew and premise rightly or wrongly was dogged by constant accusations that there wasnt enough seen of the various thunder lizards. That the shows ratings went into free fall and was ultimately cancelled in the face of much fan outrage is certainly a cautionary tale (a particularly chilling one given terra nova is Latin for new world) for this new incarnation of Primeval, but Rahim offers some comfort. Mark Savela and his team are incredible, and I cant wait to see with technology advancing how real these things are going to look. Martin Wood showed us a teaser that Mark and his team put together as a pitch for the show, and it was something they put together in two weeks. It was three dinosaurs running around different environments. We were just sitting at the computer going, Holy smokes, that is incredible.

Primeval: New World is airing now on Space in Canada, and coming to Watch in the UK and Syfy in the US in January 2013.

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INVESTIGATION
Star Wars

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THE FUTURE OF

WORDS JODIE TYLEY, JAMES HOARE, STEVE WRIGHT

Can Disney o er a New Hope for the Star Wars franchise? Industry insiders examine the facts, the opportunities and the galaxy-sized risks for scis most beloved saga from Episode VII and beyond
a long time to come...
A not entirely serious and factually inaccurate look at the future of the Star Wars saga

First Pixar, then Marvel, now Lucaslm Disney is monopolising the biggest pop culture franchises in history. But now that the House of Mouse has bought the latter for $4.5 billion (2.5bn), it now effectively owns most of our childhoods, too. Should we be alarmed? After all, Disney recently tried and failed to join the space race with John Carter, in the process taking a $200m sucker punch to the bank account. The head of Disneys lm studio, Rich Ross, packed up his things and headed for the exit, which leaves us wondering whether the Star Wars franchise really is in safe hands, since they only have four ngers which themselves are stuffed into conspicuously white gloves. We spoke to Box Ofce Analyst Karie Bible of Exhibitor Relations to discover the reasons behind the biggest loss on a single lm in recent history. When a lm ops at this level, there is always plenty of blame to go around, she says. First off, the lm went over budget and was reported to have cost $250 million, while another $100 million was spent on marketing. Given the cost alone it would have been very difcult for the lm to break even, much less make a prot.

The source material based on the character by Edgar Rice Burroughs is not exactly a major draw for younger audiences. This was also director Andrew Stantons rst foray into making a live-action movie. The production had costly re-shoots, and John Carter also didnt have any recognisable stars, which in this case might have helped matters. Stanton also clashed with Disneys marketing department, causing further problems over how to sell the lm. Bad reviews piled up and the lm sank. Hardly a clean record, then, particularly when it comes to developing new franchises in-house. Its no wonder Star Wars was such a lip-smacking, chequebook-quivering offer when the lms have collectively pooled $4.54bn at the box ofce. This leaves Luke Skywalker and co second only to Warner Bros Harry Potter saga, but no amount of chocolate frogs and Slytherin scarves in the Potter Studios gift shop can outsell the Star Wars toys. The website 24/7 Wall St evaluated the value of the Star Wars brand in early 2012, coming back with an answer of over $30.5bn. Perhaps it wasnt entirely in jest, then, when creator George Lucas said Walt Disney would be his retirement fund. In addition to a huge wodge of cash,

The Star Wars comics make the inevitable move from Dark Horse to Marvel a transition which is greeted by much fan over-reaction regarding the likelihood of a possible team-up between Donald Duck, Boba Fett and Captain America to take down Galactus.

2013

The Clone Wars: Season Six debuts on Disney XD after its deal with Cartoon Network expires. It is the much publicised nal season for the show, with the fates of fan-favourite characters like Ahsoka Tano and, er, Rex, being nally revealed.

2014

Star Wars: Episode VII hits theatres in Real 3D to a barrage of hype and merchandising, encompassing a new toyline, Heroclix and videogames of variable quality.

2015

Spin-offs Bounty Hunter and Jedi Knight hit theatres, based around Episode VIIs two new POV characters, the children of Leia and Han renamed with the express purpose of irritating Expanded Universe fans.

2016

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The Future Of Star Wars

STAR WARS

each new star wars film will be good for around $1 billion worldwide
karie bible

he also got $40 million in Disney shares. The man he sold his legacy to chairman and chief executive of Disney Robert Iger is accustomed to splurging Mickeys money on lm studios, having previously acquired Pixar from a trio that included the late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. Disney bought it for $7bn in 2006, and by the time the ink was dry they had already produced the rst in a megabucks-making franchise, Toy Story. Just three years later, Disney swallowed Marvel and its 5,000 eccentric characters including Spider-Man and the X-Men and proved concerned shareholders wrong by delivering the third most successful lm ever, Avengers Assemble. There is no doubt in my mind that each Star Wars lm will be good for around $1 billion worldwide, says Karie Bible, the rst of which will be Episode VII, in cinemas in 2015. And if even one of them is spectacular, it may end up challenging Avatar as the highest grossing lm in the history of cinema. Thats why Disney took the gamble, and its one any studio in town would have taken. Star Wars is the crown jewel of fandom lms. According to Iger, iconic characters that have global reach are even more valuable in these multi-media times. Technology has proved more friend than foe to great storytelling. It allows us to distribute in ways we never thought would have been imaginable.

Whatever happens, it wouldnt be Star Wars without these two guys

Its the storytelling that Disney will be focusing on going forward, according to Jeff Bock, Box Ofce Analyst at ERC. I think that everybody realises how beloved the rst trilogy was, and after these new ones came out it introduced Star Wars to new fans, but you cant say that they were more popular than the Batman lms or The Avengers, he tells us. They want to get back to being the most exciting lms that were ever shown on screen, like the original ones were. They will go back to the storytelling; the story is the king. If you capture that and then add the special effects and the sci- locations, thats what people want to see. They dont want to see a romance between Natalie Portman and a young Hayden Christensen; thats taking up precious few minutes of a lm. When you only get 120 minutes, you dont want to waste it on a boring love affair. I think they will go back to the basics and keep the action moving

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of A New Hope, Disney releases a special Fan Edition of the Original Trilogy, with a new HD conversion and restoration of the in-camera effects. Before you ask, Han shoots rst. Happy?

2017

The Jar Jars Gungan Waterslide and Endor Tree-Top Rampage rides are ofcially opened at Disneyland Paris and Orlando. At the Orlando launch, plans for a Star Wars World theme park are unveiled.

2018

Star Wars: Destiny, a co-production with a Chinese company and lmed in both Mandarin and English with cameos from the New Trilogy cast, dominates the Chinese box ofce and becomes the highest grossing lm of all time, despite poor performance in Europe and North America.

2019

Disney declares the Star Wars channel open for business, screening The Clone Wars on repeat like Friends, as well as a whole new live-action series about the adventures of Leia and Han Solos kids. The channel is also the rst to sport Roman numerals.

2020

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INVESTIGATION
Star Wars

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VIDEOGAMES

What does this mean for the gaming universe?

Gamers can rest easy knowing that current projects are moving ahead as planned, according to LucasArts. That includes titles like the edgy Star Wars 1313, as well as a bunch of unannounced projects. What will happen beyond that, though? It seems the future lies in social gaming an area Star Wars red into recently with the Angry Birds spin. Play magazines Samuel Roberts thinks Disneys acquisition of Playdom the largest developer of such titles is a sign of good things to come. Its the perfect marriage for the company in terms of casual games, since Playdom has already produced titles based on the Marvel license that have led to massive success for Disney, he says. LucasArts has struggled to get hardcore titles out of the door during the last eight or so years due to a constantly changing management structure that has left a number of unannounced Star Wars games dead in the water, like the ever-elusive Star Wars: Battlefront III. I would expect to see a lot more titles like Angry Birds Star Wars and a lot less games like Knights Of The Old Republic thats simply where the money is now, and Disney isnt exactly synonymous with high-end, hardcore gaming experiences. We just hope we dont see a Star Wars Ville anytime soon

Could Boba Fett receive his own movie or will the lms discount the Expanded Universe and keep him dead?

and introduce us to a lot of new characters. Its true that when you look at Avengers Assemble and the solo predecessors and spin-offs, romance is pushed to the sidelines. Captain America only went as far as irtatious banter and Thor seemed to only see Jane on weekends, while the rest of the running time was occupied by titanic clashes between gods and America blowing the Nazis to smithereens.

f we can learn anything from Disneys approach to Pixar and Marvel, its that they will treat Lucaslm like the separate entity it has always been. Thats why Kathleen Kennedy (producer of Jurassic Park and Back To The Future) was made Lucas successor as president of the studio. A lot of people fear that Star Wars will be Disneyed and youll see Mickey Mouse and other characters running through, but Lucaslm is its own studio within the umbrella of the Disney Corporation, says Bock. To stay true to what Star Wars is and what it was before the last three lms, I think theyll do a good job in churning out content, and thats what fans want most of all; they want more lms. Kennedy has revealed that they intend to release two or three lms a year, so it seems like theyre adopting the Marvel method already, rolling out a series of standalone adventures after the epic team-up that will be the new trilogy.

I think once they get this rst trilogy out they will branch out and follow certain characters, Bock continues. Fans obviously want a Boba Fett movie, and maybe a lm set entirely in the Wookiee world. Weve seen glimpses of these places, but they certainly could warrant a lm outright, I think we will see those one-offs in the future. Lucaslm went a long way in developing their own TV series, and they had hundreds of scripts written that would satisfy these smaller characters. Those are all part of the package deal, and any one of them could be turned into its own movie. From what Ive heard, they will be continuing along the TV path, not right away, but thats something Disney will explore further, and maybe they will launch their own Star Wars channel. The opportunities are greater now Disney owns the product over [George] Lucas. I wouldnt say hes been picky but as far as making lms hes been very slow about it. 16 years ew by between the ending and beginning of the two lm trilogies, upon which fans patience was rewarded with Jar Jar Binks, so the acquisition could be the best thing thats happened since 77. Since the news broke, theres been talk of the original cast returning to play older versions of Han Solo (Harrison Ford), Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher). Thats what people

Jedi returns in a big way in the 2021 UK Census, lling newspapers with non-stories for weeks. The Archbishop of Canterbury makes an ill-judged play for headlines by praising Obi-Wan Kenobi in his Christmas sermon, and is mocked out of ofce.

2021

The Disneyland Parks each have their own version of Tomorrowland a futuristic themed area that is under the constant threat of becoming Yesterdayland due to scientic advancements. Not anymore they dont! , Theyve all been renamed Star Wars Land and the queues are horric.

2022

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Return Of The Jedi, Sebastian Shaw is re-inserted in place of Hayden Christensen for the closing Force ghost scene to the delight of everyone apart from Christensen, who is currently starring in Two And A Half Men alongside Jon Cryer, having replaced Ashton Kutchers successor, Prometheus Logan Marshall-Green.

2023

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THE FUTURE OF

Original stars Carrie Fisher and Mark Hamill have both expressed an interest in returning.

TOYS

Are collectables at stake?

Toys have always orbited the Star Wars universe, and the vintage gures are rare and highly collectable. Now that Disney has taken the reins, that can only mean one thing: loads more merchandise, so will that affect collectors? Brian Stillman, executive producer of Plastic Galaxy, thinks not. Collectors who focus on vintage toys like myself dont seem to care one way or the other, he says of the new acquisition. New toys, whether produced by Hasbro, Disney, Gentle Giant or any of the other modern licensees, dont really impact the vintage market; those toys are simply outside our frame of reference. But could we be facing a future where Disneys Star Wars toys join the coveted ranks of Kenner, commanding vast sums for once mass-produced material? Part of the vintage toys collectability comes from rarity and nostalgia, says Stillman. Youre faced with two questions: will people hoard these new toys? If they do, there will be just as many lying around in 30 years as there are today. And will anyone have any nostalgia for these toys in 30 years? Because if not, even if only two of them survive, no ones going to care enough to hunt them down.

fans obviously want a boba fett movie and maybe a film set entirely in the wookiee world
jeff bock
really want to see, he says. Prequels are interesting to a degree, but you really want to continue the story, and I think that Lucas had in his mind that he was going to do the story and no one could stop him, but what the fans want to see is what happened to these characters that they really love, like Luke and Han and Chewie. In the sagas on-screen chronology, Episode VII will sit after Darth Vaders death in Return Of The Jedi. The question of what happens next is one that Lucas struggled to answer, despite the books detailing Han Solo and Princess Leias marriage, children and subsequent grandchild. Speaking with the LA Times in 2008, Lucas said, I get asked all the time, What happens after Return Of The Jedi? and there really is no answer for that. The movies were the story of Anakin Skywalker and Luke Skywalker, and when

Luke saves the galaxy and redeems his father, thats where that story ends. He admitted that the sagas possible future documented in books, videogames and comics were incredibly creative, but that he was just the person who built the sandbox theyre playing in. It has been said that he will serve as a consultant to Disney, but his position will be much the same as it is now: allowing newcomers to play with his toys. The returning cast aside, its likely that the new lms will feature fresh faces, just as the original Star Wars did when Harrison Ford was yet to become a world-famous, whip-cracking architect-turnedexplorer. Bock thinks theyll need to host a mini British invasion, too, as Lucas always did. Having a well-respected English performer like Alec Guinness or someone is always good to throw in the mix; someone who can really act, he says. Lucas was a genius in that respect, casting someone like that as Obi-Wan Kenobi just to give it legitimacy, and he did that with Ewan McGregor and Liam Neeson, too. So I think established actors will play supporting characters, and if they do introduce Han and Leias kids then well probably see new faces for those roles. You want to discover someone fresh so youre not associating them with anyone else or any other roles theyve played. As Peter Jackson has proved with his controversial casting of relative unknowns and BBC

The saga hits the headlines for the wrong reasons when a man in Illinois is arrested for accidentally burning down his tower block after constructing an indoor funeral pyre for his collection of Star Wars books rendered worthless by the spate of new releases.

2024

Star Wars World ofcially opens in California next to the site of Skywalker Ranch, which is now preserved as a museum, as well as a homage to the Star Wars saga and the career of George Lucas.

2025

A Boba Fett solo movie is released in cinemas, with Dredd s Karl Urban under the mask. He has been forgiven by JJ Abrams for giving away the identity of the villain in Star Trek Into Darkness, and is welcomed back into Hollywood.

2026

Plans for a sequel to the Boba Fett movie are scrapped after the rst attracted audiences consisting solely of readers of the Expanded Universe books. Karl Urban leaves Hollywood, never to return.

2027

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INVESTIGATION
Star Wars

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However, the main component is still waiting to be locked down: the director. Many household names have been bandied about, such as Steven Spielberg and JJ Abrams, but the pair have ruled themselves out of the equation in the press. The latter attempted to break down his reaction for Entertainment Weekly : Part of me? Thrilled. Part of me? Terried. Most of me? Thrillied. Bibles money is on Brad Bird, the third name thats being churned through the rumour mill. He won two Oscars for directing the Pixar animated lms The Incredibles and Ratatouille, she points out. His live action debut was Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, which was a huge hit at the box ofce. Given his relationship with Disney and his track record, he would be an obvious choice. Whoever winds up with the gig, Bock believes that one thing they will need is a big black hole in their diary. Obviously, this is a huge undertaking, he says. It will probably be shot in 3D, and thats a big time commitment, too, especially if they hire a director to do all three movies. I think that thats probably a vital component that is yet to be released. The director can add quite a bit to a lm like this, so it will be interesting to see what angle they choose to go for. A director that has some established credits behind him or her is key, but it depends whether they want to go for someone who is really good at getting emotional performances out of people. George Lucas never really was that kind of director; he was really nourished in the technical aspects, so they need someone who can handle both the tactician nature of 3D, big budget lmmaking, yet be sensitive to the organic performances that the actors need to have, even though theyre acting in front of green screen most of the time. Of course, the budget is likely to be colossal, and the movies are bound to take advantage of IMAX and 3D innovations that both drive up ticket prices and enhance the viewing experience. Unlike John Carter, however, Disney can afford to dig deep, knowing the returns will be lucrative. I think they can spend anywhere from $200 to $300 million on the rst lm knowing that theyre making a trilogy, says Bock. Its not going to be an issue making that money back; the rst one will easily make a billion globally, and maybe then some. If its incredible, then it could upend Avatar as the highest grossing picture of all time. Thats what it comes down to: this is a built-in billion-dollar franchise, even if the lms completely suck. If theyre good like I imagine they will be after seeing who theyve hired as a screenwriter I really do think were talking Avengers-sized grossing and more. Incidentally, Episode VII will be out in cinemas the same year that Avengers 2 is released, and there may even be a Justice League movie from Warner Bros in that same year. The big brands on the block will be

BOOKS

Is the Expanded Universe due a reboot?

Those who have invested in the Byzantine plot developments and yoyoing quality of the Star Wars Expanded Universe have more to fear than your average fan especially with the obvious news that Episode VII wouldnt be based on Timothy Zahns Thrawn trilogy of tie-in novels that kicked the whole canon off, picking up after Return Of The Jedi. Theres now a huge, looming post-ROTJ saga ready to unfold on screen, and much of the EU could nd itself being de-canonised. Del Rey, the long-running science ction and fantasy publisher, now part of Penguin/Random House, has had the license since releasing Star Wars: From the Adventures Of Luke Skywalker in November 1976, which is pretty impressive stuff. Last renewed in 2008, Del Reys Star Wars license expires in 2013 a fact that must have sent blood running cold in the Del Rey ofces when the new trilogy was released. Its hard to see Disney really having that much of an issue with the Expanded Universe so long as it all falls in line and theyve had bouts of book burning before when Attack Of The Clones gave us a bit of Boba Fetts back story, and the time Zahn took a wild stab at lling out the then mythical Clone Wars in Heir To The Empire, but this will be on a whole new scale, and not necessarily because of the House Of Mouse. In all likelihood, the fans will continuing policing canon and agging up inconsistencies, albeit with more hand-wringing over which source is superior than was the case with George Lucas at the helm. Meanwhile, Disneys new regime will probably alternate between ignoring the books and cherry-picking good ideas from the books well, how is that different to what Lucaslm already does?

Who will be the next big bad in Darth Vaders absence?

talent in The Hobbit, if the property is recognisable enough, you dont need big names. Karie Bible agrees that its not a hinge for success. Star power doesnt matter; if you look at Andrew Gareld as Spider-Man, his only high-prole lm role was a supporting one in The Social Network. In the case of many franchise lms the story is the draw for audiences. t the time of writing, only the screenwriter for Episode VII has been announced. Michael Arndt is taking the formidable weight of fan expectations on his shoulders, but he comes with enough Hollywood cred to give our box ofce analysts faith in the forthcoming picture. Bible continues, Arndt is a wonderfully talented writer who won an Oscar for Little Miss Sunshine. He also got an Oscar nomination for writing Toy Story 3, which received rave reviews. He has a great imagination, so it will be fascinating to see what he brings to the series. The writer is in demand right now, having penned the sequel to the hugely anticipated Hunger Games sequel, Catching Fire, and hes even worked out the secret as to what made the original Star Wars trilogy an instant classic. Delivering a lecture on storytelling at Austin Film Festival in 2010, he used Star Wars as an example of how to do it right. He was reported as saying that if a writer could tie up the storys arcs immediately after the moment of despair at the climax, then he or she could serve up the insanely great ending, leaving the audience feeling euphoric. Lucas, he said, hit those marks at the end of Star Wars within 22 seconds.

now they own the brand, disney can really merchandise this to the limitjeff bock
2028 2029

In recognition of the earlier census results, the rst Jedi Temple is ofcially opened by Warwick Davis in Southampton, UK, constructed partially from unsold copies of the recently re-released Holiday Special and Caravan Of Courage collected box sets on the site of an old church.

To celebrate 30 years of The Phantom Menace, a new special edition of the prequel trilogy is released. The changes for the Blu-ray, which include Jango Fett watching the Naboo parade with a young Boba in a pushchair and replacing Yaddle with a Gungan Jedi master in the Council scenes, are predictably met with outrage from fans.

The Star Wars World theme park brand expands globally, with new parks being opened in Dubai, Frankfurt, Guangzhou and Sao Paolo. At the Dubai launch, plans for Episodes X-XII are announced by a hologram of Alec Guinness as Obi-Wan Kenobi, projected onto the stage by rapper Dr Dre.

2030

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THe FuTure OF

TV SHOWS
After a bunch of ropey non-starters the inexplicably daft Holiday Special and the twee Droids and Ewoks cartoons right now the sagas TV fortunes are looking pretty good. Star Wars: The Clone Wars is entering its fifth season; Lucasfilms own answer to endless Family Guy specials, Star Wars: Detours, is just around the corner, and every fresh chunk of hyperbole about the long-mooted live-action Star Wars: Underworld is more thrilling than the last. As Cartoon Network (owned by Time Warner) renews its contract with Lucasfilm on a season-by-season basis, we can probably expect The Clone Wars: Season Five to be the last on the channel, and Season Six to air on Disney XD as soon as

They finally got good, but are they at risk?

late 2013 alongside Ultimate Spider-Man and Tron: Uprising and presumably Seth Greens CGI sketch show Detours will follow suit. Supervising Director Dave Filoni has hinted that Season Six may be the last, and its certainly moving closer to the fixed end point that is Revenge Of The Sith and Anakin Skywalkers destiny. A brand new show would be a good way to break with the previous era (and the embarrassment of Warner Home Video releasing earlier seasons on DVD), as well as move the focus from the Episode II-III timeframe and into a more contemporary one or at least one more closely linked to the impending Episode VII through characters and settings. Thats also where Star Wars: Underworld could come in the pre-Episode VI Deadwood-in-space retooled for a later period in Star Wars history. It didnt take Marvel long to get Joss Whedons SHIELD pilot out of the starting blocks, so perhaps Underworld is already being debated in boardrooms at ABC and casting wishlists being passed up and down the table. The difference between the approach to both shows at Lucasfilm and both shows at Disney is that money is less of a limitation provided the return is promising, obviously and the traditional sacred cows may no longer be respected; the early years of Yoda could be sketched in, Leias upbringing on Alderaan revealed, Obi-Wans life on Tatooine explored and even moves as shameless as bringing Darth Vader or Palpatine back from the dead could all unfold on one of Disneys networks.

COMICS
at play, but Disneys acquisition of Lucasfilm means no studio can touch the corporation now. Instead of being worried, perhaps we should be excited at the prospect of the galactic amount of Star Wars content coming our way. Disney has synergy like no other company in Hollywood, says Karie Bible. They have the ability to build theme park attractions and sell toys like no one else. Their brand and marketing power is without equal. Some insiders are saying that the retail possibilities were what made the deal so attractive. Bock agrees that the deal makes good sense for Walt and the fans. No other studio has the marketing muscle of the Mouse House. Plus, theyve already had a working relationship with George Lucas with the Disneyland attraction Star Tours, as well as myriad cross-promotional merchandise, most of which has, until now, been available exclusively at Disneyland stores. I just hope that at some point they turn Tomorrowland into Star Wars Land, because Im sure thats what people want. And now they do own the brand they can really merchandise this to the limit. It certainly ensures the brands legacy for generations to come, giving the children of the iGeneration a chance to see a Star Wars film in the cinema for the first time. The master of that universe certainly feels that the Force is strong once again. It started with George Lucas, and its continuing on his terms, so well leave the last lines to him: Its now time for me to pass Star Wars on to a new generation of filmmakers. Ive always believed that Star Wars could live beyond me, and I thought it was important to set up the transition during my lifetime. Im confident that with Lucasfilm under the leadership of Kathleen Kennedy, and having a new home within the Disney organisation, Star Wars will certainly live on and flourish for many generations to come.

unclear, the fate of long-term licensees Dark Horse is

Theres a precedent here: when Disney bought Marvel, the various Disney and Pixar titles being churned out by indie publisher Boom! Studios were ported across to Marvel as soon as the license elapsed. Marvel published Star Wars comics from 1977 to 1986, but its Dark Horse Comics who have really pushed the storytelling in bold new directions, and have perhaps the most to lose. Dark Horse boss Mike Richardson released a fire-fighting statement designed to cut off speculation, but it opened up the way for far more questions than it answered, saying, Star Wars will be with us for the near future.

will they give the creative people free reign to follow their imaginations?tom veitch
Obviously, this deal changes the landscape, so well all have to see what it means for the future. I cant visualise Marvel doing the diverse Star Wars titles that Dark Horse has, muses Tom Veitch, who wrote the Dark Empire trilogy for Dark Horse in 1991, regarded by many as the closest thing we have ever got to a true post-Return Of The Jedi trilogy, as well as the epic, swashbuckling Tales Of The Jedi that directly influenced Knights Of The Old Republic. My guess and this is a wild one is that Mike Richardson will sell Dark Horse to Disney. Hows that for an answer? Disney has already said they will do spin-off films, television shows and so forth. Its a deep mythology with tons of possibilities. I guess the real question is will they give the creative people free reign to follow their imaginations imaginations steeped in Star Wars, and who will oversee all these new wonders? Does Kathleen Kennedy have Star Wars in her blood?

Will there be a new torch holder to carry the Skywalker saga?

Star Wars: The Complete Saga is available to own on Blu-ray now.

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STAR WARS
R2-D-Toy

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r2-d-Toy
More than 2,500 Star Wars action gures in one book
Fans can nally trace the evolution of each Star Wars character in toy form with The Ultimate Action Figure Collection. Its the denitive source, with over 2,500 action gures produced over the past 35 years, from Kenner to Hasbro. Compiled by Stephen J Sansweet, owner of the worlds largest private collection of Star Wars memorabilia, the book also features rare and coveted merchandise and gures from the lms, videogames and TV series. The characters are listed alphabetically by their name, rank and date of release and come with photos, facts and commentary its a collectors bible.

Star Wars: The Ultimate Action Figure Collection is out now, published by Titan Books for 24.99.

The Clone Wars bounty hunter is one of the newer gures in the collection.

Cad Bane

C-3PO Phantom Menace

The Chiss general is one of the few characters from the books here.

Emperor Palpatine

Grand Admiral Thrawn

Grand Mo Tarkin

Jar Jar Binks

The Max Rebo Band member is immortalised here.

LucasArts

Baron Papanoida
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Queen Amidala

Barquin DAn

Ben Kenobi
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Star Wars Action Figures

R2-D-TOY

For all its rigidity, this likeness of the Sith lord and fallen Jedi is spot on.

Princess Leia Boushh

Bib Fortuna

Bossk Original

Darth Vader Original

Nope, we dont know why he has a snake draped over him either

The hapless podracer pilot gets a remarkably detailed offering.

This young Obi-Wan arguably looks more like QuiGon Jinn.

Lando Calrissian

Yoda

Obi-Wan Kenobi

Ben Quadinaros

Part of the Ewoks appeal was to sell toys, and this gure has remained collectable.

Luke Skywalker Bacta Tank

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Wicket Warrick

Anakin Battle Damage

Prune Face
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INTERVIEW
Mark Millar

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OTHER
Foxs superhero overseer Mark Millar on The Wolverine, X-Men and beyond COMIC BOOK LEGEND AND 20TH CENTURY FOXS NEW CREATIVE CONSULTANT TALKS X MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, THE WOLVERINE, FANTASTIC FOUR, THE DAREDEVIL MOVIE YOULL NEVER SEE AND WHY A BIG SCREEN JUSTICE LEAGUE JUST WONT WORK

THE

MOVIES

s one of the people responsible for not only some of the 21st Centurys most successful comic-books, but for also directly and indirectly inspiring the current phase of Marvel movies, its only tting that Kick-Ass creator Mark Millar has been called upon to lend his canny grasp of superpowered mayhem to 20th Century Foxs disparate collection of Marvel properties, serving as Creative Consultant on the X-Men prequel series under director Bryan Singer and producer Matthew Vaughn, the Fantastic Four reboot by Chronicles Josh Trank and James Mangolds low-key, far more credible use of the fan-favourite mutant antihero in The Wolverine. And thats just the beginning.

I love the idea of all the Marvel characters spread across a bunch of different studios in a giant, cohesive Marvel universe, enthuses Millar. When I was a kid picking up comics, the editorial group used to run their own little ef; the X-Men books were all under one editor, the Spider-Man books under another, the Avengers books under another editor, and thats what this feels like, too. The nancial burden to have all these things at one company would just be too great youd never get a Guardians Of The Galaxy if Marvel could put out a Fantastic Four movie, you know? A lot of people say I want it all back at Marvel, he adds, but thered be half as many movies out there.

cool stuff in mind, and Fox are very happy. Were talking to other directors about future projects [and] other writers about future projects, so its very, very exciting I feel like Doctor Doom behind this new league of evil.

WORDS JAMES HOARE

Is it difcult to make the Fox Marvel movies line up because theyre all in different stages of development? Fantastic Four and X-Men: Days Of Future Past are still in the script stage, and The Wolverine when I got this job theyd been shooting [for] a couple of weeks, but the screenplay for The Wolverine is really, really terric Im really, really delighted with it. Obviously, the castings all really good and the director [James Mangold] is brilliant. So the fact its Mangold, Josh Trank and Matthew Vaughn (now Bryan Singer), I feel this initial line-up of movies is terric, and the idea will be to look at a plan. I cant go into any specics on it yet, but the idea will be to work on a plan for the next two to three years. Beyond that, I think we know more, but Ive got some

Were you concerned about The Wolverine moving away from the mainline X-Men movies, or do you think its to its strength that its able to stand alone? Oh, absolutely, Ive no worries about it at all. You know, I wrote the Wolverine comic twice I did the Old Man Logan story and Wolverine: Enemy Of The State and I dont think having individual Wolverine adventures detracts from the X-Men. Hes like a lone wolf character; he disappears and does his own thing sometimes, and then he comes back and hangs out at the mansion, so it does feel quite natural for him to be in these movies. You dont want to have him out there all the time, because I think if youve got him in X-Men and Wolverine movies and theyre all running at the same time, its a little bit too much, but as long as youre smart with it [its ne], and theres other characters to explore as well. The X-Men universe is about the same size as the Marvel universe in terms of the number of titles it sustains at any one time, so theres a ton of stuff to play with and a lot of characters Id like to explore. Do you think the more characters you throw into an X-Men movie, the more dense and uninviting it becomes?

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MARK MILLAR

Interview

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INTERVIEW
Mark Millar

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CHILDREN OF THE ATOM

BRYAN SINGERS X MEN UNIVERSE IS AT THE HEART OF FOXS MARVEL EMPIRE. HERES THE CURRENT STATE OF PLAY
The Wolverine New Mutants X-Men Origins: Wolverine X-Men Origins: Magneto
Before X-Men Origins: Wolverine bellyopped, the plan was to roll out a similar tale for Magneto. The story was largely dealt with in X-Men: First Class.

Deadpool

X-Men 4 X2: X-Men United

X-Men

X-Men: The Last Stand

A soft reboot masquerading as a prequel, Matthew Vaughn and Jane Goldmans super-smart Sixties ick opened up a whole new door for the franchise.

Bryan Singers brilliantly reduced and superbly cast X-Men ushered in a new age of superhero movies.

X-Men (1999)

X-Men: First Class (2011)

KEY

X-Men: Days Of Future Past

Released In Production/Development Rumoured Canned

UNCANNY COMING ATTRACTIONS

THE WOLVERINE X MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST DEADPOOL
Release Date: 26 July 2013 Director: James Mangold Cast: Hugh Jackman, Hiroyuki Sanada, Hal Yamanouchi Release Date: 18 July 2014 Director: Bryan Singer Cast: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence Release Date: Est 2015 Director: Tim Miller Cast: Ryan Reynolds

THE FORTHCOMING (AND POSSIBLY NEVER COMING) MUTANT MOVIES AT A GLANCE

NEW MUTANTS
Release Date: Est 2016 Director: TBC Cast: TBC

X MEN 4

Release Date: Est 2016 Director: Bryan Singer (unconfirmed) Cast: TBC

Based on the celebrated Chris Claremont and Frank Miller miniseries, The Wolverine is a sequel to the original crop of movies that sees Logan head to Japan to escape his demons and meet new ones. It is a noirinuenced take that promises romance, the Yakuza, Samurai ethics and an end to the overpowered silliness of Origins.

Based on the comic-book story arc by Chris Claremont and John Byrne, Days Of Future Past is rumoured to set the story against the Vietnam-era peace movement, as the X-Men must save one of their most reviled foes to prevent a darker future. Original X-Men cast members Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen will both appear.

The Weapon X Projects other lethal immortal, Deadpool inherited all of Wolverines healing powers and bad luck, but none of the angst. Comic creator Rob Liefeld recently revealed, If the Deadpool test footage was leaked, the internet would freak and riots would ensue. VFX guy turned director Tim Miller is working from a script by Zombielands Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick.

Bryan Singer was originally slated to work on a sequel to X-Men: The Last Stand, which according to producer Lauren Shuler Donner, will lead into X-Men 5 Rumour was that . Singer was gearing up to an adaptation of the Days Of Future Past storyline, but now thats in the prequel sequel with the director who knows whats in store?

Teased by 20th Century Fox CEO Tom Rothman in April 2012, a teen spin-off would solve the problem of too many supporting characters by having the younger bunch in their own ick. Its a realistic proposition given the success of Chronicle, but theres little to go on other than one cryptic yes from Rothman to a rather long and rambling question, so dont get too excited, X-Babies.

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It can be. I remember when I was writing Ultimate X-Men and people were saying I want to see Gambit, I want to see Rogue Everybody has a list, and at rst you think Im going to please everyone, then you realise youre pleasing no one with tensecond cameos. I think that was the major problem with that rst Wolverine movie [X-Men Origins: Wolverine] and X-Men 3. Bryan Singer did such an incredible job with the original movie its quite like Star Wars in that theres Episodes IV, V and VI, and weve got the Matthew Vaughn prequels, and I love that. If we are bringing in a character then it shouldnt just be for a trailer or to get a picture online and get people excited; it should have a point in the story. Are there any X-Men characters that you think deserve some screen time? I do, but the minute I say them itll become a news story! All the ones that I thought of were going to do. I think theres two or three that are under utilised, and we do have plans not necessarily immediately, but two or three years down the line. Are you excited to have Bryan Singer back for X-Men: Days Of Future Past? Its incredibly exciting. The rst X-Men really launched the wave of superhero movies weve been loving for the past decade after some horric stuff in the Nineties, so having him back in the world he started feels right. X2, I think, is one of the greatest superhero movies ever made. The idea of this guy being back in the fold and planning something as ambitious as this picture can only be good news. Were you involved in the Daredevil movie at any point, or had that already shut down by the time you came on board? I came in that week I know there was talk of it. The original idea was so great, and unfortunately there was 11 months to get it out there before the rights reverted to Marvel Studios, which is a real shame. I have no idea what the plan is with Disney Marvel, but with Fox Marvel the plan was so cool I hope they do Daredevil justice, because I love the character. Were you into Joe Carnahans take on Daredevil? Oh genius, this was going to be a cross between Serpico and Frank Miller. The thing that Joe pointed out that was so smart he spoke to me before he started working on it he said, Ive got an idea for Daredevil, and I said What is it? He had an act in mind, and said, We cant set it in the present day, and I said

MARK MILLAR

Interview

C N X MEN CHAORRAA TER G IN A IF WE BRIN ULDNT JUST BE F THEN IT SHO T A PICTURE ONLINE TRAILER OR TO GEK MILLAR
MAR
How come? and he said, Well, Hells Kitchen is a beautiful neighbourhood. Id never thought of it that way Rudy Giuliani [former mayor of New York] has cleaned everything up. Its nice for the people who live there, but its not very good cinematically. So he said it has to be a period piece, and the perfect time to set it would be the Seventies, as you have all the kung-fu exploitation, the race riots, the blackout all that kind of stuff would be so cool in superhero movie. The blackout with a guy thats blind would be incredible. Do you think the way people approach superhero movies has changed? Green Lantern felt very Nineties in that it was a straight origin story I think theres two points there, and Green Lanterns a great example because these movies used to be made by guys who didnt read the stuff growing up, and before probably before Bryan Singers X-Men generally those superhero movies were done by journeyman directors. There was the occasional great director like Richard Donner or Tim Burton, but generally it was guys who you didnt really follow. I think it was interesting that Green Lantern was done by a guy who was a very good director [Martin Campbell], but wasnt a comicbook fan, so he approached it the way those directors did back in the Eighties and Nineties. Bryan Singer, Sam Raimi, all these guys are massively wedded to the source material they grew up with it in a lot of the cases. Stan Lee and Steve Ditkos SpiderMan is very evident in Tobey Maguire and Sam Raimis Spider-Man. The other thing thats happened as well is not only have the best directors come along the guys most appropriate for it but the audiences have matured with the superheroes. For example, Kick-Ass is a subversion of the | 049

Mark Millars work on The Ultimates inspired the recent Avengers Assemble.

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interview
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t akes the fannastic ank m josh tr k for the scree four wor illar
mark m
superhero story, but you have to be familiar with the tropes to know youre breaking them. These movies were doing and the comics were doing right now would have been impossible for a mainstream audience in 2002, but now everybody knows who Galactus is and that Tony Stark is Iron Man. Were living in the world we always dreamed of, where suddenly everyone is superhero literate. Now the movie paradigm has shifted to the Marvel Studios method, do you think DC and Warner Bros have a harder job to build a shared universe with Man Of Steel and a Justice League movie? I think the big problem for them is the characters are just too out of date. The characters were created 75 years ago even the newest major character was created 68 years ago. I adored the DC stuff growing up, but really, how do you do a movie about Green Lantern? His power is that he manifests green plasma from his imagination and uses them as weapons against someone. Even that in itself if you just imagine watching a fight scene with a guy whos 100 feet away making plasma manifestations its not exactly raucous, getting up close and personal. The Flash has door handles on the side of his mask, and if he doesnt wear that mask Ill be pissed off, you know what I mean? Theyre in a weird, weird situation if youve got a guy who moves at the speed of light up against the Weather Wizard and Captain Cold or whatever, then your movies over in two seconds. You can get away with stuff in comics that in live actions just a bit sucky the best [example] is definitely Aquaman Aquaman cant even talk underwater. If you think about it in comics, its fine you just have a speech balloon but how do you have Atlantis and people talking underwater? Are they going to talk telepathically? Is it going to be body forms? The actual logistics of each member of the Justice League is disastrous; you put them all together and I think you get an excellent way of losing $200 million. Do you think the Fantastic Four have similar issues, because they are older characters that people sometimes struggle to relate to? I actually think the characters themselves are quite easy to do you can really relate to Johnny Storm, you can relate to Ben Grimm, Reeds the super-genius every single one of them you can understand, and they seem a little more three dimensional. Its tricky, because we saw what happened to the Fox movie last time, but theyve given it to a guy whos really terrific Josh Trank, who did a great job on Chronicle and the guys whos writing the screenplay I cant say his name because its not been made public but I read the screenplay about three weeks ago, and its absolutely brilliant. Its as good as I think you could do a Fantastic Four movie; I was so impressed with it. So its in good hands Fox are very clever in that what they do is tie in a bunch of good people and let them get on with it. Josh Trank seems like a bit of an outsider choice. What do you think hell bring to Fantastic Four? Hes making it work for the screen hes a great storyteller. Chronicle, if you think about it, was similar to Fantastic Four in that it was a bunch of people who were transformed into something more than human that turned out to be his calling card to come and do something like Fantastic Four. What I wasnt expecting was how funny and likeable he could make this, as well as getting the more awesome moments on screen the Ridley Scott moments. The Fantastic Four really are jawdropping in the same way you feel when you saw Alien for the first time. Theres some moments in this not to be specific that are going to be phenomenal on screen, and stuff you havent seen in a superhero movie before. 2014s going to be a really interesting year for Fox Marvel.

Could Wolverine re-appear in the X-Men film franchise?

The Wolverine is in cinemas 26 July 2013. Fantastic Four and X-Men: Days Of Future Past are expected in 2014.

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BIG MOVIE
Life Of Pi

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Animating the tiger
The biggest decision we had to make early on was how much real tiger we were going to use. Some suggested doing it all digital for consistency. Myself and Ang fought for the opposite; we wanted to use real tigers whenever we could. In the end we used around 14 per cent real tiger, but having real tigers in Taiwan for eight weeks gave us better references. When I worked on The Chronicles Of Narnia, for example, they gave us a day with a lion and hired a trainer especially, but you can only get so much in a day. For eight weeks, we not only could do stuff like shoot him yawning, but got him on the actual lifeboat. What Ive found over the years of doing animation is that its very hard even if youre trying hard not to do so not to dramatise things. Because you know what the shot is supposed to be doing or what the story is meant to be telling its tempting to, say, hold the gaze too long the audience gets it, but youve lost the realistic animal quality. I said to my team that weve done digital animals before the lion in Narnia, cats and dogs and so on and we try to make them as real as possible, but then they get up and dance and sing, and everyone knows theyre fake. But this tiger was a tiger, and this was our best chance to fool our colleagues.

Life Of Pi
INTERVIEW STEPHEN KELLY

Apart from the fact that it involves a boy shipwrecked alongside a tiger, what really sells Ang Lees Life Of Pi is its unique and vivid visual imagination. Special E ects Supervisor Bill Westenhofer explains how they animated a Bengal tiger, braved stormy seas and why their use of 3D isnt just another con
Establishing 3D as an art form
The interesting thing about the opening montage is that every shot has a different 3D story to tell. Theres the obvious, like a bird that comes out into the audience; then theres other stuff like a bear that stands up, and theres a painting in the background that the art department made thats a perspective painting so the renaissance version of 3D existing in a modern 3D image. Every one of those has some sort of 3D gee-whiz thing going on. We talked to a couple of different stereographers especially one that did a lot of research at MIT about what would be unique in a 3D experience. One of Angs goals was to show that 3D can bring something to a drama. With the water in particular, the 3D helps you see the nuance and power of the waves. Overall, though, its subtle. Were not trying to poke people in the eye.

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The chaotic sinking of Pis ship

LIFE OF PI

Special Effects

This was a very tough sequence to do. We used a heavy uid simulation for the water, which was hard as the water seems to just do what it likes, but we found a way to control it so we could have artistic control. The quality of the water and how it was moving was very important to Ang. For the ship itself, we built two different deck pieces. When hes on the ship thats all we have. The decks are moving around, theres wind and rain machines, but everything else is added the ship is extended, the water and waves are added. Its a giant green screen stage worth $80,000. We shot that on day two of production, and you never want to shoot something that technically challenging that early on! You want to wait for the crew to gel and everyone to know whats going on, but somehow we pulled it off.

The visual brief

When we started the project and got back to Los Angeles after principal photography, Ang talked to the team and said: I want to create art with you. There was a lot of opportunity for artistic expression. With the boat being in a tank against a green screen, we had such a blank slate in so many parts of the lm. We would take stuff shot in a tank and manipulate it so that it would be framed like a painting. Ang said at the beginning that he wanted the water and sky to be as much of a character as the tiger. That meant we had to set the mood visually. It was a great opportunity for visual effects.

Ang is very research-orientated, so we did a ton of reference work. For the water we went out on a coast guard ship in a heavy storm overnight! For the water, we needed a lot of high-dynamic imagery, so we had to build up a repertoire of reference photos to use in the movie. It also involved watching a lot of episodes of The Deadliest Catch! In terms of skies, someone had the distinct pleasure if you want to work in visual effects you have to get this gig of taking our camera to Florida, sitting on a beach for three weeks and, whenever there was a cool cloud-scape oating by, taking a photo. We ended up with a library of around 150 skies. Whenever Ang started talking about a shot we could go back to that which is important because Ang knows what he wants, but his communications are usually things like I want the sky to be melancholy. It can require us to make interpretations. If he wants a melancholy sky, I can go through our cloud le and pull something out.

The sea and the sky as characters

Life Of Pi is in cinemas now.

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BIG MOVIE
Texas Chainsaw 3D

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TEXAS CHAINSAW 3D

Red State

Red State
Does Texas Chainsaw d have anything left to tell us about America?
WORDS CALUM WADDELL

o why is it that, usually fruitlessly, horror lmmakers return again and again to classic creepers of the Sixties and Seventies for inspiration? Of course, the name value of such shockers as Dawn Of The Dead, Halloween and The Last House On The Left plays a major part in this but that barely explains the reasoning behind rehashes of relative obscurities like The Crazies, Its Alive, Mothers Day and Two Thousand Maniacs!. Ultimately, the answer is probably that the ideas back then were a lot fresher, considerably creepier and, more to the point, indicated a savvy social and political relevance. You see, during the era of the civil rights movement, Watergate and the Vietnam War, America was split and as the recent Presidential election has proven, not a great deal has changed. There appears to be a substantial gulf in the issues given priority by the blue states (Democrat) and the red states (Republican). Arguably, no lm franchise has done more to exaggerate and extrapolate this divide than The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Think about it: Tobe Hoopers original 1974 outing highlights a bunch of freewheeling hippy kids, straight out of liberal Austin (the blue part of the Lone Star State), who stumble into a living nightmare thanks to some especially regressive redneck esh-farmers that do not appreciate visitors even the title evokes images of the Alamo. Indeed, it would surely be impossible to have the words Texas and Massacre together without mediating an especially brutal and emotionally charged local history. Unfortunately, other than Hoopers Reagan-era sequel to his hit property, released to redundant box ofce in 1986 but later becoming feted as a cult classic, the Chainsaw series has largely disposed of anything approaching modern thought. Not that the Leatherface legacy is alone in

Not a reboot, but a direct sequel to the 1978 classic, but while Tobe Hoopers The Texas Chain Saw Massacre reflected the urban Liberal/rural Conservative divide in American society, does this new take on the franchise tell us anything new about America? We find out from director John Lussenhop

this the remakes of The Crazies, Dawn Of The Dead, The Last House On The Left and various others opted for a more pofaced approach to the on screen splatter theatrics: more interested in illustrating spurting arteries than reecting upon (respectively) military incompetence, consumerism and class division. So it was, then, that the Hooper-less Leatherface: The Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990) and the fourth instalment, Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Next Generation (1994) slinked out with scant notice brainless and shameless shockers which paled in comparison to the rst two features. In 2003, Michael Bay tried to pour some fresh petrol into the saw with his hotly hyped redo. While it was surprisingly slick and sanguine-lled, its attempts to mimic the raw energy and retrograde Seventies setting of Hoopers groundbreaking blood-blockbuster once again lacked any context or commentary. The less said about 2006s The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, the better.

Nearly 40 years after the original, and Leatherface is apparently still rocking the skin mask.

Texas Chainsaw 3D (the massacre part of the title has been, perhaps tellingly, dropped). That said, with a United States which is almost as polarised today as it was in the exploitation heyday of the early Seventies, maybe this will be the thinking mans sequel both scary and smart that true terror junkies have been hoping for. Ah actually, I can tell you that I avoid politics entirely in movies, begins Texas Chainsaw 3D director John Luessenhop, immediately squashing any hope that horror cinema might once again mix arteries with allegories. I mean, I did try and separate the two worlds the rural and the urban. We see the young characters coming from the city to the back roads
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o it is, then, that for better or worse we find ourselves with

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Texas Chainsaw 3D

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HOME OF THE GRAVE
some humanisation for instance, he goes over to sit by the window and keep guard after he understands that all of these strangers are suddenly invading his property. So we took that sort of basic mental understanding and used it as a springboard to decide how he would have developed over the intervening decades. I think his character will surprise a lot of fans. Luessenhop also maintains that, despite it being less than a decade since we last returned to Texas, the time is right for another outing in one of splatter cinemas foremost pieces of fear folklore. Yeah, I did think the timing was ideal, he maintains. This is a totally different lm from the movies which Michael [Bay] did and I really dont want to criticise them or anything, but I do think it is important to point out that the bulk of our story is set in the present. We are not attempting to take the audience back to the Seventies for the entire duration of the movie. The big challenge for us was really to contemporarise the franchise, and that was daunting. I mean, making a Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie in the rst place is no small thing because you are stepping into horror lm royalty, you know? It is important to respect that template, and we have done just that. For instance, there is the occasional on screen homage to the 1974 lm which I am sure a lot of fans will pick up on and we also have cameos from some of the original cast.

A road trip through the right/left divide in Americas horror Heartland

8 7 6 10 2 4 3
Texas [1 ] may have been established by Tobe Hooper as horrors number one slasher-spot, but there are plenty of other American states which splatter-cinema has advocated avoiding. Take Deliverance (1972), one of the chief innovators of backwoods-terror. In this classic it is the natural forestlands of Georgia [2 ] that are revealed to be home to a couple of

5 9

elections, embattled between progression and conservatism), Hoopers Death Trap (from 1977 another Texas-set shindig), 1981s Southern Comfort (the Republican stronghold of Louisiana [4 ] ) and 1984s Children Of The Corn (Nebraska [5 ] ). The coastal cities LA, San Diego, San Francisco, etc may be the poster children for liberal America, but rural California [6] has been revealed to harbour some backwards barbarians of its own (1977s The Hills Have Eyes and 1980s Motel Hell), much like leafy Illinois [7 ] (the Halloween series) and Oregon [8] (1981s Just Before Dawn). That said, most contemporary creepers continue to hark back to the same red state stereotypes. For perfect examples of this, look to 2003s Wrong Turn (West Virginia [9] ), 2006s Hatchet (Louisiana), the remake of Straw Dogs (Missouri [10] ) and Kevin Smiths self-explanatory Red State (2011). Darn tootin .

rape-happy, rie-rousing rufans. Prior to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Deliverance also indicates that something is icky in the South (ironically the star, Jon Voight, then a Hollywood liberal, would age into an arch-conservative). For more forest-thrillers, catch plasma-packed prototype Two Thousand Maniacs! (1964), which is set in Florida [3] (a key swing state in American

Ignoring the sequels, director John Lussenhop instead presents a direct follow-up to Tobe Hoopers 1974 original.

Texas Chainsaw stars Lost and Death Valleys Tania Raymonde and singer/actor Trey Songz.

of Texas, but as far as your question goes, I am afraid theres not really anything political in here. In case you havent been keeping score, the series spins an incredibly fragmented and largely unrelated back story. Hoopers rst two lms are related in story if not in tone (part two is played for laughs and depicts Leatherface and his family as hard-working, Reaganchannelling capitalists) but as the sequel splatters its cast of villains across the screen, any further follow-up was always going to have trouble adhering to the mythology. Thus, the third and fourth lms are actually separate reimaginings of the original not entirely unlike the Michael Bay-produced spit-shine of 2003. For Texas Chainsaw 3D, the decision was made to do a straight-faced sequel to Hoopers 1974 masterwork in spite of the nightmarish twists and turbulence this would involve. Yeah, this is a direct continuation of Hoopers movie, adds Luessenhop, whose previous credits include the 2010 action drama Takers. Basically, a young girl inherits the Chainsaw estate but, although it looks as if it is a big empty mansion, Leatherface is still around and he has changed a lot since 1974 [laughs]. He is not a bright young man anymore. In fact, we were always asking ourselves, What would Leatherface be like today? What kind of development has he had? In the original movie he does show

one of slasher cinemas most celebrated series did not stretch too far. I never saw the third and fourth lms, he reveals. But I did check out the second one, and I felt that it injected too much camp into the genre; it was all played for laughs. In comparison, the rst one just had an artful sense to it even though it was just these college kids scrambling around in a farmhouse in Texas. It is just very well made and brilliantly photographed. We dont acknowledge part two in this movie we are a direct sequel to the original. Moreover, Hoopers rst ick, despite its notorious reputation, shows very little in the way of carved-up carcasses and lopped-off limbs. Instead, the 1974 template uses sound and surrounding to maximum, menacing effect although its lengthy nal set piece, in which blonde beauty Marilyn Burns is chased, entrapped and tortured by the Chainsaw family, also resulted in the lm being castigated for misogyny in some quarters. That aspect was totally on my mind during the making of this lm, claims Luessenhop. These movies are generally about a guy with a chainsaw pursuing a good-looking girl, he laughs. All I can tell you is that the women in our movie never seek help from their boyfriends or anything. Our leading lady, played by Alexandra Daddario [Percy Jackson & The Lightning Thief], solves

onetheless, Luessenhop does admit that his homework on

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Despite appearances, this movie will apparently look to eradicate the apparent misogyny of yore.

Making a Texas Chainsaw Massacre movie is no small thing, because you are stepping into horror film royalty John Luessenhop
her own problems in the story. The end of the lm is all about her and her reaction to this terrifying situation but she remains strong. I was very sensitive about that. I think it is important to have the viewer care about these kids we only have a little time to introduce the characters, but I think you get a good sense of who they are. You wont be sitting there hoping that they meet a terrible end. This is not that kind of horror lm. Inevitably, talk also turns to the use of 3D in this latest bout of power-tool terror. From My Bloody Valentine and Final Destination to Saw and the Piranha movies, it seems that fearlmmakers cant get enough of using the technology to add an extra depth of death to the on screen splatter. Yet, it is probably safe to say that the form has rarely given us anything even approaching the feeling of being showered with innards or poked in the peepers with a sharp object. I think that the 3D in this movie really outdoes itself, argues Luessenhop. We did not convert anything instead, it was all shot in the 3D process. But with that being said, I have not tried to turn this into a Fifties drive-in movie where everything ies at your face. Instead, the technology is used to create an even more terrifying atmosphere. There is more depth to Leatherfaces house and about

half a dozen hyper-exciting 3D horror moments where you will feel like you are involved in all this mayhem [laughs]. But we dont really use it for the purpose of showing extravagant deaths; there is quite a low body count, and that means that every time someone does die it really shocks you. So it is, then, that fright-fans can expect threedimensional delirium and a more politically correct approach to the treatment of women. However, for those of us who hold on to the Seventies classics be it the initial outing for Leatherface or such contemporaries as The Last House On The Left and The Hills Have Eyes it seems that todays gore-masters are hesitant to once again exhibit some commentary alongside the carnage. The result may be a fun thrill ride, and might even encourage the occasional jolt, but it is probably safe to say that the buzz around this particular chainsaw is more popcorn than political.

Texas Chainsaw 3D is in cinemas from 4 January 2013.

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COMIC INTERVIEW
Grant Morrison

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HES NOT QUITTING SUPERHEROES SAYING BYE TO BATMAN AND SO LONG TO SUPERMAN BUT HE IS TAKING A BREATHER. WHILE PROJECTS BREW IN THE MIND OF GRANT MORRISON, WE TALK TO THE LEGENDARY WRITER ABOUT WINDING DOWN BATMAN INC AND ACTION COMICS, HIS NEW SERIES HAPPY! AND WHAT COMES NEXT
WORDS LAURA SNEDDON

GRANT MORRISON VERSUS THE HEADLINES

W
hen Grant Morrison announced that he was nishing his run on both Action Comics and Batman Incorporated this year and taking a break from the grind of monthly comics, the fan communities went into overdrive. The headlines hit the ground in a storm of over-excited punctuation Grant Morrison Quits DC! Grant Morrison Finished With Superheroes! Grant Morrison Leaving Comics! none of which were true. Morrison is used to his quotes being taken out of context and in some cases taken out of any hint of reality but looking beyond the headlines reveals the true story: the writer is moving out of ongoing superhero titles and concentrating on a number of new projects, including superheroes, both within DC and with other publishers, including Image. We caught up with Morrison in a bar in Edinburgh to chat about leaving Clark and Bruce behind and what is yet to come, while noting that the location, The Voodoo Rooms bar, was perhaps a rather apt venue in which to meet the enigmatic writer. With DCs New 52, the continuity of the DC timeline has been completely updated, squashing decades into a ve-year span to create a more contemporary feel. This has, however, resulted in some characters disappearing, which proved controversial with fans, as well as some confusion over which stories in the past are still considered canon. As someone who had previously woven together the entire Batman mythos into one continuous whole, how did Morrison cope with writing Batman Incorporated in the new DC Universe? I just thought that ultimately it will all eventually stretch out again, Morrison explains. I thought it was more inclusive to have all of Batmans history in the story and to even accommodate the fact that his historys kind of changed slightly again, because it will change again. So I just wanted to keep with what I had, and there were some things we had to change like suddenly Stephanie Brown didnt exist, and Cassandra Cain doesnt exist, and theyll get reintroduced in some way potentially but I had this really great scene in Batman Incorporated #4 with these two characters in it, and I liked them. I thought there were things we could do with it I liked the fact it was two women there. The loss of Stephanie Brown, replaced as Batgirl by her original predecessor, Barbara Gordon, has attracted a particularly dramatic reaction from fans. Batman Incorporated #3 featured a page where a blonde woman is kidnapped and brainwashed, and subsequently reappears as a redhead with dangerous intent a play, perhaps, on the change from blonde to redheaded Batgirl? No, it wasnt any commentary; sometimes these things just happen spontaneously, Morrison laughs. So yes, it was commentary if you saw commentary! But no, shes just gone. I liked that character. Not that theres much there, honestly, but theres something. One character that has remained prominent in Batmans life is his son, Damian, a character that was reintroduced by Morrison six years ago and had largely remained in his care until the New 52 launch. Still a favourite with the fans, Damian currently appears in a number of Bat-titles, including Batman Incorporated. Is Morrison kept abreast of what the character is doing in his other adventures? I read [the comics] when they come out, but I dont usually get sent anything, he frowns. I send in these detailed plot synopses at the start of everything I never see anybodys plot synopses!

INTERVIEW

The thought occurs that perhaps others are shown Morrisons outlines rather than the other way around. George Perez didnt seem to get mine! Morrison laughs. But yeah, Ive no idea whats happening, I just I dont bother about that stuff. I remember at the start of this they said they wanted to tie in with [Batman writer] Scott Snyder and [Detective Comics writer] Pete Tomasi, and youve got to tell them if you want to do this I said, No, those guys have got their own big stories to tell, Im sure well make it work. Thats why people hate me! But its not important; Id rather see what theyve got to say, even if I dont necessarily agree with it. Its clear that Morrison has something particular in mind. Damian should not have a dog; Damian had a cat, he states atly. Im really upset that they gave him a dog, because weve already seen him growing up in the future with a cat, and I had this plan to introduce this kitten, but hes brought a dog into it The writer tails off glumly, before we remember the arrival of Bat-Cow earlier in the series. Oh, hes got a cow! Morrison grins. So maybe I think he should have a whole menagerie of bat-animals.

ORRISON IS FINISHING BATMAN INCORPORATED WITH ISSUE 12, AND HAS EXTENDED HIS ACTION COMICS RUN TO ISSUE 17, LONG AFTER HIS INITIALLY

planned rst six-issue run. While the Superman title chronicles the adventures of Superman in the present day, Action Comics is set ve years in the past, and focuses on a young Clark Kent who has not yet got to grip with his powers. This is the Superman who can leap over buildings, rather than the indestructible god he becomes. I was only going to do the rst six, he says, and then [artist] Rags Morales needed a couple of issues off, so I had this insert

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Allan Amato

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GRANT MORRISON
Interview

A LOT OF ANGER HAS COME OUT IN THESE FINAL SUPERMAN AND BATMANS
GRANT MORRISON
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ComiC interview
Grant Morrison

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Morrisons Weirdest Moments

Our favourite off-kilter moments from Morrisons DC output

Bruce awakes in the time of Neanderthals, having fallen through the timestream. Its like Doctor Who, but with Batman!

Batman: The Return Of Bruce Wayne

The team investigate a disturbance, and wander into a sentient street called Danny who also happens to be a transvestite.
Morrisons Superman depicts a younger man of steel, far removed from the unstoppable force he is variously portrayed as.

Doom Patrol Issue 36 Box Of Delights

3 4 5
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Animal Man Issue 5 The Coyote Gospel

A real-life cartoon escapes his hellish dimension to bargain for the good of his people.

The spellaholic and her fellow magic users enter the astral plane, climbing across cubes and panels and above the paths of their past selves.

Seven Soldiers: Zatanna

Bruce Wayne has a psychotic breakdown, makes himself a neon, multi-coloured Batsuit and takes advice from the imaginary Bat-Mite.

Batman RIP

Even while tackling other projects, superhero comics remain in Morrisons crosshairs.

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GRANT MORRISON
Comic Interview
celebrities, and takes the piss out of singers and actors and everyone whos trying to create things, no matter how bad they are. I had this notion that a lot of these people are losing their minds doing this. You think, This is golden youth; you should be feeling a lot better. So the whole thing became about that struggle, and then into it came this Christmas thing and this really nice little kidnap plot; its everything horrible about the world. Ive got paedophiles, drunks, methadone addicts, Santa Claus is a bastard, your lead characters a failure; hes got all kinds of problems. And into it comes this last fading thing; it doesnt really have long to live, thats what its about. With many of the writers and artists that have left DC and Marvel recently turning towards creator-owned projects, Image is quickly becoming one of the most successful publishers around. I look at them as almost like the HBO of comics, says Morrison, where people are going with very specic ideas that maybe wouldnt be able to be published with any of the other companies. The creator-owned thing, for me, Ive always owned my own stuff going back to the Seventies, so for me its not a major issue. Its interesting to see that somethings happening right now with a lot of people whove done superhero comics for a few years and started to move out and spread their wings a little bit. But theres always been, for me, a creatorowned book over here, plus a companyowned book over there running at the same time. Morrison fans can rest assured, though, that he isnt turning his back on superheroes. Hes around 30 pages into a 120-page Wonder Woman project, his much-hyped Multiversity is due in late 2013, and the writer is clearly very attached to the characters hes been writing for the last few years. When you see Batman you have this lovely notion, Morrison laughs, of well, Ill be like that one day, Im gonna have a big dispenser on the wall, and its got Caramac in it and Opal Fruits and salt and vinegar crisps, and thats what Ill have when Im a millionaire. And Batmans actually got that shit, you know? Hes even branded them, so itll be Batsalt and vinegar crisps. I think thats the appeal the guy can do anything.

Morrisons run on Batman Incorporated has enabled him to keep on writing Damian Wayne, a character he played a large role in developing.

which freaked everybody out, then we came back. After that I had set up things, because I wrote these two issues to ll in, and had to ll them with this future plot, so suddenly I had that to deal with, and I felt Id better just stay on and nish the story. It ended up turning into something quite interesting. This is denitely the nal stretch, however, with Morrisons last issue due in February. I felt as if Id stayed on too long, so once I got this thing it gets quite sinister towards the end, he teases. The writer is keen to stress that despite some of the headlines, he remains on good terms with the publisher. Indeed, he has more work with them in the following years. Much of his upcoming work with Vertigo and Image remains shrouded in mystery, however. Yeah it is a bit, Morrison smiles, apart from Seaguy 3, the nal Seaguy which Ive told everyone Im doing. But theres other stuff which I havent talked about yet thats kinda getting done just now. Is his focus, then, on more nite series rather than ongoing titles? Theres one idea I have, which is a long thing, he says, because I havent done anything like that for a while, but most of them are nite. I wanted to tell stories, you know? And again, getting away from some of the stuff that when youre working in the superhero universes it, as Ive

I JUST DECIDED I WANTED TO TELL SOME STORIES WITH A BEGINNING, A MIDDLE AND AN END
GRANT MORRISON

said before, its not a real place. Its a real place in the sense that its paper, but youre not writing about the real world; youre writing about this other world and the rules in that world and the relationships that form in that world, so theres a synthetic thing about it, which as much as I love it, its not about here. And although Batmans about ghting against nihilism and the overwhelming sense of chaos in the universe, its still stuck in the DC universe, and there might be more direct ways to say that. I just decided I want to tell some stories; you know, a beginning, middle and end, a really cool story that someones sat you down in front of the re and told you.

IS CURRENT MINISERIES, HAPPY!, WITH ART BY DARICK ROBERTSON AND PUBLISHED BY IMAGE COMICS, IS EXACTLY THAT. ALREADY ATTRACTING RAVE

reviews, the tale of a loser in a hellhole of a town may not sound like something youd want to read around the re, but it comes with a spectacular twist: a tiny ying horse, full of optimism that only the protagonist can see. Its a really great design that Daricks done; its just like a special effect. But yeah, when I was sitting thinking a couple of years ago, I had this idea that you know everyone takes the piss out of

Batman Incorporated and Action Comics are currently ongoing from DC Comics, while Happy! is available from Image Comics. Supergods: Our World In The Age Of The Superhero is now available in paperback, priced at 9.99.
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67 LIFE OF PI

A FEAT OF MODERN FILM MAKING MASTERY

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66 Sightseers 67 Life Of Pi 67 Safety Not
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TRIVIA SPIDER MAN ACTOR TOBEY MAGUIRE FILMED FOR A ROLE IN LIFE OF PI, BUT HIS PART WAS SCRAPPED AND RE CAST, AS THE DIRECTOR DECIDED THAT SUCH A FAMOUS ACTOR FOR SUCH A SMALL ROLE WOULD BE DISTRACTING.

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review
FILM INFO
Released Out now Certicate 15 Director Ben Wheatley Screenwriters Alice Lowe, Steve Oram, Amy Jump Cast Alice Lowe, Steve Oram, Eileen Davies Distributor StudioCanal Running Time 88 mins

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SIGHTSEERS
Going on holiday with a new partner can

Mustw! see no
Fun and murder on a summer holiday
At some point, even the countryside seems complicit. Director Ben Wheatley makes Yorkshires sweeping landscapes simultaneously beautiful and bleak; Tina and Chris often appear to be completely alone in an empty world, and in many ways they are. Nothing is ever straightforward; every joke is shot through with resentment and every moment of horror cut with pathos, until the humour, anger, and sadness become inextricably linked. Sightseers isnt a comfortable watch; in another lm the cosy trappings of an old-fashioned English holiday might have seemed twee, even reassuring, but here theyre turned into something more sinister. While other British horrorcomedies like Shaun Of The Dead and Cockneys Vs Zombies temper their scares with the promise that traditional Britishness will ultimately triumph over evil, Sightseers exposes that as an optimistic lie. Here, Britishness is the horror. And thats really scary.
Sarah Dobbs VERDICT

FIVE OTHER MOVIES ABOUT HOLIDAYS YOU WOULDNT WANT TO GO ON

1. Withnail And I Two out-of-work actors go on holiday by accident, and nd the English countryside a miserable and unwelcoming place. 2. Wolf Creek Based on true events that never actually happened, this sees three backpackers fall victim to a sadistic serial killer. 3. The Ruins Visiting the site of a remote archaeological dig turns out to be a terrible idea for a group of American holidaymakers. 4. The Descent Spelunking is a bad idea at the best of times, but when the caves are unexplored and inhabited it becomes an even worse way to spend a vacation. 5. Open Water Two hapless scuba divers are accidentally left behind by their tour group in sharkinfested waters.

be a stressful experience. Away from familiar surroundings, freed from the structure of everyday routine and without the opportunity to spend much time apart, its amazing what youll learn about another person. Over the course of a week in a caravan together, Sightseers Tina (Alice Lowe) and Chris (Steve Oram) nd out more than they ever really wanted to know and in the process reveal a lot about the suppressed rage simmering beneath middle Englands polite exterior. Even before theyve nished packing their bags, the couples holiday seems doomed. Tinas overbearing mother (Eileen Davies) takes a violent dislike to Chris, and tries to persuade her not to go. Her warnings (that theyll have a horrible time, Chris cant be trusted, Tinas a heartless dog murderer) are still ringing in our ears as the trip begins, and though she stays at home, the spectre of Tinas

miserable mother looms large over the whole lm. Because shes almost right: Chris isnt what he seems, and the holiday is a disaster. As the couple trek across the country, visiting every sad little museum and crumbling castle they can nd, they leave a trail of death and destruction in their wake. Its horrifying, depressing and somehow very, very funny, too. Written by Lowe and Oram, Sightseers is incredibly dark, but its well-observed characters and instantly quotable dialogue are infused with black comedy. The humour and horror are expertly balanced; while youll laugh at the many funny moments, youll never giggle through any of the violence. Gore is used sparingly but effectively, and a combination of clever editing and sound design make it seem even more violent than it is. Yet, as evil as they are, Sightseers never loses sight of its humanity. Tina and Chris seem like an ordinary couple even when theyre doing extraordinarily nasty things. Theres no justication for any of the violence, and theres no grandeur to it; its all petty and driven by low-level irritation and frustration. Despite the occasional leanings towards farce, theres something horribly familiar about the world it portrays, and the performances by the two leads are worryingly believable.

OR STAY IN AND WATCH

Garth Marenghis Darkplace
Alice Lowe plays the put-upon Liz in this spoof documentary series.

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TRIVIA WHILE PREPARING FOR THE FILM, LOWE AND ORAM ACTUALLY WENT OFF FOR A WEEK IN A CARAVAN AND STAYED IN CHARACTER, IMPROVISING DIALOGUE AS THEY WENT.

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Sightseers / Life Of Pi / Safety Not Guaranteed / /

REVIEWS CINEMA

LIFE OF PI

A boy and a pussycat went to sea

SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED

FAO: Time Travellers
Details TBC / 86 mins / 26 December 2012 Director Colin Trevorrow / / Screenwriter Derek Connolly Cast Aubrey Plaza, Mark Duplass, Jake Johnson Distributor Vertigo Films

Details PG // 127 mins // 20 December Director Ang Lee Screenwriter David Magee Cast Irrfan Khan, Suraj Sharma, Tabu, Adil Hussain Distributor 20th Century Fox

Before telling the

story of his life, the adult Pi Patel (Irrfan Khan) sells it as an adventure that will make you believe in God. Its a bold claim, but a ttingly grandiose one, for while its hardly going to turn atheists into believers, Life Of Pi is a feat of modern lm-making mastery. Based on Yann Martells 2001 novel, it tells how Piscine Pi Molitor Patel (Suraj Sharma), a charming Indian boy from Pondicherry, goes from a happy childhood of spiritual discovery and larking about in his parents zoo to being shipwrecked for 227 days with only a hungry Bengal tiger named Richard Parker for company. Story-wise, the concept is engrossing enough, with themes of survival and belief that could have so easily veered into preachy sentimentality being scripted with a profound sense of deftness. Yet, as good as it is on its own, the script feels almost secondary to Ang Lees

directorial vision a vision that shines forth from every shot, dening the lms fantastical idealism. Life Of Pis story is one that, above all, is about nding hope among the extremities of desperation where animal and human know no difference yet Lee also manages to articulate beauty in emptiness. From the pivoting set-piece of a storm sinking Pis ship (a sequence that, much like the rage of the ocean, engulfs the senses), Lee makes a point of framing his shipwrecked shots like paintings of desolation, with the sea and sky playing as much of a role in the grandeur as a carnivorous island of meerkats or the sudden leap of a whale or Richard the tiger. Even the use of 3D at its best during the opening titles is infused with the poetry of nature. In time, as our heros life dwindles, his body and mind ravaged by starvation, the validity of his extraordinary account comes into question. The doubt jars even if it has been whirring uncomfortably in the back of your mind. Why? Because this wouldnt be a lie you watched; this would be a lie you lived. Either way, its denitely worth watching.
Stephen Kelly FILM

OR STAY IN AND WATCH

Spirited Away
More fantastical than Life Of Pi, but Studio Ghiblis masterpiece shares its vivid imagination.

Inspired by a real if not entirely serious 1997 classied ad asking for a time travel companion, Safety Not Guaranteed imagines a scenario where it wasnt written as a joke. The answer, according to writer Derek Connolly and director Colin Trevorrow, isnt really about a time machine at all. Instead, the prospect of time travel serves more as a conduit for angst, fear and regret a poignant reminder for all characters that time is eroding and what is done is done. Carrying these themes is the mysterious loner behind the ad, Kenneth Colloway (Mark Duplass), and Seattle journalists Jeff (Jake Johnson), Arnau (Karan Soni) and Darius (Aubrey Plaza), who are sent to investigate him. Once set up, the plot splits between two relationships: the main one between sullen, disillusioned intern Darius and kindred weirdo Colloway, and a sub-plot where the obnoxiously shallow Jeff pursues an old ame, only to nd that she, as humans tend to do, has aged. While both are glossed with a Juno-esque brand of hipster quirk that endears as much

as it annoys, it is the former that manages to overshadow the latters weak and unnecessary existential crisis a crisis sadly smothered by Jeffs tendency to be a dick. Having gained the paranoid Colloways trust, it is up to Darius played excellently by Parks And Recreations Aubrey Plaza to get the scoop from inside the world of an eccentric. The further she ventures into that world, however, the more she nds Kenneth is someone she can nally relate to even though he believes he can travel through time. The ensuring romance, although clunky at times, is gradual and sweet, while the storys central sci- mystery of whether he has actually done it is handled with a gentle sense of slowburning subtlety a trait reective of the lm on the whole. Safety Not Guaranteed may not be perfect, but it has its heart in the right place and in the world of cinema that is something worth far more than money.
Stephen Kelly FILM

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FAQ About Time Travel
Another indie comedy dealing with the subject of temporal physics.

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TRIVIA THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR OF THE ADVERT, JOHN SILVEIRA, IS CREDITED IN SAFETY NOT GUARANTEED AS TIME TRAVEL CONSULTANT.

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BERBERIAN SOUND STUDIO

From the moment diminutive sound engineer Gilderoy (Toby Jones) brought over from England for the post-production of ghoulish giallo ick The Equestrian Vortex steps through the doors of the titular studio, a sense of unease slides in like fog and builds with creeping certainty as Peter Strickland, the much applauded director of Katalin Varga, makes good on his acclaim. Shot in both Italian and English, Gilderoys poor grasp of the former marks him out as like us, a voyeur into the drama playing out. Ignored by the cast and glowered at by an elderly rival, he struggles to prise his airfare from the disdainful receptionist and sneering producer with Kafka-esque impotence. His alienation is only enhanced as he either hears things unfold without us seeing them, or sees things accompanied only by music or silence through the soundproof glass of his control booth. Tethered to his charmingly provincial way of life by letters from his mother, the crunch of autumn leaves and a UFO sound effect he perfected for childrens TV, he grows

Must ee now! s
Reel fear

ZOMBIE FLESH EATERS

The real Dead Island
Received wisdom has it that George Romeros 1978 shocker Dawn Of The Dead nailed the story, and Lucio Fulcis careerdening Zombie Flesh Eaters the style. Its zombies were certainly grubbier and more earthen, its locations more evocative and its cinematography endlessly ahead of its time. The claustrophobic sh bowl close-ups, intense, creeping POVs, lurid use of light and colour and even its action scenes are more intimate and visceral in a way that few have matched, let alone bettered. If a story is simply a device that moves the plot seamlessly along the lms various waypoints then Fulci triumphs in those stakes, too. The bare bones of the plot a bubbling gumbo of HG Wells The Island Of Dr Moreau and, of course, Night Of The Living Dead is neat enough. When a boat belonging to Anne Bowles (Tisa Farrow) father washes up in New York, lled with rotting food and a cop-killing corpse, she and reporter Peter West (Survivors Ian McCulloch) set off for the island of Matool his last known whereabouts, enlisting the help and boat of Bryan Curt (The Beyonds Al Cliver) and Susan Barrett (Auretta Gay). On Matool they discover an island in the

Must ee now! s

Details 15 / 92 mins / 2012 / / / / / 11/13.99 Released 31st December / Director Peter Strickland Cast Toby Jones, Tonia Sotiropoulou, Susanna Cappellaro, Cosimo Fusco Distributor Articial Eye Extras TBC

Details 18 / 85 mins / 1979 // / / // 11 Released Out now Director Lucio Fulci Cast Tisa Farrow, Ian McCulloch, Richard Johnson, Al Cliver Distributor Arrow Films Extras Aliens, Cannibals And Zombies: A Trilogy Of Italian Terror, From Romero To Rome: The Rise And Fall Of the Italian Zombie Film, The Meat Munching Movies Of Gino De Rossi, Trailers, Commentary and more

gradually more transxed by the events unfolding whose effects he simulates, from pulling a witchs hair out with the stalks of radishes to stabbing a lettuce in lieu of human esh, and eventually a sizzling frying pan to capture a hot poker in some ladyparts. Later, a cast member who condes in Gilderoy with fearsome intensity goes berserk, scattering tape across the control booth, a letter from his mother takes on a tone of gothic foreboding and the phrase It must have been the magpies echoes around him. Theres a touch of everything from Almost Famous to The Devils Advocate in the idea of a sheltered soul exposed to a world of squalid glamour, and a whole lot of Stanley Kubricks The Shining and Roman Polanskis The Tenant in this brilliantly intimate tale of suspense and sanity that cements Stricklands cinematic cache.
James Hoare FILM EXTRAS N/A

grip of a mysterious infection, and the supremely shifty Doctor David Menard (Lara Croft: Tomb Raiders Richard Johnson) running a clinic. Inevitably, the dead rise and esh-eating ensues. Its easy to see contrivances around every corner if youre so inclined the crew pulling over so Susan can enjoy a gratuitously topless scuba dive and witness that iconic zombie/shark title bout doesnt exactly add anything to the plot, but it doesnt take away from it, and it looks absolutely stunning to boot especially in the crisp and cinematic HD transfer and restoration. Theres nothing meaningful about consumerism to chew over, although youre welcome to project your own post-colonial creed onto this tale of a white doctor experimenting on hapless islanders, who in turn rise from the grave to exact their revenge but it is fantastic fun. Sure, Dawn Of The Dead might be the one you wrote your thesis on, but Zombie Flesh Eaters is the one you will watch over and over again

James Hoare FILM EXTRAS

IF YOU LIKE THIS TRY

Shadow Of The Vampire
E Elias Merhiges underrated chiller depicts the obsession of Nosferatu.

IF YOU LIKE THIS TRY

The Beyond
Fulcis weirdest and gristliest zombie movie by far a woman vomits her intestines as non-sequiturs attack.

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TRIVIA THE OPENING CREDITS OF BERBERIAN SOUND STUDIO PAY HOMAGE TO THE 1969 CZECHOSLOVAKIAN HORROR COMEDY THE CREMATOR.

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Berberian Sound Studio / Zombie Flesh Eaters / The Dark Knight Rises / Total Recall / / /

REVIEWS HOME / FILM

Must see now!

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES TOTAL RECALL

Bale bows out
Immediately forgettable
Details 12 / 165 mins / 2012 / / / / / 9.99/14.99 Released Out now / Director Christopher Nolan Cast Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Anne Hathaway Distributor Warner Home Video Extras TBC

This difcult third lm was always going to be tricky enough without having to follow two lms that not only laid an unquestioned claim to the title modern classic, but nailed the comic-book movie formula to such an extent that it has laid the benchmark for much of what has followed it: the likes of Dredd, The Amazing Spider-Man, Arrow and even Skyfall have acknowledged the rst two instalments of Christopher Nolans Bat-trilogy as creative touchstones. The Dark Knight Rises doesnt provide any denite answers to the third-lm quandary, but it nonetheless provides a triumphant conclusion to one of the most gripping sagas of the 21st Century in any medium. Nolan, as the architect of this, is to be applauded. Right from the jaw-dropping aerial opening act that introduces as to the new muscle, Bane (Tom Hardy), through the subsequent miasma of scenes that give every cast member be they the battle-worn Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and the feisty but vulnerability-permeated Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway) or rookie cop John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt)

a chance to shine. Dominant at the centre of it all, however, is Bruce Wayne himself (Christian Bale). Haunted by his failures, he belies his damaged goods tag, with Bale giving mileage to a character who was prone to being overshadowed by his more amboyant adversaries in previous instalments. In a pleasant twist of fate, nuance wins. Much has been made of the apparently Occupied-inspired themes prevalent throughout, which has been prey to some contenious critical readings, but even with this in mind its hard to let it get in the way of such a riotous conclusion to the lm series. Pooh-poohed by the same critics who have arbitrarily decided to decry the formula they once championed, The Dark Knight Rises is nonetheless a heartstopping, tension-ridden joy-ride of a lm both a tting last act and a breathtaking slice of theatre in its own right.
Steve Wright FILM EXTRAS TBC

Details 12 / 118mins / 2012 // / / // 19.99/24.99 Released 26 December Director Len Wiseman Cast Colin Farrell, Kate Beckinsale, Jessica Biel Distributor Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Extras Extended Directors Cut + Commentary, Theatrical Cut, Total Recall Insight Mode, Gag Reel, 9 featurettes, Stepping into Recall Pre-visualisation sequences, God Of War: Ascension PlayStation 3 Playable Demo

IF YOU LIKE THIS TRY

Arguably overshadowed by The Dark Knight, we recommend going back to where it started.

Batman Begins

As if there wasnt already enough bloated/ misguided remakes/ reimaginings of successful properties to be getting on with, along comes Total Recall, with this interpretation coming from the mind of Len Wiseman, purveyor of such surere classics as Underworld: Evolution and Live Free Or Die Hard. When looking at a remake, the temptation to go back to the original source is unavoidable. In this case it is denitely not recommended, as a re-watch of Paul Verhoevens 1990 cult favourite only serves as a stark reminder of just how badly the team behind this one ballsed up. In the former, the core cast of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sharon Stone and Michael Ironside didnt exactly deliver performances worthy of high accolades, but they were evocative and memorable nonetheless. In this instance, Colin Farrell is simply too bland a lead. Coupled with a decent director and plot he can be utterly hypnotic (see In Bruges and Tigerland as proof of his capacity to make the screen his own), but here, shorn of any dramatic underpinning, he lacks vital presence in the central role. Coupled to this, Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel are interchangeably dull (that they look

similar to each other doesnt help), while others are let down badly Bill Nighy through lack of screen time and Bryan Cranston through the lack of anything to do other than growl and sneer. The confusion among the cast radiates through the rest of the lm (speaking of radiation, the removal of the Mars-related background element means no mutants, which makes the inevitable appearance of the three-breasted lady from Verhoevens original all the more bafing). Dull choreographed ght after dull choreographed ght sporadically punctuates extended chase scenes, all the while heading towards a dull climax stripped of the bulk of the subtext that made its predecessor such a pleasure. With the upheaval currently taking place in our own world, the time was ripe for someone to embellish an old story with a contemporary subject matter relevant to our time. Instead, Total Recall manages to be not only irrelevant, but forgettable, too.
Steve Wright FILM EXTRAS

IF YOU LIKE THIS TRY

Minority Report
Steven Spielberg shows how you do Philip K Dick justice on the big screen.

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TRIVIA WHILE AUDITIONING FOR THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, ACTRESS ANNE HATHAWAY ORIGINALLY THOUGHT SHE WAS GOING FOR THE PART OF HARLEY QUINN RATHER THAN SELINA KYLE.

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SHOW INFO
Details 12 / 998 mins / 1988 / / Creator Gene Roddenberry Cast Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael Dorn, Diana Muldaur, Marina Sirtis, Wil Wheaton, Whoopi Goldberg

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Details Out now / 69.99 / / / Distributor Entertainment One

DISC

Details Reunication: 25 years after Star Trek: The Next Generation cast interview Mission overview: Year two Making it so: continuing Star Trek: The Next Generation Episode promos 1988 Reading Rainbow segment with LeVar Burton Archival Mission Log: Department Brieng Year 2 production The Measure Of A Man HD extended version and hybrid extended version Audio commentary of HD extended version of The Measure Of A Man with Melinda Snodgrass and Michael and Denise Okuda Gag reel Inside Stareet Archives Selected crew analysis: Year two

Extras

SEASON TWO

Mustw! see no

STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION

Not a facepalm in sight
Ask any Trekkie how they feel about
the early seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation, and you will perhaps notice a slight wince and some mumbled words on character arcs, possibly followed by the words But it gets really good in Season Three. Its more than a little unfair that the plainly successful foundations on which TNG was built are sometimes dismissed as merely killing time until Locutus by even the most ardent fans, especially when Season Two in particular marked such a huge step forward for the show. It was a season of change and renewal, which saw the show cast off the unwieldy elements of its past and blaze a trail for itself with a few additions to the still fresh-out-thebox ensemble and some great storytelling, and frankly the series has never looked better. An astounding amount of work and devotion has gone into remastering the series in high denition, so its no surprise that the rst thing that strikes you is how damn good it looks. What the team behind this restoration have done is go back to the 35mm negatives and recut each episode using the original elements and convert the new version to HD. Shots and visual effects from those master copies have been recomposited, thus retaining the 4:3 aspect ratio and a healthy respect for the work of all those involved rst time around. The later seasons had a more timeless look to them, but any die-hard TNG fan would concede that the washedout colours and often brash lighting of the rst seasons dated many episodes prematurely. Here the reds, golds and

Season Two saw more being revealed about races like the Klingons.

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TRIVIA DENISE CROSBY WAS ORIGINALLY CAST AS TROI, THOUGH SHE LATER SWITCHED ROLES WITH MARINA SIRTIS.

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Star Trek: The Next Generation Season Two

REVIEWS HOME / TV

TOP FIVE EPISODES

The high points of the series 1 THE MEASURE OF A MAN
A cyberneticist eager to replicate Datas positronic brain claims the android should be submitted to disassembly, in the process risking his life and setting an ugly precedent that articial life forms are property, not people. Its a moral dilemma the show sinks its teeth into with relish, and Picards vindication of his friends rights shows Star Trek at its best.

2 Q WHO

The Borg were hinted at in Season One nale The Neutral Zone but it wasnt , until Q Who that the most famous of the Enterprise Ds adversaries made themselves known. The most signicant episode of the season in terms of legacy, Q Who sets up the Borg as a relentless and unwavering enemy and a completely new threat, as well as a taste of things to come.

3 A MATTER OF HONOR

Whoopi Goldberg gave the show some unexpected star appeal.

AN ASTOUNDING AMOUNT OF WORK HAS GONE INTO REMASTERING THE SERIES IN HIGH DEFINITION
blues look more vibrant, the set dressing pops and make-up holds up even after almost 25 years. Most impressive of all are the exterior shots of the Enterprise in all its 1080p glory. From the glow of the nacelles to the detail on the planet of the week, its glorious to watch, particularly with that triumphant 7.DTS-HD soundtrack. Darker shots show a nice level of lm grain, too, which adds a cinematic and moody feel. So whats new for this second season? Riker (Jonathan Frakes)s beard for one, Geordi (LeVar Burton)s promotion to chief engineer and a few casting headlines; Denise Crosbys departure and her character Tasha Yars death meant Worf (Michael Dorn) took on more of a central role, while Gates McFadden (who played Beverly Crusher)s run-ins with the producers over sexist elements in the scripts led to her being red according to some frank accounts in the box sets extras. McFadden was replaced by Diana Muldaur, who played Dr Katherine Pulaski, badged by some as a female McCoy, but was really more of a straight-talking broad with hard edges. Muldaur was a familiar face to Star Trek fans, having appeared twice in the original series in the episodes Return To Tomorrow and Is There In Truth No Beauty? Pulaskis caustic temperament and stubbornness put her in conict with Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart), and her initial scepticism of Data (Brent Spiner) as a sentient being made her a little hard to relate to. That said, her characters passion for science and talent for medicine made her stand out as a yet another brilliant mind in the Enterprise crew. The biggest casting news of the season was the introduction of comedian and actress Whoopi Goldberg, then a Golden Globe winner and Oscar nominee, as Ten Forward bartender Guinan. A Star Trek fan since childhood, Goldberg asked LeVar Burton to put a word in for her

Riker takes part in an ofcer exchange program on a Klingon ship, where he learns about their culture and earns the respect of the crew. The post-Khitomer Accord world is more geared towards learning from other races and civilisations than the Kirk punch it till it bleeds era, and this episode shows Klingons as more than Batlethwielding baddies.

4 THE EMISSARY

Worfs old ame ambassador KEhleyr appears on the Enterprise in a landmark episode for the character. The half human, half Klingon is intriguing as the rst female Klingon character to be explored in any great depth, and her conicting human and Klingon sides make for some interesting scenes something picked up in Voyager with the character of BElanna Torres.

5 ELEMENTARY, DEAR DATA

Yes, its a holodeck episode, but a damn good one, as Data and Geordi try their hand at sleuthing. Geordi tries to up the program difculty by making a character that can match Data, inadvertently creating a Moriarty who wishes to live beyond the holodeck. His self awareness mirrors Datas own struggles to be recognised as more than the Pinocchio of the crew.

AND THE WORST EPISODE OF THE SEASON

SHADES OF GREY
An unfortunate side effect of the 1988 Writers Strike was the nale, which reused old footage to pad out a thin premise that has Riker in sick bay staving off a disease made better and worse by memories. A terrible episode that takes a lot of the progress made by the show for granted.

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HEY, ITS THAT GUY!

Some of the familiar faces to be found in Season Two
Recognisable to fans of The X-Files as the alien bounty hunter, he also appeared in Generations again as a Klingon, Deep Space Nine as a Dosi and as Romulan admiral Valdore in Enterprise.

BRIAN THOMPSON Klag, A Matter Of Honor

TERI HATCHER Lieutenant BG Robinson, The Outrageous Okona

Long before Lois or Wisteria Lane, she could be spotted operating the transporter controls that brought intergalactic cad Thadiun Okona aboard the Enterprise.

Seymour returned to play another Romulan in Face Of The Enemy and is best , known to British audiences as Survivors Abby Grant and Als evil counterpart in Quantum Leap.

CAROLYN SEYMOUR Subcommander Taris, Contagion

Edwards was unmistakably the voice of Gozer the Gozerian from Ghostbusters, as well as voicing both of Ursulas evil minions in The Little Mermaid, Flotsam and Jetsam.

PADDI EDWARDS Anya, The Dauphin

This new restoration truly allows viewers to experience the otherworldly majesty of the series.

He returned to Star Trek as the commandant of Rura Penthe penal colony , in the Voyager episode Bliss and was head of the Vulcan Science Council in JJ Abrams Star Trek.

W MORGAN SHEPPARD Dr Ira Graves, The Schizoid Man

Appeared as Vulcan doctor Selar and Klingon ambassador KEhleyr in quick succession, and went on to play the female Q in Voyager and Andorian Imperial Guard Tarah in Enterprise.

SUZIE PLAKSON Doctor Selar, The Schizoid Man

with the producers, who while perplexed that she was interested in signing up to a syndicated TV show, jumped at the chance to have her on board. Her character had an unexplained connection to Picard, was familiar with trickster-in-residence Q (John de Lancie) and had experience of the series most iconic addition to Star Trek canon: the Borg. Q Who is the rst outing for the unstoppable juggernaut that is the Borg, and the remastered visuals are a marvel

to behold. The Borg cube inspires as much awe now as it did back at the time of transmission. The memorable reveal shot inside the Borg cube which showed the sheer scale of the ship and its sinister crew has been remastered using a new digital matte painting based on Syd Duttons original, used only because the brush strokes of that painting would have been visible in HD. Standout extras include a HD gag reel full of corpsing, giggling ts

RANDY OGLESBY Rivas Chorus, Loud As A Whisper

He appeared twice in Deep Space Nine, including as Silaran Prin in The Darkness And The Light as well as playing Brenari , refuge Kir in Voyager and making two appearances in Enterprise.

The Fleetwood Mac drummer and fan of the show donned sh-like prosthetics for his appearance on TNG a marked improvement on his performance at that years Brit Awards with Sam Fox.
Classic episode A Matter Of Honor saw Riker bond with his Klingon allies.

MICK FLEETWOOD Antedean, Manhunt

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Star Trek: The Next Generation Season Two

REVIEWS HOME / TV

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

This season also marked the rst appearance of the deadly Borg.

and wonderfully playful moments from the cast. There are wonderful documentaries featuring contributions from project overseers Michael and Denise Okuda and visual effects supervisor Dan Curry. Collectors will experience pangs of envy towards Penny Juday, the art department coordinator and Star Trek archivist who has everything from blueprints and artwork to original models made for the television shows and movies even the piece cut from the

YOU HAVE NEVER SEEN THE EPISODES LOOK THIS GOOD

saucer section of the Enterprise D by the Borg in Q Who. A rather marvellous bonus feature is an extended cut of the courtroom episode The Measure Of A Man, which was written by sci- novelist and former attorney Melinda Snodgrass. Her episode over-ran by 13 minutes, but she was gifted a VHS tape of the full cut by the production staff. Thankfully for us, she kept hold of the tape, and the full episode appears as a HD extended version. Theres even a commentary track from her and a hybrid version which cuts between the HD remastered episode and the newly discovered footage from her VHS tape. Snodgrasss audio commentary on the extended HD version of The Measure Of A Man reveals that her initial teaser for the episode featured Data trying to swim rather than the poker game, which became a recurring scene in TNG. The nal shot of All Good Things is of a poker game between the senior ofcers. An hour-long interview with the reunited cast features some fantastic anecdotes that hardcore fans might be familiar with, and is another fantastic addition to the set. The rst season had the unenviable task of trying to revive an iconic series something Patrick Stewart had been warned against even while

attempting it. The stories felt uneven, actors needed to nd their characters underneath the tight jumpsuits and there was a feeling that the show was not just in the shadow of its Sixties predecessor; rather visibly clinging to it for dear life an opinion emphasised by the skimpy outts of Haven to The Naked Now a virtual remake of original series episode The Naked Time which George Takei once likened to kids dressing up as their parents and trying to act like grown-ups. Season Two is when TNG stepped out of the shadow of Kirk et al and began to emphatically nd its own voice. There are some misres, of course, but the characters are more eshed out, the storylines are stronger and theres a growing condence to the show that is still massively appealing. For fans of TNG and newcomers alike, this collection is a no-brainer you have never seen these episodes look so good, and there are extras aplenty to keep you entertained.
Krystal Sim SHOW EXTRAS

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Babylon 5
Contained complex storytelling, fantastic character development and memorable performances.

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TRIVIA TO COMBAT THE UPHEAVAL CAUSED BY THE 1988 WRITERS STRIKE, SCRIPTS FROM THE UNMADE STAR TREK: PHASE II WERE USED.

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WIZARDS VS ALIENS
The death of Elisabeth Sladen obviously meant the end of The Sarah Jane Adventures. After all, how could you ever replace her? Thankfully, faced with a TSJA-shaped void, Russell T Davies and Phil Ford didnt try to, for their new childrens sci-, Wizards Vs Aliens, manages to be more than a mere echo. The simple premise encapsulated in the title, Wizards Vs Aliens tells the story of Tom (Scott Haran), a 16-year-old schoolboy caught up in a ght for the wizarding worlds survival against the Nekross: an alien race that roams the cosmos to gorge on magic. Along for the ride is his unenchanted father (Michael Higgs), magical grandmother (Annette Badland) and genius best friend Benny (Percelle Ascott). It starts bold, with its opening scene of a huge, striking spaceship interrupting a magical ceremony establishing straight away not only the shows central concept, but its scale and

Must see now!

Wizards Vs Aliens? We wonder what thats about

Details PG / 336 mins / 2012 // / / // 17.99 Creators Russell T Davies, Phil Ford Cast Scott Haran, Percelle Ascott, Gwendoline Christie, Brian Blessed Distributor Fremantle Home Entertainment Extras Deleted scenes, Bloopers, Photo gallery

THE SECRET OF CRICKLEY HALL

For an author of his standing, it initially appears odd that few have attempted to adapt James Herberts work, although with closer inspection uncovering themes of child abuse and mass murder, this reticence becomes understandable. Such is the beguilingly compelling nature of The Secret Of Crickley Hall, however, you may start to wish that more had taken the plunge. Starting off in present day, a young family move to the titular country house a year after the disappearance of their youngest member. Having shared a psychic bond with her son, Eve (Suranne Jones) starts to hear his voice again. At this point the narrative dovetails into ashbacks to 1943, where young teacher Nancy (Olivia Cooke) becomes worried about the welfare of the orphans the hall houses, where the frosty Magda Cribben (Sarah Smart) and her sadistic, war-damaged brother Augustus (Douglas Henshall) rule with an iron rod. Her subsequent investigation has tragic consequences that spiral into present day, where they threaten to envelope Eve and her

Must ee now! s
Death in Downton

Details 15 / /175 mins / 2012 / / / / 9.70 Creator Joe Ahearne Cast Suranne / Jones, Tom Ellis, Douglas Henshall, Olivia Cooke Distributor 2entertain Extras TBC

ambition. Its also within these rst two episodes where the rules, relationships and deeper mysteries of the show are set up. From there, the series follows a format where the low hum of the Nekross arc is ever present, but with each two-parter tackling it in wildly different ways. It certainly makes each week interesting, but with each story having a self-contained quality to it, the tone does tend to jar between episodes, notably the fun, throwaway Grazlax Attacks and the surprisingly dark follow-up Rebel Magic. What remains consistent, however, is the quality of the writing. Sharp, funny and clever, it embraces its young audience without patronising them. It helps, of course, that the cast delivering it do so with conviction especially the likeable Haran and Gwendoline Christie, who as Nekross Lexi gets to show the fun and warmth she cant as Brienne in Game Of Thrones. All of which points towards something that, once it nds its feet, could indeed become something out of this magical world.
Stephen Kelly SHOW EXTRAS

family as history, inuenced by the sinister ghosts of the halls macabre past, looks to brutally repeat itself. Ghost stories are susceptible of descending into clich, and Crickley Hall is occasionally guilty of this, but makes up for it with a story that is by turns heartbreaking and hopeful; full of regret for the horrors of war and the pain its ripples cause, yet ultimately optimistic. Jones and Tom Ellis make for a naturalistic pairing, while Henshall commands the screen despite barely raising his voice an octave. Honourable mentions go to Iain De Caestecker and Maisie Williams in an excellent ensemble performance. Deceptively tricky, Crickley Hall will keep you guessing while resisting falling into gimmickry. Most stories of this ilk quickly fade in the memory, but Joe Ahearne has done justice to Herberts source material, and presents the case for more of it to receive similar treatment.
Steve Wright SHOW EXTRAS TBC

IF YOU LIKE THIS TRY

The Sarah Jane Adventures
Marked the point where CBBC started taking sci- seriously.

IF YOU LIKE THIS TRY

Marchlands
A similarly impressive paranormal chiller across time. Makes for a great companion piece.

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TRIVIA THE SECRET OF CRICKLEY HALL CONTAINS A WEALTH OF GENRE TALENT, WITH ITS CAST HAVING PREVIOUSLY APPEARED IN THE LIKES OF DOCTOR WHO, GAME OF THRONES, THE FADES AND PRIMEVAL.

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Wizards Vs Aliens / The Secret Of Crickley Hall / Mists / Switch / The Almighty Johnsons / / / /

REVIEWS HOME / TV

SWITCH Series 1

The flatmates are total witches

Details TBA / 270 mins / 2012 // / / // 17.00 Released 26th November 2012 Creator Philip Trethowan Cast Pheobe Fox, Hannah Tointon, Nina Toussaint-White, Lacey Turner Distributor ITV Studios Home Entertainment Extras TBC

Series 4

MISFITS

The power of community service

Details TBC / 360 mins / 2012 // / / // 12.99 Released 26th December Creator Howard Overman Cast Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Joseph Gilgun, Karla Crome, Nathan McMullen, Matthew McNulty Distributor 4DVD Extras TBA

You can see that ITV2 was aiming for a sort of supernatural Sex In The City in Switch, which depicts four young witches living in Camden, North London. But the brew turns out to be more Worst Witch: The Older Years. Its not what youd expect from a show airing at 10pm, and especially not the kind of clichd uff former Being Human producer Philip Trethowan would deliver. The adult content seems wedged in with forced f-bombs, references to phone sex and a lightsaber vibrator gag all in the second episode. Then, theres the lesbian ex that shows up and makes us want to look up a throttling spell. Like most of the

guest stars, shes written and played without an ounce of charm. The sad thing is that this was the closest the show came to an actual villain, and the coven themselves have less characterisation than the cast of Made In Chelsea. Hardly bewitching telly, is it?
Mel Goodyear SHOW EXTRAS TBC

Nobody likes change, which is

why bumping off three of Mists leads who have been central to the show since its conception will likely be met with scepticism by many. Newbies Jess (Karla Crome) and Finn (Nathan McMullen) are initially difcult to warm to, though this is predominantly because the opening episode spends little time exploring eithers personality, instead having them spend the duration attempting to slaughter each other. But with perseverance, viewers will soon nd more to the delinquent additions than simply foul mouths and heightened horniness although the two still feature heavily. Rudy (Joseph Gilgun) remains as inappropriately hilarious as ever, the This Is England actor highlighting his versatility with a convincing portrayal of three conicting versions of himself, while long-serving Curtis (Nathan Stewart-Jarrett) serves as a welcome reminder of the preceding series, although he doesnt feature as heavily or prominently as some might have hoped. Adhering to conventions laid down previously, the storylines remain

ridiculously riveting, ratcheting up the death tolls massively and pushing the boundaries of believability beyond extreme even after considering that its based on superpowered ASBOs. That said, some of the borderline incestuous plotlines notably one involving the hapless Finn are perhaps a little much, even for the most accustomed of audiences. Similarly daft are some of the characters gifts, signicantly expanding the list of stupid superpowers to include telepathic communication with the aid of a dog. Overall, it follows the same rude, crude and nude criteria as before; still being thoroughly enjoyable for fans, but remaining far from entertaining for anyone not previously amused by the series. Those wanting to try it for the rst time, however, will nd this to be the ideal opportunity, as the rapid deterioration of the original leads means that Series Four is a great introduction as well as a continuation.
Rowena Heal SHOW EXTRAS TBC

THE ALMIGHTY JOHNSONS Season 2

New Zealands #TrueLad take on Charmed returns with a revelation: last years baddie Agnetha (Alison Bruce) is really the Johnsons missing mum. Its certainly dramatic and denitely disturbing, since Anders (Dean OGorman) was putting the moves on her, and she ordered her youngest, Axl (Emmett Skilton), to be killed. And how do the Johnsons deal with such a family crisis? Play mini golf, thats what. Axl is still in search of his preordained soulmate, the goddess Frigg, Ty (Jared Turner) is grappling with his godly spirit, a newly divorced Mike (Timothy Balme) falls back

Avengers Assemble Kiwi-Style, apparently

Details 15 / 567 mins / 2012 // / / // 15.99 Released Out Now Creators James Grifn, Rachel Lang Cast Emmett Skilton, Timothy Balme, Dean OGorman, Jared Turner, Ben Barrington Distributor Universal Pictures Extras TBC

IF YOU LIKE THIS TRY

Paul doesnt cope well with seeing dead people, which makes The Fades both hilarious and terrifying.

The Fades

into his old debauched ways and Anders is literally phoning it in this season, having been away lming The Hobbit. The second season is a more consistent mix of dramedy, and theyre beginning to tick the boxes of a solid supernatural soap, including the token body swap episode.
Tom Whittaker SHOW EXTRAS TBC

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TRIVIA MISFITS JOSEPH GILGUN BEGAN HIS ACTING CAREER AGED TEN, PLAYING CHILD TEARAWAY JAMIE ARMSTRONG IN CORONATION STREET.

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review

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Mace Wingdu

ANGRY BIRDS STAR WARS ASSASSINS CREED III

Horrible Histories
Format iOS, Android // Age rating 3+ // Publisher LucasArts/Rovio Developer Rovio // Players 1 // Released Out now // Price 0.69 (iOS), Free (Android) Downloadable iOS, Android Format 360/PS3/PC / Age rating 18 / Publisher Ubisoft / Developer / / / Ubisoft Montral / Players 1-12 / Released Out now / Price 49.99 / / / Downloadable PS3

Youre more likely

to play Angry Birds than any other game weve ever reviewed in SciFiNow. Lets face it, LucasArts were banking on that kind of probable statistic when the deal was signed to combine the biggest entertainment franchise of all time with the most commercially successful property of the moment. Grim Fandango this aint. The name pretty much sums up what you get for an inoffensive 69p: the classic Angry Birds mechanic of catapulting birds at environments in a bid to take out enemy pigs, only with an elaborate Star Wars theme. This

means you get birds shaped like Luke, Han, R2-D2 and many more, who each have different powers, like swinging a lightsaber in a circular radius or ring a stream of laser re. Its a variation on Angry Birds that just about serves Star Wars well, with levels based on Tatooine, the Death Star and Dagobah, with more free ones coming soon, as well as sweet touches deployed through certain details, such as the classic Star Wars cross-wipe between levels. The character designs are where we must put our critical, Simon Pegg hats on, however, as visually Angry Birds proves to be a poor match for Star Wars. Just because the designers popped Han Solos jacket and a Harrison Ford wig on a bird or shaped the Death Star like a pigs head, it doesnt mean were going to seal-clap at the results. Its not the ideal match for the saga that Lego was, for example, and on principle this falls rmly in the Yoda/Vodafone camp of our post-prequel fan depression at Star Wars relentless marketing gimmickry. Still, Angry Birds Star Wars is brilliant value and a model time-waster, but it deserves a contentious reception.
Samuel Roberts VERDICT

IF YOU LIKE THIS TRY

Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga
Light, building block-based fun with a high amount of crossover appeal.

Now on the same regular yearly release schedule as Call Of Duty, the JJ Abrams/Dan Browninspired Assassins Creed series hits several creative highs with this ludicrously sized third main instalment. After two watered-down franchise extensions in preceding years, this is a genuine sequel, with an Illuminatistyle tale that stretches across past and present. Even if it lacks a little in terms of interactivity, the games recreation of the American Revolution, alongside its intriguing alternate history premise is so impressively realised that its worth admiring, if solely on an artistic level. The same Matrix-style idea of a present-day man accessing his ancestors memories stands annoyingly, its the 2012 end-ofthe-world stuff that still drags the Assassins Creed story down. Far more interesting is the tale of the halfEnglish, half-Native American Connor, who despite having an origin tale stitched together from about a dozen Hollywood movies (particularly The Last Of The Mohicans and Pathnder) is characterised pretty well as the only force that stands against the bad guys the Templars and world domination. Those nasty bastards

are searching for an artefact that can unlock the secret of those who came before the Apple Of Eden, which is the games main MacGufn. OK, so the story is a bit Bill & Ted in its approach to history, but the setting is the star of Assassins Creed III, anyway old America is gigantically sized, with enough of a landmass along the Eastern coast to permit weeks of exploration by sea, horse or bounding through dense forests like some kind of scurvy-era superhero. What disappoints is that in what can be construed as a concession aimed at making the game more accessible, you only really need to hold one button to move through the entire world, as extravagant as the visuals and animations are. This reduced interactivity is the main issue with the third Assassins Creed instalment, even if the scale and detail of the backdrop never loses impact, and the narrative thread between two eras manages to just about hold together through the prolonged campaign.
Samuel Roberts VERDICT

IF YOU LIKE THIS TRY

Red Dead Redemption: Undead Nightmare
Explore old America while getting a world of hassle from the living dead.

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TRIVIA MICHAEL FASSBENDER WILL STAR IN THE ADAPTATION OF ASSASSINS CREED FOR THE BIG SCREEN.

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review
GAME INFO
Released Out now Certicate 16 Format Xbox 360 Publisher Microsoft Developer 343 Industries Players 1-16 Price 49.99 Downloadable No

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Angry Birds Star Wars / Assassins Creed III / Halo 4 / /

REVIEWS VIDEOGAMES

HALO 4
THE ARC OF THE COVENANT
Do I need to know anything about any of the previous games if I fancy jumping on now? Not at all. Halo 4 is set years after Halo 3, and immediately launches into the brand new Reclaimer story arc, so you have the opportunity to be bafed by a whole new range of batshit mythology. Seriously, weve beaten every game and seen every cut-scene there is, but we didnt really know what was going on for a lot of the time. Is that a problem, then? Only for veterans of the series who have a disproportionate amount of enthusiasm for the mythos the general arc is easy to follow, its just that some of the terminology and details end up getting lost in the shufe.

Chief concerns

Must lay now! p

Then theres Spartan Ops, Halos TV show-style deluge of extra missions, backed up by cut-scenes. The layout of these levels lack air, as if they were knocked together by fans with a level creator tool, but team up with some pals and it equals an admirably aggressive burst of Halo-lite skirmish. They have the potential to improve as the schedule for each new episode rolls around, but for now they add yet another layer of value to Halo 4s volley of stuff to do. Thats why Halo remains essential, really. The single-player mode might be nearing the ceiling of its creative potential in this form, anyway but Halo takes storytelling to other sectors with Spartan Ops, and multiplayer is tailored for a more diverse range of players than were used to. Its a rened piece of work, and is still loads of fun compared to its contemporaries. 343 Industries has demonstrated that Halo is still relevant, and that innovation can work alongside the familiar.
Samuel Roberts VERDICT

Halo 4 is so stuffed with features that even

jaded series fans will latch onto something. While its main story is disappointing in the context of previous strong campaigns, the rst instalment from new franchise stewards 343 Industries has a wonderful cross-section of different experiences outside of that the fourth Halo excels in refreshing and reconguring rst-person shooter ideas we thought we were bored with. Tackling the story part rst, Halo 4s campaign is largely derivative of previous entries, referencing their design in both subtle and blatant ways. While its initially teased that the fundamentals of the series have been radically reinterpreted, with a brand new enemy in the Prometheans (vaguely confusing if you went to see Prometheus this year there are even some story parallels), who operate alongside traditional comical Halo enemies The Covenant, this is still a well-worn template. Yes, battles are slightly different in their pacing and the Prometheans have their own cool sets of weaponry, but make no mistake: such features and slightly tweaked combat dont exactly count as an evolution of this formula. That next step does come in the form of Halo 4s visual presentation, however, which has stepped up since 2010s Halo: Reach, with certain levels maintaining the look of a matte painting in the rich way theyre drawn. 343

tries to emulate the original Halos ability to induce wonder in the player through environmental design, creating sprawling worlds with remarkably intelligent visual touches that imply a history of the setting. Some levels are better in this regard than others, but in all cases we respect the effort and detail that has clearly been invested. Likewise, though the production values of the cut-scenes try to mask an all-round dull tale of Master Chiefs pseudo-romance with Cortana (the little blue lady AI in his head) the conviction in which its relayed is nonetheless impressive. The campaign mode lacks set pieces of terric pace or scale, with nothing comparing to the bafingly sized climactic battles of Halo or the haunting city-glassing and space dogghts from Reach. Moreover, the vehicle sections are never as strong, and for us theyre one of Halos main draws, while many of the mid-campaign levels devolve into structure-less slogs. When your six hours with the campaign are over, though, a fuller experience kicks in. Halo 4s multiplayer is as able as previous entries in creating gigantic sci- conicts with myriad variables. With an excellent learning curve and inviting progression system, theres hundreds of hours to pour into the many well-constructed modes here.

IF YOU LIKE THIS TRY

Crysis 2
Dick about with a superpowered suit in New York while facing off against an alien invasion.

SUBSCRIBE WWW.IMAGINESHOP.CO.UK

TRIVIA ORIGINAL HALO DEVELOPER BUNGIE WILL REPORTEDLY LAUNCH A NEW SCI FANTASY SERIES CALLED DESTINY NEXT YEAR ON XBOX 360.

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3

5 SCI FI AND FANTASY MOBILE GAMES YOU MUST PLAY NOW

2
Got 20 minutes to kill on the 12.05 train from Dorchester South to Upwey, or trapped in the toilets at Bristol Temple Meads? Forget reading download these well-priced time-eaters on your smartphone or tablet

5
Batman: Arkham City Dead Space AVAILABLE ON: IOS, ANDROID Lockdown Judge Dredd Vs Zombies Innity Blade

Angry Birds Star Wars

AVAILABLE ON: IOS, ANDROID

Reviewed on the previous page, you cant help but be curious about Angry Birds very unsexy cross-pollination with Star Wars, and it proves to be an enjoyable way to kill a few hours when youve got no other entertainment options. Its all fun and games until you use up your last level-clearing Millennium Falcon bonus and youre forced to fork out real life money on the games arbitrary micro-transactions in order to buy more Falcons. Its still fun, though (with a healthy dose of cynicism)!

AVAILABLE ON: IOS

Like a condensed version of the Arkham City on home consoles, this boils the action down to a series of satisfying ght sequences, where you use the touch controls to beat up Gothams rogues gallery. From the makers of Mortal Kombat, this has a lovely exclusive extra for those who cleared Arkham City: the presence of Deathstroke as a villain. A quick burst of Batman action that suits the mobile format it may well be the best-looking title on iOS, too.

Easily the most successful attempt to transplant a console game onto a platform with primarily touchscreenbased controls, Dead Space encompasses all of the limbslicing brutality of the console games with an intuitive interface. Perhaps most importantly, however, it matches the sense of Alien-style cautious wonder that comes with the series that curiosity for seeing nasty things in derelict spaceship corridors. It also helps that the presentation is at near-console levels on tablet devices.

AVAILABLE ON: IOS, ANDROID

Cant complain about this one, since at the current price of absolutely nothing you can slaughter endless waves of zombies with Judge Dredds lawgiver. It also happens to be fantastically well-suited to touch controls, with gameplay towing the line between automated aiming and interactive blasting, while a smart credits system lets you watch adverts for social games in exchange for more money. A well-developed Dredd experience from Rebellion for the 2000 AD obsessive.

AVAILABLE ON: IOS

From the makers of Unreal technology, so you know itll be a gorgeous display of what iOS devices can do. Innity Blade has a sinister dark fantasy setting, whereby youre tasked with murdering an evil overlord except you dont win the rst time. Or the second. To add tragic emotional resonance, each time you fail you play as the son of your previous character until your distant ancestor nally succeeds. While we enjoyed its sequel, the original beat-em-up-framed slasher is a brilliant demonstration of fully edged mobile software.

Back To The Future, The Walking Dead, Chrono Trigger, Temple Run: Brave, Mirrors Edge and NOVA

ALSO TRY

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Your community for reading and celebrating fantastic ction

Get in touch @SciFiNow /SciFiNow

FEATURES

80 Essential Read: The Island Of Dr Moreau

Get in the mind of HG Wells, and see the parallels between his literary creation

84 A Beginners Guide To Tanith Lee

Where to start with the prolic author of many a twisted fairy tale

94 Terry Pratchett
The legendary author discusses taking a break from the Discworld

REVIEWS

86 Nexus 87 The Hunt 87 The Return Man 88 Throne Of The Crescent Moon 90 Pantomime 90 Cold Days 92 Sullivans Sluggers 93 Supercrooks

This Issue We Read: The Island of Doctor Moreau

Turn to page 80 to see why, and let us know what you think

THIS IS YOUR BOOK CLUB Your Opinions

Tell us what youve been reading on Facebook or Twitter, and well print it

Your Decision Your Reviews

Next Well Be Reading: The Road by Cormac McCarthy

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Pick up The Road by Cormac McCarthy, the bleak survival story about a man and his boy attempting to exist in a desolate America.

Follow SciFiNow on Twitter. Read and share your thoughts with the hashtag #BookClub; they might make it into the magazine!

You can contribute to the Book Club discussions as much or as little as you like; the most important thing is that you have fun.

Pick up issue 76 of SciFiNow to check out what we thought and learn about the history of the book and its author with our Essential Read.

Let us know what you want to see. This is your section, so tell us what you think Write a review of the last book you read, and it could appear on scinow.co.uk. Submit your review as a 300word text le to scinow@ imagine-publishing.co.uk

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BooK CLUB

essential read: The Island Of dr MOreau

HG Wells: autHor, socialist, scientist and advocate of euGenics. tHe island of dr Moreau sHines a liGHt on tHe dark side of science fictions Most influential Mind
WORDS MATThEw hANDRAhAN

There is an intriguing story about HG Wells, one perfectly suited to proving his gift for scientific thought. Of course, any story so poetic and pointed should generally be considered apocryphal, though that doesnt make it any less satisfying to hear. In 1891, a relatively obscure writer called Hubert George Wells arrived at a meeting with Frank Harris, editor of the influential journal Fortnightly Review. Wells, late as usual, had been called in to explain his latest submission: an impenetrable essay called The Universe Rigid, which describes the universe as being composed of four dimensions; three spatial planes and time. About ten years later, a Swiss patent clerk called Albert Einstein would lay out his theory of Special Relativity, and the idea would find an audience. Now, theres no doubt that Wells wrote The Universe Rigid, and it certainly contained musings on the nature of time, but the extent to which it can be compared to Einsteins world-changing theory is highly debatable. But thats not the point; the point is that HG Wells virtually unparalleled work as an author of science fiction allows such a comparison to be entertained. In the public consciousness he occupies a similar plane to Einstein. Its quite a feat, and theres justification for it even beyond his major novels. Born in 1866, the Britain of Wells formative years was still deeply religious, and speaking out against the church was an act that took

SynopSiS
A shipwrecked Englishman, Edward Prendick, is saved by a passing ship bound for the nearby Nobles Isle. Prendick is intrigued to learn that the ships cargo consists of a menagerie of animals. Their destination? The private laboratory of Dr Moreau, a physiologist whose experiments in vivisection forced him into exile. Forced to leave the ship at Nobles Isle, Prendick is disturbed to hear a pumas cries of pain as Moreau goes about his work. Retreating into the surrounding jungle, he discovers a group of humanoid creatures, before being attacked by a hybrid of a leopard and a man. As Prendick begins to suspect that he is destined to end up under the knife, he discovers that Moreaus bestial offspring have a curious disdain for their animal side and a near religious adulation of their creator.

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Get in touch @sciFinow /sciFinow

essential read

provided an alternative to God, but he also recast human beings as works in progress, and left no guarantee that our species would prosper. Indeed, Huxleys famous lecture Evolution and Ethics suggested a future in which humanity would effectively degenerate retrogressive metamorphosis and all life on Earth would become extinct. By the close of the 19th Century, the sun had started to set on the British Empire, but the arrogance that ruling two thirds of the globe can inspire was still in full force. A surprisingly large proportion of the intellectual and cultural elite saw no reason why humans shouldnt intervene in their own development, and interest in the highly dubious field of Eugenics began to grow. Eugenics can be described as a blend of science and philosophy which advocates the supposed improvement of the human gene pool through selective breeding, as well as being innately tied to the controversial practice of vivisection. Wells was fascinated by the idea, and he wasnt alone: Winston Churchill, Theodore Roosevelt and George Bernard Shaw all publicly stated their interest in what Eugenics could achieve, and while it would be easy to assume that they simply hadnt yet witnessed the idea taken to its logical extreme the Nazis extensive program of ethnic cleansing during the Second World War much of the literature produced around Eugenics at the start of the 20th Century is unpleasant at best, and utterly hateful at worst. Wells was as guilty of that as anyone. He wrote extensively on the subject, most famously in his influential nonfiction work, Anticipations or, to give its absurdly verbose full title, Anticipations Of The Reaction Of Mechanical And Scientific Progress: Upon Human Life And Thought, which became an immediate bestseller. In it, Wells advocated, the procreation of what is fine and efficient and beautiful in humanity beautiful and strong bodies, clear and powerful minds and to check the procreation of base and servile types of all that is mean and ugly and bestial in the souls, bodies, or habits of men. This would be achieved through the painless mercy killings of unfit people: those with contagious diseases, mental disorders, the criminally insane, alcoholics, people with bodily deformations. There was also a racial aspect to Wells vision of the future, where a common language and a common rule would need to be established. And for the rest, those swarms of black, and brown, and dirty-white, and yellow people, who do not come into the new needs of efficiency? he wrote.

55 Island The
1 2

Reasons to read

Of Dr Moreau

Well, its HG Wells, the most important British author of science fiction in history. Actually, scratch that: the most important author of science fiction of any nationality. The genre as we understand it today can largely be traced back to Wells.

Its the connoisseurs choice. Most people reach for The War Of The Worlds or The Invisible Man when it comes to Wells, but reading The Island Of Dr Moreau indicates a deep interest in the extremes of Wells imagination. Have we mentioned how disquietingly weird it is? Wells is revered worldwide for his soaring imagination, but The Island Of Dr Moreaus combination of reality, monstrosity and cool, distant prose is unique among his body of work. All three attempts to turn the novel into a film have ranged between OK and bloody awful so there really , is no other way to experience the story. Now, if only David Cronenberg would just give it a try It offers ample food for thought. The central character of Moreau is an enigma, both a celebration and a condemnation of the power of science. An understanding of Wells personal politics only makes the novel even harder to fathom.

3 4 5

The storys evocative nature has enabled it to spin off into other media.

it doesnt evoke so much as demand visceral, social, philosophical dread china miville
a great deal of conviction. As a student at The Normal School of Science in Kensington in 1886, however, Wells found that conviction: Thomas Henry Huxley. One of the great scientific thinkers of the age, he was a prominent member of the schools faculty and Wells admired him greatly. Traces of Huxley can be seen in the characters in a number of Wells stories, but at that time it was enough to have found something in which to believe: Charles Darwins Theory of Evolution. In evolution, Wells saw an alternative to the ideas expressed in the Christian Bible: Genesis, the Fall and the fiery climax described in Revelations. Darwins theory made it all impossible, freeing mankind from its innate failings, its imposed destiny and the need to beg forgiveness every night. In short, it was seductive and empowering in a way that pushed many to extend the idea beyond its reasonable limits. Intellectuals like Wells turned to Darwin seeking a basis for morality beyond the widely accepted religious notions of right and wrong, and in searching they found one. Those interested in evolutionary science at this time were especially interested in the idea of progress. Darwin may have

SubScribe www.imagineshop.co.uk

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BOOK CLUB
Your Take On The Classic WHAT YOU
THOUGHT @SCIFINOW
Its one of my favourite books. Revolutionary in its ideals prophesises genetic engineering with unique foresight. #BookClub @robbrichardson Its a fantastic novel. Would really like a faithful, decent, big screen adaptation. #BookClub @gmstringer #BookClub I have read it but a while ago. I did enjoy it and the questions it raises. Not quite like the lm with Marlon Brando! @purplefrontier I love it! One of my favourites actually. Have yet to see a decent lm version though. #BookClub @ejbarnes89 Awesome! Especially when he lives alone with the animal people for a year. Its a short book, so if youve got the time, its a great read. #BookClub @SkellaHomie Good, not his best work but good, why? Who is making a lm of it now? #BookClub @mrrichpearson A very weird lm about 20 years ago, humans crossed with animals. Think HG had too much cheese and nightmares inspired the book. #BookClub @alang4u I read it a while ago the story is creepy, I still mistrust all doctors/ scientists #BookClub @morganstein12

Issue 77s Essential Read: Cormac McCarthys The Road Join in and share your thoughts on
Twitter or Facebook
No adaptation thus far has truly captured the true horror of Wells novel.

UNLIKE MANY CLASSICS, THE ISLAND OF DR MOREAU CAN BE RECOMMENDED WITH FEW QUALIFICATIONS
Well, the world is a world, not a charitable institution, and I take it they will have to go. The whole tenor and meaning of the world, as I see it, is that they have to go. So far as they fail to develop sane, vigorous, and distinctive personalities for the great world of the future, it is their portion to die out and disappear. Wells described the appliance of Eugenics in this way as, an ideal that will make killing worth the while, allowing humans to exert control over the laws of evolution so that mankind could become their master rather than their victim. It should be noted that Wells was also adamant that the desirable qualities that should be promoted were both complex and, to a degree, subjective. Indeed, during an address given by pioneering Eugenicist Francis Galton in 1904, he posited that contemporary scientic understanding was too crude to accurately identifying the traits necessary for positive Eugenics. All of which would almost sound like reason, were it not for the fact that, in the very next breath, Wells restated his belief that negative Eugenic programmes could be implemented right away. The way of nature has always been to slay the hindmost, and there is still no other way, unless we can prevent those who would become the hindmost being born, he said. It is in the sterilisation of failures, and not in the selection of successes for breeding, that the possibility of an improvement of the human stock lies. Of course, this all occurred several years after the astounding creative run that made Wells famous as an author of ction The Time Machine, The Island Of Dr Moreau, The Invisible Man and The War Of The Worlds were all published between 1895 and 1898 but like all grand, complex ideas, he had been preoccupied with Eugenics for many years before he made his most public contributions to the

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debate. The ultimate fate of humanity and the potential of the surgeons knife as a gruesome guiding hand is a regular feature throughout his stories: there are seeds of the idea in The Time Machines Morlocks and Eloi, but nowhere is it more apparent than in The Island Of Dr Moreau. Unlike many classic works of science ction, The Island Of Dr Moreau can be recommended with few qualications. Even now it remains a profoundly strange work of ction, narrated by its protagonist, Edward Prendick the sort of ineffectual, heady aristocrat around which so many of Wells stories are based in a spare, matterof-fact style that amplies the ineffable weirdness of Dr Moreaus experiments. Asked by The Guardian to select his favourite work of science ction, the author China Miville selected The Island Of Dr Moreau, describing it as, saturated with wrongness The critiques, contradictions and catastrophes in his ction go further by far than those in his self-consciously political non-ction. This is a vital point in understanding Wells as an author. However abhorrent his sociological and political views may appear from the more sensitive climate of the 21st Century, and however strongly they are echoed in Moreaus quest to free animals

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essential read

from their bestial nature, Wells never takes a clear position on his characters or their deeds. Like all great fiction, multiple and often contradictory readings are there for the taking, and what you see is almost certainly informed by your own prejudices rather than those of the author. The Island Of Dr Moreau is a morally ambiguous book from a man whose own morals could have used a few more shades of grey. For example, Miville regards it, as much as anything else, as an allegory for British colonialism. But does the narratives headlong charge into death and disaster condemn the colonisers or the colonised? Certainly Wells never shies away from showing the pain Moreau causes, but he doesnt flinch from his creations giving in to their animal natures, either. Whatever can be said about Moreaus experiments and its worth noting that the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection was formed two years after the books publication Wells gives the character the sort of noble ideal he advocates in Anticipations, then watches as he hurtles towards failure. However, if anything can be gleaned from the time in which The Island Of Dr Moreau was published, its that the idea of progress was inextricably tied to the necessity of sacrifice. Ultimately, the practice of Eugenics is built upon that contradiction, and its a practice that Wells personally endorsed. With that in mind, Moreaus experiments can be read as a reminder of mankinds supremacy in the natural world: Moreau attempts to cut their bestial weaknesses away; to raise them up to the level of human beings, who are described as perfectly reasonable creatures, full of human desires and tender solicitude, emancipated from instinct, and slaves of no fantastic Law being all together different from the Beast Folk. That the experiments fail is certainly a comment on human arrogance, but it is also a comment on what we, as a species, have evolved beyond, and must continue to escape. Ultimately, the beast-folk cannot avoid their degeneration; they forget their primitive attempts to establish a civilised culture and turn on their creator, but the very fact that Moreau is capable of failing in this way raises him and his deeds far above the animals on which he operates. Others may see it differently, but there is no definitive suggestion that Moreaus ideas are too dangerous or volatile to be of value they are simply ill-conceived. For modern eyes, however, The Island Of Dr Moreau is an unintentional but timely reminder of an often overlooked truth: though science may be built on logic and reason, in the hands of extremists it is at least as dangerous as religion.

Where Have I Seen This Before?

THe TIme macHIne
Another masterpiece from Wells incredibly prolific period in the late 19th Century, The Time Machine is revered for popularising the concept of time travel. However, in its conflict between the calm, ineffectual Eloi and the aggressive, brutish Morlocks, the story is laden with commentary on class and evolutionary science. Wells casts a withering eye over all, but there are uncomfortable echoes of his ideas about Eugenics.

manifestations of monstrosity

THe ISland OF lOST SOulS JuraSSIc Park

Michael Crichtons hugely successful novel about a theme park populated with genetically engineered dinosaurs is very much in the mould of The Island Of Dr Moreau not least because the human characters arrogance comes back to bite them with huge, pointed teeth. Of course, Steven Spielbergs film adaptation is the reason why we all know the book, and with good reason: its far more entertaining. Erle C Kentons 1932 film was the first adaptation of Wells novel, and almost certainly the best. Moreau is played by Charles Laughton, but despite shying away from the novels most extreme creations, it was refused a certificate three times by the BBFC. An edited version was released with an X certificate in 1958; today, the original cut is rated PG.

FrankenSTeIn
There are few more influential books in any genre, but when searching for antecedents to Wells tale of a mad scientist pushing science to unsettling extremes, Mary Shelleys classic story is both an obvious and inevitable choice. Indeed, the central ideas in Frankenstein are common in all of Wells major novels, so its influence extends far beyond The Island Of Dr Moreau.

THe ISland OF dr mOreau

It is undoubtedly a wretched film, but theres a certain satisfaction to be gleaned in drawing parallels between the results of Moreaus horrific experiments and the equally horrific mess that this movie turned out to be. Frankly, its more relevant as another regrettable footnote in Marlon Brandos inexorable decline than as an adaptation of Wells classic, but it makes the book seem like an unqualified masterpiece.

FrInge
Especially in Season Four of the sci-fi sensation, Fringes technological terrorists become increasingly interested in the idea of engineering a super-race that will survive the coming catastrophe and it turns out to be wereporcupines. The reference is hammered home by the inclusion of a supporting character called Conrad Moreau.

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FaQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Who is this Esther Garber person who keeps cropping up? esther Garber is, in fact, lees alter ego, a character of her own imagination who she channels when writing lesbian fiction. lee first encountered esther in a dream where she showed her a grave imprinted only with the number 34 This . acted as the inspiration for her first novel, 34, to be written under her Garber pseudonym. Fatal Women and Disturbed By Her song are also written under this moniker. Is it true that she has a famous father? Contrary to popular belief, lees dad is not the man you think. He is indeed called Bernard lee, but he isnt the one known for his role as M in numerous James Bond films; her parents were, in fact, professional dancers (ballroom and latin american, just in case you were wondering). How do you lay your hands on these books? Ive heard that many of them are out of print Dont panic; although a number of her works are out of print and can be hard to find outside of the internet or second-hand shops, help is at hand! speciality publishers norliana are currently negotiating reprints of various works under their TaleKa imprint. a rare few are also available in eBook format.

TaniTh Lee
i
Confronting taboos since the Seventies
n a market saturated with new vampire, sci-fi and fantasy fiction, you may be forgiven for dismissing the work of Tanith Lee as a bit old hat; her publishing debut was in 1971. Consider, though, that Lee was the first woman to win the British Fantasy Award, and preceded authors like Charlaine Harris with her brand of sexy dark fantasy, and you might be convinced to look beyond the lurid covers. Lee has penned over 70 novels, 250 short stories, a childrens picture book and two episodes of the cult sci-fi series, Blakes 7. She has publicly refused to be defined

A BEGINNERS GUIDE TO

Which author would you like to see tackled next?

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WORDS Daniel Cairns

by genres, believing there are only two in this world: fiction and non-fiction, but shes garnered a following that have followed her from sci-fi to gothic fantasy, and young adult to detective fiction. Like all success stories, Lee endured several hardships before the big time. She was shunted from school to school because of her parents jobs; they couldnt afford a TV until she was 12, and due to her dyslexia she wasnt able to read until she turned eight. She made up for lost time, though, and her first professional sale was Eustace, a 90-word vignette published when she was 21.

Much of Lees work has been serialised, and she is perhaps best known for The Flat Earth Cycle, a volume of five adult fantasy novels. The personification of gods and demons in the mortal realm it depicts could have easily influenced Neil Gaimans Sandman comic series, and another of her works displays a lot of similarities to Stephenie Meyers Twilight saga. Lees tragic female vampire novel, Sabella, Or The Blood Stone, is a tale of vegetarian vampires co-existing with humans while attempting to resist lustful temptations. We take you through some of her greatest hits

Things generally dont go well for the heroines in Lees fictional output.

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Thought Snow White And The Huntsman was dark? Think again

Unlike Stephenie Meyer, Tanith Lee doesnt exactly do happy endings.

Mirror Mirror
WHite As snoW

and they all lived not-so happily ever after

A twisted and sinister take Publisher: on Snow White Tor Books with a hint of Published: Greek mythology 2000 thrown in for good Price: 11.86 measure. Arpazia, the Wicked Queen, loses the plot after an evil warlord invades her home and rapes her. Nine months later, Coira (aka Snow White) arrives. By this time, Arpazia is unhappily married to the aforementioned warlord and has developed an unnatural obsession with a mirror. Understandably, she has no maternal feelings towards her daughter and hires a travelling side show to kill her. Enter our seven dwarves. I read White As Snow. It was great, yet gruesome. #BookClub @HConvair

Hunter = the hunted Girl Power!

If Twilight was set in the Eighties

Amnesia can be a real bitch sometimes

The Birthgrave is Lees debut Publisher: published novel Norliana and the first of Books an epic trilogy, Published: followed by 2010 Price: 17.99 Vazkor, Son Of Vazkor and Quest For The White Witch. A nameless female wakes up in a dormant volcano with no memory of who she is. Before she has the chance to process this, a fire spirit appears informing her that she is the last of her kind, and unless she can unlock the secrets within herself, a curse of unhappiness will envelope the land. To further complicate proceedings, there are men lots and lots of men!

Utopian revolution Acquired taste

Life is limitless try something new every day Various dark fairy tale retellings
In the city of Four-BEE, life can Publisher: be lived to the Bantam full; there are no Published: limits, boundaries 1999 or responsibilities Price: 5.99 anything goes! Even death results in a new body, sometimes a new sex, age or form. Theft, sabotage and drugtaking is an everyday occurrence until Lees unnamed, sexless protagonist decides that enough is enough, and wants more from life. On a mission for substance and meaning, the system is challenged and a mini revolution born. Originally published as separate novels, Biting The Sun is a collection of the two.

sAbellA, or tHe blood stone

Sabella has been a bit of a minx in Publisher: the past, and is DAW now riddled with Published: guilty memories 1980 of all the virile Price: Only available in US young men she devoured in her teenage bloodsucker years. These days she hangs out with the humans that colonise her home planet of Novo Mars and survives on a Cullen-like diet of animal blood. That is, until the delicious Sand shows up and pesters her into submission. Unfortunately and inevitably for Sand his persistence leads to a pretty sticky end, and Sands brother shows up seeking retribution. Dont remember if Ive read it, just an overall impression of her books: never read a bad one. #BookClub @nealasher

tHe birtHGrAve

bitinG tHe sUn

red As blood, or tAles FroM tHe sisters GriMMer

Challenge what you know and expect with this anthology of alternative fairy Publisher: tales happy DAW endings are in Published: short supply here. 1983 Lee sets each of Price: 6.99 her nine short stories in a variety of settings and time periods, ranging from the Pied Piper in Asia to arguably the most popular tale of Beauty (and the Beast) in the distant future. This collection has polarised readers; some judge the feminism as too blatant and gimmicky, while others have found the combination of feminism and evil a tad ambiguous. Tanith Lees Red As Blood is a classic, mustread book. Wish I still had a copy. #BookClub @JamesDKeith

I read The Birthgrave long ago. It opened up my world. Girl nerds were non-persons back then. She woke me up from the dead. #BookClub @TessEractica

One of my all-time favourites. Youre thrown into the middle of it and have to figure out whats going on. #BookClub @AlexFayle

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NEXUS

Details Author: Ramez Naam Publisher: Angry Robot Price: 8.99

Technological hive mind hi-jinx

is sometimes and somewhat predictably a bit of a dry read. Its full of interesting concepts and ramications for a far off (or maybe not so far off) future, but its written in such a pedestrian way. in such a way so as to appeal to the opposite sex. However, by doing this he attracts the attention of a nefarious secret organisation (theyre almost always nefarious) who wish to use said nanotech for purposes less fun than

Your Five Sci-Fi Thrillers

1. Gridiron
Philip Kerr Sentient building goes crazy and decides to kill everyone in it. Amazed its not been lmed. #BookClub @Zardoz67

Theres always a sense of trepidation about approaching someones debut novel, especially when its based largely around said debutants previous (or current) line of work. Theres a tendency for the writer to get bogged down in the details more enamoured with their knowledge or the concepts and potential realities at play often at the expense of a plot or engaging writing. Ramez Naam was a professional technologist before he wrote Nexus, not to mention the CEO of his own nanotechnology company. He is also on the advisory board for the Institute of Accelerating Change clearly he knows what hes talking about, his pulse being rmly on the vein of progress. Can he craft a decent tale using what he knows, though? Hes given it a fair shake, and theres a good plot in here, but Nexus

CHOOSE YOUR TOP FIVE @SCIFINOW ON TWITTER

ITS WRITTEN IN SUCH A BLAND AND MONOTONE WAY THAT ITS EASY TO LOSE INTEREST
The plot concerns a drug called Nexus that can cause human minds to meld together, birthing a hive mind. Some want to use the technology for good, and some for evil. Some want to improve it, while others want to get rid of it. One socially anxious scientist called Kade ends up improving it, modifying the nanotechnology the odd bit of rumpy pumpy; namely assassination, espionage and other terrifying, society-threatening acts. Kade gets in over his head, leading to him attempting to quell the threat, and in the process meeting danger at every turn. Conspiratorial cyber-thrillers are usually fairly engrossing, and Naam is genre-savvy enough to ll his book with twists, turns and scene-setting technological babble. The problem is that its written in such a bland and monotone way that its easy to lose interest during long stretches of reading, in part to Naams insistence on using short, perfunctory sentences and some pretty iffy dialogue. In fairness, it is his debut novel, so hes not going to hit it out of the park straight away, but its frustrating when reading through whats meant to be a spryly paced sequence that doesnt zzle and crack off the page. Naam has the real world knowledge and experience to write a gripping bit of hard sci-, and Nexus has its strengths. He successfully paints a picture of the world he wants to create and knows his way around a thriller, but Naam cant quite transfer the enthusiasm and experience he has for his subject to the page successfully just yet. He shows promise, though, and theres a lot to build on from here should he choose to embark on a follow up.
Daniel Cairns

Alan Dean Foster Strange to say but I loved ADFs adaptation of JCs The Thing. Read it several times#sci #thrillers #BookClub @wordsrmagic2me

2. The Thing

3. The Demolished Man

Alfred Bester The Demolished Man, wasnt by accident it won the inaugural Hugo award. Copper bottomed classic. #BookClub @THEBURNSUNIT999

4. Infected
Scott Sigler Its one of those books that you just cant put down, good pace and good character depth Ive read it two or three times. #BookClub @rollin_scott

5. Flashforward
Robert J Sawyer Flashforward came out in 1999. There was a short run TV series, couldnt compare to the book. #BookClub @JediSharon

VERDICT
IF YOU LIKE THIS TRY
The Diamond Age Neal Stephenson Another conspiratorial nanotechinfused cyber thriller, albeit from a more experienced author.

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REVIEWS BOOKS

THE HUNT
Winning the lottery is
generally considered a good thing, but for Gene this is one jackpot he really didnt want to win. He is one of seven combatants selected at random to hunt humans, otherwise

Details Author: Andrew Fukuda Publisher: Simon & Schuster Price: 6.99
When the sun sets start running!
fangs he religiously sharpens each morning; sleep involves dangling from the ceiling in a set of sleepholds; sunlight is a killer and dinner must involve blood, guts, gore and more blood. Fukada also tackles things you always wanted to know: issues such as how do vampires really do the business? Would Ambre Solaire SPF 50 work if applied liberally? Can vampires get pissed up? Amid the nerve-jangling pages of this edgy and fast-paced read come the answers to such questions. Add to that a vein of romance and a few twists and turns that you can forgive for being a touch predictable, and the end result is an addictive and creepy novel.
Claire Nicholls

S UR READ YO What you lot have been

reading this month
Ecko: Rising by @danacea which is ace. Also Critical Incident by @Troyblackford, which is also ace. #BookClub @AlasdairStuart I just nished the last of the Laundry Files by @cstross which were awesome, now rereading Discworld titles, Thief Of Time. #BookClub @JonnBlanchard Assassins Apprentice by Robin Hobb and The Iron Druid Chronicles by@KevinHearne #BookClub @Jon404 Getting into James Herberts Once fairly slow, but think its building to a bigger pace and events soon. Not bad #BookClub @ParsonsFiction I just nished The Scar by China Miville and loved it! Sort-of-magic-sort-ofsteampunk oating pirate city! #BookClub @SaulPainter A Dance With Dragons, the hardest read out of the series so far, with all the intertwining stories! But still a great read! #BookClub @jonquil_snow Just started Second Foundation by Isaac Asimov, its already more refreshing than Foundation & Empire. #BookClub @Villordsutch I read Cronins The Twelve (since I read The Passage) and Palahniuks Rant (because@ TheNorthlander told me to). #BookClub @Davidsfunstuff Got Stephen Kings 11.22.63. Loving it so far! Also got This Book Is Full Of Spiders. #BookClub @Richjlaw Clockwork Angels by Kevin J Anderson is a superb read based on song lyrics. #BookClub @OpinionGeeks A Dance With Dragons 1: Dreams And Dust by George RR Martin. Nuff said. #BookClub @adugg84 Ive been enjoying James Herberts new book, Ash. Really creepy story, very disturbing. Herbert at his best! #BookClub @paul_bowler

Must read now!

known as hepers, but what his fellow hunters dont realise is that Gene is a heper himself. For 17 years he has managed to survive in a world dominated by a vampire-like population who have consumed humans almost to extinction. Now, he has to work even harder to conceal his true identity before the hunter becomes the hunted. Hot on the heels of The Hunger Games, there are clear comparisons to be made. What The Hunt does differently, however, is create an atmosphere of desperation and crushing defeat before the game even begins, which works in its favour. Without ever really dening his vicious predators as vampires, Andrew Fukada leaves the reader to assume their identity via familiar and stereotyped characteristics. In order to t in with his school friends, Gene wears a set of

VERDICT
IF YOU LIKE THIS TRY
The Immortal Rules Julie Kagawa Vampires reign in a future where humans are registered and farmed like cattle.

Zombies with brains

THE RETURN MAN

Author VM Zito has clearly done his homework. The Return Man marks a refreshing break from the mob of reptilebrained zombie hacks, offering something with more emotional depth than your standard eshtearing fest which is fairly difcult to achieve. Make no mistake: The Return Man is laced with adrenaline and was written with cinema in mind. And yes, there is a decapitation with crescent moon blades (last words: cut em up). In fact, the slowest part of the book is the scene where someone gets bounced off the bonnet of a Mad Max-modded quad, and thats only because its told in bug-eyed slow motion. All the familiar tropes are there,

Details Author: VM Zito Publisher: Hodder & Stoughton Price: 7.99

Must read now!

too, from ghost jams on the interstates to a militarised right-wing government, but its the journey of Marco, the zombie hitman that arrests , your attention. Searching for his wife, who disappeared during Z-Day, Marco hunts down walking corpses and returns them to the grave saving their souls by bringing them back into the life/death equation. Questions are raised about the respect owed to the dead that Zito fully embraces, while the resolution exposes a solid foundation for its more jarring aspects. In an interview with website The Founding Fields, Zito said, Writing The Return Man was like playing in a sandbox that

George Romero had built. The challenge was to sculpt something new. Well, he built a cathedral and lled it with zombies.
Gavin Thomas

VERDICT
IF YOU LIKE THIS TRY
Closure, Limited Max Brooks An elusive company provides resolution for the families of those lost in World War Z.

Tell us what youre reading on Twitter or Facebook

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THRONE OF THE CRESCENT MOON

When opening a new book and nding a map depicting a new world to explore, images of Narnia, Middle-Earth and Westeros spring to mind: iconic worlds where the reader frequently refers back to the map to feed the imagination further. The map in Throne Of The Crescent Moon has all the trademarks of an epic new fantasy world: strangely named cities, a grand palace, an expanse of empty land, great seas and even a wall. Sadly, most of these places are not visited, with Ahmed instead focusing on a lengthy, repetitive and somewhat boring narrative that you could easily not bother reading yet still get the picture. What is of more appeal is the Middle Eastern setting, which helps to create an exotic, distant atmosphere. In the meagre yet civilised city of Dhamsawaat, reluctant and aging ghul hunter Adoulla Makhslood is pondering retirement. Adoullas dreams have become vivid and disturbing, and his last ghul

Details Author: Saladin Ahmed Publisher: Daw Books Price: 12.99

Full of Eastern promise, but its no delight!

encounter required his young but pious assistant, Raseed, to come to his rescue. Before he has a chance to consider a bus pass, Adoulla is caught up in a quest to avenge the brutal slaying of an old ames family. Learning of further supernatural murders along the way, he forms a band of magical friends to help him ght the evil threatening to steal the throne of the Crescent Moon from the tyrannical Khalif. Saladin Ahmeds debut novel paves the way nicely for a succession of future stories with a number of characters and legends aching for depth and progression, the villains in particular being in need of development and more page time. Throne Of The Crescent Moon is a tempting introduction to this new world if you can muster up the enthusiasm to plough through the slightly tedious prose and longwinded narrative.

IF YOU LIKE THIS TRY

The Desert Of Souls Howard Andrew Jones An ancient Middle Eastern road trip leads to a legendary lost city, forbidden magic and a battle to save souls.

Claire Nicholls

VERDICT

Details Author: Jude Fisher Publisher: Harper Collins Price: 12.99

Returning readers to Isengard

THE HOBBIT:
Every journey needs a guide, and this companion offers an informative synopsis for novices of the JRR Tolkien novel, as well as an essential recap for fans to ick through before retrieving their pre-booked cinema tickets. Its a handy whos who, with character proles exploring the characters who are most likely to suffer in terms of screen time considering the abundance of leads. But the chances are that Lord Of The Rings fanatics wont unearth anything they dont already know after years of dedicated reading, so will instead seek solace in the impressive illustrations and map of MiddleEarth tucked neatly in the centre. However, little beyond Martin Freemans half-page

AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY VISUAL COMPANION

Youve been Steampunkd

STEAMPUNK:
Failing to leave a single steampunk stone unturned, this illustrated history traces the genres evolution from the works of HG Wells to Gail Carrigers Alexia Tarabotti novels. This book not only documents relevant examples of ction; lm, TV, comics and even videogames are explored, making it an essential read for anyone with a passion for the genre, regardless of the platform its presented on. Miles from simply being a coffee table decoration, its a steampunk bible. It will be favoured by some to ick through to specic areas of interest, while others will instead prefer soaking up every trinket of trivia it contains. Enthusiasts will love the illustrations, writer proles and

Details Author: Brian J Robb Publisher: Aurum Press Price: 25

AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF FANTASTICAL FICTION, FANCIFUL FILM AND OTHER VICTORIAN VISIONS

Must read now!

historical depth that author Brian J Robb has delved into, but the numerous text-heavy pages mean that a leisurely sift through isnt an option this guide demands dedicated reading time in order to be enjoyed to its fullest extent.
Rowena Heal

foreword reveals much about the movie itself, meaning that fans of Tolkien, Jackson or both will probably prefer to tackle Brian Sibleys Ofcial Movie Guide.
Rowena Heal

VERDICT

VERDICT

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UP W ROUND REVIE

Doctor Who PANTOMIME Audiobooks

LOVE AND WAR
Director: Gary Russell Writer: Paul Cornell, adapted by Jacqueline Rayner Cast: Sylvester McCoy, Sophie Aldred Price: 14.99 (CD), 12.99 (download)

Details Author: Laura Lam Publisher: Strange Chemistry Price: 7.99

The circus of secrets
those needing more than acrobats, clowns and debutante balls to keep them hooked should look elsewhere. Its actually the rather subdued tone that makes the whirlwind ending complete with theft, pursuit and murder shocking. The cliffhanger conclusion gives the impression of being bundled into too few pages, which will leave many frustrated by unanswered questions that can only point to a sequel. As a coming of age tale, Pantomimes great for teens, and many adults will appreciate Lams well-imagined world too, but it will not hold the universal appeal attached to YA ction like The Hunger Games.
Rowena Heal

st Munow! ar he

Although unlikely to grace your list of favourite reads, Pantomime remains riveting in its uniqueness. Its rare for Young Adult ction to deal so overtly with topics like sexuality and gender identity, but author Laura Lam has weaved them into her ctional land of

Ably adapted by talented Big Finish regular Jacqueline Rayner from Paul Cornells Virgin New Adventures series, Love And War uses the dynamic of old Doctor Whos closing series the Doctor (Sylvester McCoy) largely leaves Ace (Sophie Aldred) to her own devices for much of the plot, withholding information and engineering peoples reactions and choices in suitably inscrutable fashion but drives straight through the stop sign that would have greeted such a bold televised story at the time. Aldred, taking in fresh territory for the character, puts in a compelling performance, running from love to grief to rage and betrayal the removal of some sub-plots placing even more emphasis on her eventual rejection of the Doctor and his wheels within wheels. James Hoare

Ellada well, in the process easing any awkwardness left by the less conventional choices of plotlines. Micah and Iphigenia names which need a phonetic accompaniment are mysterious leads with problematic pasts. Their perspectives have been juxtaposed perfectly and their histories unravelled in a measured and ambiguous manner, while enough is revealed to keep us gripped. As the narrative progresses and their ties become more apparent, the ultimate twist is unexpected and surprising. Lam has clearly dedicated a lot of time to conceiving Ellada, avoiding sporadic paragraphs of explanations by exploring its history through the more authentic use of museums, myths and school revision. In addition, her ctional extracts from Ellada texts included at each chapters intro are an original touch that aid believability. However, initially the narrative isnt particularly action-packed, so

VERDICT
IF YOU LIKE THIS TRY
The Night Circus Erin Morgenstern Le Cirque des Rves showcases more than just acrobats and fortune-tellers.

VERDICT

DARK EYES

Director: Nicholas Briggs Writer: Nicholas Briggs Cast: Paul McGann, Ruth Bradley, Peter Egan, Toby Jones Price: 20 (CD), 20 (download)

Must hear now!

COLD DAYS
Supernatural detective Harry Dresden wakes up being tended to by a nurse so beautiful it makes his head spin. His apartment is burned to the ground, his memories mostly scattered to the four winds and his life lying in ruins. Oh, and he is in thrall to nightmarish faerie queen Mab, who spends the next 77 days trying to murder him. Thats chapter one we havent even got to her asking Dresden to assassinate her daughter yet. You dont make it to your 14th book without picking up a few tricks, and Jim Butchers evergreen Dresden Files series is still in rude health. Harry Dresden is one of the most compelling protagonists in modern literature, and thats not just due to his rakish wit

Details

Author: Jim Butcher Publisher: Orbit Books Price: 16.99

The only way is Dresden

Theres a denite case for Dark Eyes being the Eighth Doctors Revenge Of The Sith not because theres an unconvincing romance and a spot of light genocide, but because theres a vivid end of innocence and a closing of the gap between the end of the Eighth Doctor and the dawn of the Ninth. Primevals Ruth Bradley has some big shoes to ll as companion Molly replacing Sheridan Smiths Lucie but here she represents a more challenging half of the duo, and her relevance to the unfolding conspiracy makes her a more equal partner. Its abundantly clear to even the Big Finish novice that the McGann era of Doctor Who has a denite dramatic arc as emotional and rewarding as anything on TV. James Hoare

VERDICT

and down-to-earth nature its his tendency to subvert fantasy tradition, within his own mythology or not. His internal monologue is rarely short of hilarious, but is also refreshingly modern (youll struggle to nd another fantasy book to feature the word vajazzle). Dresden stays fresh because Butcher is always changing his enemies and locales, and Cold Days nds the loveable rogue having to deal with faerie traditions and the autocratic intrigue of the Winter Court. The supporting characters are equally good value, in particular new addition Cat Sith, a being so legendary and infamous that George Lucas stole his name for use in Star Wars at least according to the character in the book.

Must ead now! r

By avoiding formula and creating a likeable central character, Jim Butcher seems to have guaranteed a potentially limitless lifespan for Harry Dresden. Heres to 14 more
Gareth Hughes

VERDICT
IF YOU LIKE THIS TRY
Veteran Gavin Smith Jakob Douglas isnt as charming as Dresden, but hes just as quick-witted.

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SULLIVANS SLUGGERS
Bottom of the ninth, and other baseball terminology we dont really understand
Sullivans Sluggers caught
a lot of attention earlier this year for smashing through its target on Kickstarter the idea of a baseballhorror graphic novel obviously capturing peoples imagination. Its certainly a beautiful-looking project, if predictably throwaway, since it deliberately forms a pastiche of genre staples that are cheerfully exploited. The titular Sullivan is a down-andout, washed-up football coach who takes his team to a small town for one last chance at a win. When night-time comes, however, their opponents and the towns citizens transform into some fairly nasty monsters, and begin to pick the Sluggers off. Venturing to get out of the town, it turns into a bloodbath as they uncover the rather horrible secrets behind these creatures. The character designs are extraordinarily detailed, and theres something of classic Seventies movie The Warriors in the ashy look of the players. Sullivans Sluggers is part horror, part comedy much of the story is based around Beano-style visual gags, and it is genuinely funny, if a swift read given how bare-bones the dialogue is (though it suits the type of story). What surprises is just how disgustingly bloody it is, with intestines making a frequent, soggy appearance, if thats your sort of horror.

Details Writer: Mark Andrew Smith Artist: James Stokoe Publisher: Image Comics Price: 12.99

Its just a comfortable homage to a number of lm genres notably the underdog sports story, zombie horror and buddy comedy. Sullivans Sluggers isnt especially moving or memorable beyond its visual presentation, but the way it refreshes these types of stories makes it worthy of your attention.
Samuel Roberts

CLIVE BARKERS HELLRAISER VOLUME 4

Pinheads scrubbed up a bit
Boom! Studios new Hellraiser comic series has been something of an attempt to reclaim the series for the forces of good, so to speak. Compared to all the abominable Hellraiser movies since the comedy genius of Hellraiser III: Hell On Earth (which featured death by CD), its certainly been a much more focused attempt at getting what could be a potent franchise back on form. It has been well drawn, and is full of the poetic ourishes associated with Clive Barker. The plot thus far has seen Pinhead and Kirsty Cotton the heroine from the original movie trade places. In previous issues Pinhead complained of being tired of Hell, and the Machiavellian masochist manages to orchestrate things so that Kirsty takes his place, leading to Pinhead being sent back to Earth, apparently seeking salvation. However, Pinheads not exactly been honest, thus creating a new dynamic as Kirsty and her new Cenobites attempt to save Earth. Though its well written and the art is good, something feels amiss, and compared to the tense earlier issues things have gone loopy. Iconic characters come out with

Details Authors: Clive Barker, Mark Miller Artists: Janusz Ordon, Jesus Hervas Publisher: Boom! Studios Price: 12.49

VERDICT
IF YOU LIKE THIS TRY
Gladstones School For World Conquerors Mark Andrew Smith A fun, fresh take on a bunch of old supervillain-y ideas.

dialogue you wouldnt expect, and the scale goes supernova, with the Pentagon getting involved. That said, this is still a fun series, and its where fans of the acupunctured one should go for their kicks, especially considering the depths that the lm series has fallen to.
Daniel Cairns

VERDICT
IF YOU LIKE THIS TRY
Hellraiser Masterpieces Vol 1 Various Neil Gaiman and various other writers and artists have a go at tearing your soul apart.

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Details Writer: Jim McCann Artists: Rodin Esquejo, Sonia Oback

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REVIEWS GRAPHIC NOVELS

MIND THE GAP VOL 1: INTIMATE STRANGERS

The hipster mysteries
A mystery set simultaneously in the real and supernatural world, Mind The Gap is an interesting yet limited whodunit. New Yorker Elle is brutally attacked, and subsequently falls into a coma. Soon, though, she nds herself as an out-of-body spirit looking onto reality from another place. As various people try to piece the mystery together while she lingers in her hospital bed, theres clearly something sinister at work, and Elle is forced to re-examine the minutiae of her existence in order to work out who has a motive for the assault. To reconnect with the real world, too, she has the ability to jump into dying bodies with her consciousness. The gap in the title refers to the space between life and death, which is already annoyingly smug, and we couldnt quite shake our perception that Mind The Gap thinks its smarter than it actually is throughout reading this volume. The prominent use of song lyrics, a homage to the poster for The Breakfast Club and the general hipster-style self-obsession of the half-dead main character add up to little more than forced idiosyncrasies, which is frustrating given how rich Rodin Esquejos art is. But the main problem is that the mystery doesnt connect until the second half of this arc, while Elle herself is strongly unlikeable most of the characters here are spoilt rich kids, too, which makes it difcult to empathise with them. Sounds harsh, but in this story theyre just absolutely irritating people who you wouldnt cross the road to save.

Publisher: Image Comics Price: 7.50

Details Writer: Mark Millar Artist: Leinil Yu Publisher: Titan Books Price: 14.99

SUPERCROOKS
The character development of the nurse whos trying to uncover the truth behind the attack on Elle is conveyed well, but the mystery feels too conned to the same hospital bed, and the sense of intrigue wanes by the climax of this volume. Moreover, its not until the fth issue that the book starts to explain why you should give a crap about Elles circle of friends and as for Elle herself, being trapped inside her mind isnt nearly as fun or interesting as it should be. Disappointing, and a pale element in Images recent creative renaissance.
Gordon Butler

More Oceans Thirteen than Oceans Twelve

Is Supercrooks a graphic novel or a lm pitch? Based on the fact that its lm adaptation was touted before the individual issues were actually released, theres certainly an argument for both, and given how cinematically this post-KickAss one last job tale is presented, theres an intrusive sense of the creators having one eye on Hollywood that actually ends up supporting the book rather well. After a scam goes wrong for ageing supervillain The Heat, his former buddies reunite to rob retired supercrook The Bastard It . could feasibly be set in the same world as Kick-Ass, and the villains are dysfunctional in that Oceans Eleven sort of throwaway fashion. Theyre all past their prime, and each have a different stake in the job that could bring the whole thing crashing down. You already know the premise, and you might even make a correct guess at whatll go wrong but thats sort of the point. Supercrooks is a straightforward heist comic underlined by elements weve come to see as Millar trademarks: ourishes of ultraviolence, colourful swearing and the idea that deconstructing a shallow story template is a heightened form of entertainment. Thats what it is, but unlike Millars other books, Supercrooks is just enjoyable; not extraordinary.

VERDICT
IF YOU LIKE THIS TRY
Phonogram: Rule Britannia Kieron Gillen/Jamie McKelvie A genuinely smart indie book that uses music in a more creative way.

Leinil Yus art is still industryleading, however, and here he gets to experiment with character design. The collection of villains tow the line perfectly between plain-clothes wannabes and Silver Age-style backwash, and as such Supercrooks ends up being another ideal comic-book for fans but with an intentionally broad appeal, too. It isnt a classic graphic novel, but it could be a fairly memorable movie.
Gordon Butler

VERDICT
IF YOU LIKE THIS TRY
Thief Of Thieves Robert Kirkman/Felix Serrano A Kirkman-branded thievery dramedy thats in the ballpark of Supercrooks quality.

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BOOK CLUB
fiction, A Blink Of The Screen, and escaped the swirling, pseudo-Victorian metropolis of Ankh-Morpork in favour of the very real albeit with a dash of the unreal Victorian London in Dodger. A historical fantasy about a 17-year-old urchin who crosses paths with the likes of Charles Dickens and Benjamin Disraeli, it has garnered some of the best reviews of the authors career. These little side trips, whether careerbased or verbal, are all part of the deal when talking to Pratchett, who seems to relish keeping a journalist off-balance a conversation about the computer software being used to write his books leads to a discussion about how that technology could be used to create a friendlier voice announcing which part of someones home has just been broken into. The historical underpinnings for Dodger had been percolating in the authors head for decades, ever since he first read Henry Mayhews London Labour And The London Poor as a teen. People today dont really understand how bad life was in early Victorian London, he claims. The deprivation was horrible, and it was a very bad time to be old or poor, so the thought came into my mind, Lets pick a kid in early Victorian England who does all the things that Dodger does, but is actually the kid who gives Charles Dickens the idea for Dodger. In Pratchetts novel, Dodger is a 17-yearold tosher (a scavenger of the London sewers), who happens upon a woman in distress one night, and by defending her gets involved with some of the most powerful people of the time. His adventures also bring him into contact with such figures as Dickens, politician Disraeli and mad barber Sweeney Todd. Bizarrely, most of the details fell together very easily. Do you know the movie Judge Roy Bean? he asks. At the beginning of the movie it says, This is not how it was, but what it should have been. I thought, Well, if you can get away with that, I will say that this is a fantasy based on a reality. The toshers were real, for example, and while I had to check a few things every now and again, it was comparatively easy to do. But how enthusiastic were the authors publishers about the notion of a nonDiscworld book? Fortunately, those waters had already been tested with his 2008 novel Nation, which was met with some critical success. It did incredibly well, and when Dodger came out it was number one for a long time in England and got some rave reviews, so they understand now. Every so often Ill give them another Discworld bookbut you cant just do Discworld. Sometimes you have to go into some other milieu. Pratchett pauses for a moment. Do you know the meaning of the word lagniappe?

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Victorian Values
WORDS Joe Nazzaro

Sir Terry PraTCheTT On DODger, DiSCWOrLD anD BeyOnD

erry Pratchett hasnt lost his ability to surprise. He may be one of the most successful authors in the world, but hes constantly in motion. It started on 3 October with the news that he was forming his own production company, Narrativa, which will produce a 13-part Discworld TV series called The Watch, as well as a four-part Good Omens miniseries based on the 1990 novel he authored with Neil Gaiman. Though Discworld now 39 novels thick forms the bedrock of his career, his recent literary triumphs are more diverse. In 2012, Pratchett released a collection of short

Rob Wilkins

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Or are you aware of the concept of luck money? Lagniappe, he explains, is the concept of giving something you dont have to like when you were a kid buying a dozen gobstoppers, the shop owner might add an extra one. Back in the day, when a vendor could be jailed for short-changing, it made sense to throw in a bit extra to be on the safe side. Are you familiar with the Irish word craic? It means, for the fun, or merely because its a good idea. Lagniappe has the same feel to it: that little extra. Asked what any of this has to do with the story of Dodger, Pratchett grins mischievously. None! he responds. Every now and then I check to see if people know it. With me, its always about the side roads. While readers are already clamouring for a sequel (more about that in a moment), Pratchett has plenty of other work to keep him busy, starting with his half of the sequel to The Long Earth with Stephen Baxter. Most of it is done, but as everyone knows, much of the work is done in the second draft thats awaiting me right now. Also lying there, almost to the point where its ready for its second draft, is the next Discworld book, the title of which I dont intend to tell you. But it had to happen, and doing it opens up a lot of possibilities. Not surprisingly, a follow-up to Dodger is on the cards, too. I fell in love with the character, Pratchett admits, especially when he was talking to Queen Victoria, and I liked the fact that scene made many people look up Onan in the Bible. There is plenty of material out there at the end of the first book hes a secret agent, so I suppose you could say hes Sean Connerys granddad hes a forerunner of James Bond. I rather like that!

Terry Pratchetts Breakout Books

A timeline of his novels thAt went AgAinst type, these Are the books thAt broke out of the discworld

The CarPeT PeoPle 1971

Entire civilisations exist right beneath your feet, lurking in the carpets.

The Dark SiDe of The Sun 1976

A futuristic tale about an heir to a huge fortune whos luck is running out.

STraTa 1981
This sci-fi novel is seen as a precursor to Discworld, featuring a flat Earth.

The unaDulTeraTeD CaT 1989

An amusingly illustrated guide to spotting real cats.

GooD omenS 1990

Pratchett and Gaiman teamed up for this apocalyptic comedy.

Dodger and A Blink Of The Screen are both available to buy now, priced at 18.99 and 20 respectively.

naTion 2008
An adventure story that turns the world upside down, leaving few survivors.

The lonG earTh 2012

A cop stumbles upon an invention that will change the way we view the world.

DoDGer 2012
History and fantasy collide as Dodger meets various famous figures.

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NOVEMBER 1993

WorldMags.net Charmed Smallville Twin Peaks

THE PREMIER SCI-FI, FANTASY, HORROR & CULT TV MAGAZINE

1.50

IMAGINE PUBLISHING LTD

PURE 1 00% SCI-FI ENTERTAINMENT

FLASHBACK

114

CREATORS ASK: DID WE SOLVE THE MYSTERY TOO SOON?

TWIN PEAKS

CHARMED
DO YOU KNOW YOUR PIPER FROM YOUR PRUE?

QUIZ

122

RONALD D MOORE
110
FROM STAR TREK TO BATTLESTAR GALACTICA

INTERVIEW

SMALLVILLE
100

MODERN CLASSIC
THE ORIGIN STORY OF THE REAL WORLD SUPERHERO

GREMLINS
SPIELBERG, DANTE AND COLUMBUS ON HOW THEY BROUGHT THE GREMLINS TO LIFE
118
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E GIN Y A IMNTHL ANMO

COMPLETE GUIDE TO
SMALLVILLE

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SMALLVILLE
FOR AN INCREDIBLE TEN SEASONS, THE CAST AND CREATORS OF SMALLVILLE MADE US CARE PASSIONATELY ABOUT A CHARACTER PEOPLE HAD TOLD US FOR YEARS WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO RELATE TO SUPERMAN. WE SPEAK TO THE PEOPLE INVOLVED AT EVERY STAGE IN THIS AMAZING SHOW AND DISCOVER JUST HOW THEY DID THE IMPOSSIBLE, AND REINVENTED A SCI-FI ICON FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
WORDS EDWARD GROSS

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO

Fictional characters are perennially celebrating anniversaries, though the vast majority of them with any kind of real history are generally relegated to past generations. Superman, who celebrates his 75th birthday in 2013, may have seen his popularity rise and fall over the decades, but since his inception in 1938 he has always been with us in one form of media or another, ranging from comics, radio and television to Broadway, cinemas and made-for-Blu-ray animated lms. Its an extraordinary history, and within that is the unprecedented achievement of the Smallville TV series. Starting in 2001, Smallville enjoyed a ten-year run that saw Tom Welling portray the character longer than anyone else. The irony is that Smallville was a show that, on the surface, never should have worked. The premise is simple: as Clark Kent reaches adolescence, his Kryptonian powers start to kick in and he spends his high school and college years coming to grips with what he is and what he will one day become. At the same time, we watch the birth and deterioration of his friendship with Lex Luthor (Michael Rosenbaum) as the two move gradually to their nal positions within the mythology as arch enemies; and the rst true love of his life, Lana Lang (Kristin Kreuk) before he meets the woman hes destined to be with: Lois Lane (Erica Durance). Along the way theres also the introduction of best friend Pete Ross (Sam Jones III), who does exist in the comics, and Chloe Sullivan (Allison Mack), who plays an integral role in helping Clark on his journey, but does not have roots in the comic-book world. 100 |

As to the part that should have guaranteed failure, it came from the tagline: No tights, no ights, implying that we would not see Clark don his Superman outt, nor would he be ying around (though it didnt rule out tall leaps in a single bound). Ironically, though, it was probably this which allowed the series to enjoy the longevity it achieved, as it appealed to more of a mainstream audience than a straight Superman series likely would have which is precisely what co-creators Al Gough and Miles Millar were hoping for. For us, says Gough, the costume was never an issue. Batmans always been sort of cool and people can relate to him. One of the problems with Superman is how do you make him relatable? I think hes always been seen as the goody two-shoes of superheroes. In truth, you never spent that much time in Smallville. Its a wonderful section of Richard Donners movie (1978s Superman: The Movie), but its only 15 minutes. There really hasnt been any set mythology in Smallville, which was really nice for us, because thats why we were able to go into it and be respectful of the Superman mythology without being slavish to it. Adds Millar, The challenge was, how do you do it differently? How do you take an area of his life you havent seen before and do it in a way thats fresh and original? We never wanted to have the massive comicbook villains-taking-over-the-world kind of plots. We wanted to keep it real. Smallvilles beginning can be traced back to WBs Peter Roth informing the duo that he had the rights to do a young Superman series. He thought we had an interesting approach when we came up with our pitch, says Gough,

which was the idea of the meteor shower, and that Clarks ship arrived with pieces of Kryptonite. That, I think, is the biggest change of the mythology in terms of when Clark comes to Earth: he comes with a shower of meteors. That gave us storytelling possibilities in that the place Clark lives is actually, in a way, home to his greatest weakness, which is Kryptonite. Then the Kryptonite itself allows you to do weird mutations. In the beginning we kept telling people that this show is Dawsons Creek on the surface and Twin Peaks underneath. Then we tied Lana and Lex together in terms of the impact the meteors have on both their lives; killing her parents, making him lose his hair, he adds. And we came up with the idea of making Jonathan and Martha Kent (John Schneider and Annette OToole) younger. We went in and pitched it. Peter loved it, [and] DC signed off on the change in the mythology, which was crucial. The WB felt it was a good t in terms of what they were trying to do. In truth, its a lot of fun to reinvent iconic characters and see how they started. To us, Clark is like Anakin Skywalker; somebody whose future you know, but you get to see the journey, which is very interesting. Also, you get to see Lexs journey: how does he become Supermans arch villain when he and Clark start off as friends? The strength of the show, at least early on, for the writers came from the Clark/Lana and Clark/Lex relationships. Its what many of them felt allowed the show to connect with the audience. The appeal of writing them was that they were characters who cared deeply for each other, says co-executive producer Darren Swimmer, yet

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SMALLVILLE
COMPLE TE GUIDE

HOW DO YOU MAKE SUPERMAN RELATABLE? HES ALWAYS BEEN SEEN AS THE GOODY TWO-SHOES OF SUPERHEROES
AL GOUGH
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ultimately cant be open with each other, which made for good drama. Whats appealing about these two relationships is watching the characters navigate the labyrinths of secrecy. Of the Lex/Clark friendship, co-executive producer Brian Peterson poses, You know how in life sometimes you take a look at the people closest to you and ask yourself, Why is this person my friend? We are so different Lex and Clark were trying to deal with the human condition from opposite ends of the spectrum, and thats fascinating to me. SEASON ONE Things started off in a fairly formulaic fashion, with a Kryptonitebased freak of the week threatening Smallville, Clarks friends or Clark himself, and him having to defeat it while discovering new aspects and/or powers about himself. The freak approach may not have been the most sophisticated means of crafting stories, but it seemed to achieve the desired goal before stories became decidedly more character-orientated. Says Gough, When we were breaking the rst ve or six stories, we wanted to make sure the premise of the show even if you had never seen Superman was something youd get. We did not want to go with the thought, Oh, everybodys going to know what Kryptonite is. In truth, a lot of people especially because we were on the WB and dealing with a younger audience of 12-25 didnt grow up with the Richard Donner movie or Lois & Clark. Adds Millar, At the time it was a really radical reinvention of Superman. Kryptonite had never done this stuff before. SEASON TWO In its second season, Smallville was ring on all creative cylinders, and obviously the audience noticed as, in America, the show reached an average of 6.3 million viewers per week. There was only about a quarter of the episodes in year two that had a freak of the week, and even those were much stronger than they were in Season One, offers Gough in explanation of the shows rising popularity at the time. I also think we got into more of the Superman mythology. That came largely in the form of exploring Clarks Kryptonian heritage, introducing Jor-El (a disembodied presence in the ship Clark came to Earth in, voiced by Terence Stamp, who played General Zod in the rst two Superman movies) and exposing Clark to red Kryptonite, which unleashed his bad boy side. Mythology is good and bad, Gough opines. It can be like a crack pipe. You dont want to do too much, because you dont want the show to be insular. You want new viewers to tune in, follow the show and be able to understand it. It was a line we rode well, I think, en route to exploring all of the characters. What Miles and I were happiest about is that all of the characters seemed to have an inner life of their own.

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Kristin Kreuks Lana Lang was a fan-favourite character until her eventual departure.

THE BEST AND WORST OF SMALLVILLE

Faster than a speeding bullet judgments on the highs and lows across all ten seasons

SEASON ONE
BEST: Hourglass (S01E06) A psychic foresees the futures of both Clark and Lex, and the visions are chilling. WORST: Hothead (S01E03) A grumpy coach gains the power to create re with his mind.

SEASON TWO
BEST: Rosetta (S02E17) Christopher Reeve reveals Clarks Kryptonian heritage, and we get a bit of the John Williams theme to boot. WORST: Dichotic (S02E09) A guy who can split into two cheats on both Chloe and Lana. Ooh, this is a job for

SEASON THREE
BEST: Memoria (S03E19) Repressed memories of Lex and Clark are explored thanks to a Kryptonitebased device. WORST: Velocity (S03E13) Pete Ross, Kryptoniteenhanced engines and illegal street racing its the fast and the spurious.

SEASON FOUR
BEST: Crusade (S04E01) Clark nally takes ight (the only time until the series nale), and it is AWESOME! WORST: Devoted (S04E04) Clark couldnt be around Lanas Kryptonite necklace, but he can ingest gallons of Kryptonite Gatorade and not explode? Really?

SEASON FIVE
BEST: Mortal (S05E02) Clark gets a short taste of what its like to be human and live a normal life until destiny inevitably comes calling an episode later. WORST: Thirst (S05E05) Lana gets transformed into a vampire. Are you kidding us?

SEASON SIX
BEST: Justice (S06E11) Clark, Green Arrow, Flash, Aquaman and Cyborg nally team up in order to stop one of Lexs plans. Nerdgasm! WORST: Hydro (S06E10) Tori Spelling guest stars as a Kryptonite-freak who displays the power to turn into water.

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smallville
Comple te Guide

as millar muses, it takes time for an audience to become invested in the characters, which is why it was a gradual process for the freak-of-the-week format to give way to more characterorientated material. You cant immediately set off doing characters until you know who they are, he says. to me, lex is always the most fascinating character, as is his father, lionel. John Glover is someone who was cast as lionel for the pilot, but he was so good that we kept bringing him back until he became a part of the fabric of the show. lionel really helped parallel Clark and lex and how their parents really form who they are. if Clark had been raised by lionel, hed be a very different person. lana is a person who started off as somewhat of a clich on the surface, but underneath she was something else. With episode three, she resigned as a cheerleader, and ever since became much more of an individual. the character really evolved. Writer Jeph loeb, currently the head of marvel tv but formerly a producer on the series, believes the characters are what drove the shows success. Gough and millars inventiveness the

MyTHOLOGy CAN bE LIKE A CrACK PIPE yOu DONT WANT TO DO TOO MuCH
AL GOuGH
meteor shower creating Clarks ongoing guilt, giving you a compelling reason for him to be the hero and the entire lex/ Clark relationship with all its double meanings was all very fertile ground that was new and unique to the character. lexs future is decided, so his youth is entirely up for grabs. anything he does was second-guessed by the audience and in the show by Jonathan Kent, who happened to be the shows moral barometer. so the odds are stacked against him, no matter what. the flip side is that there is a young, nave Clark who so wants to be lexs best friend that he cant see any flaws and lex was, at that point, sincerely interested in knowing Clark for the rest of his life. if you know what happens, like with anakin skywalker in star Wars, then you have a resonance that all the money in the world cant buy you. SEASON THREE season two ended with no less than five cliffhangers, all of which were successfully navigated in one way or another by Gough and millar as they managed to pull their characters from the proverbial fire and used such dire situations to launch the third season while simultaneously deepening the character arcs. i think Clarks arc brought him from running away from his destiny to, at the end of season three, starting to accept it as he realises the consequences of his actions, muses Gough. He

In its early days the show was more akin to a teen drama, having more in common with Dawsons Creek than DC mythos.

SEASON SEVEN
BEST: Descent (S07E16) If for no other reason than for the fact that by having Lex kill Lionel, it firmly locks him into his role. WORST: Fierce (S07E03) We dont mind Laura Vandervoort in a bikini, but an episode placing Kara in a beauty pageant for just that reason? Please

SEASON EIGHT
BEST: Legion (S08E11) Geoff Johns wrote this episode, which introduces the Legion of Superheroes. WORST: Doomsday (S08E22) The entire season built up to the confrontation between Clark and Doomsday, and it takes just one punch to end it.

SEASON NINE
BEST: Absolute Justice (S09E11) Call us suckers for mythology, but it was cool to see Clark working alongside the likes of Hawkman, Dr Fate and Star Spangled Girl. WORST: Rabid (S09E03) A zombie plague spreads across Metropolis. Ah, bite me.

SEASON TEN
BEST: Homecoming (S10E04) Arguably the best episode of the season, it puts Clark back on the path to becoming Superman. WORST: Harvest (S10E06) This episode is basically Children Of The Corn with Kryptonite.

MOST DISAPPOINTING EPISODE IN TEN YEARS - FINALE

With the amount of filler that was aired in Smallvilles final season, it is inexcusable that the show ended in the way it did. Virtually everything was rushed; the final few moments were ridiculous (with Clark as Superman literally pushing Apokalips away), a Darkseid-possessed Lionel from a parallel Earth done away with via one literal fly-through and any shots of Welling in uniform being digital cheats. The audience that had stuck with the series deserved the opportunity to see Clark Kent become Superman, but the creative ball was repeatedly dropped.

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As the series progressed, further elements of Superman yore like the Fortress of Solitude were viewed through the Smallville lens.

went from trying to deny his destiny and escape Jor-El to ultimately knowing what he had to do and making a very heroic decision to save Jonathans life. His relationship with Lex was illuminated, and he realised that he couldnt tell Lana his secret if he wanted to be safe. Clark also spent the rst third of the season trying to put the relationships in his life back together. Speaking of relationships, the one that got genuinely tiresome in Season Three was between Clark and Lana, with their sequences lled with a distinct sense of repetition. Offers Greg Beeman, who served as co-executive producer and frequent director, I think we collectively agreed that the Lana/Clark storyline ran out of steam. It began well, but after eight or nine episodes it sort of stalled, and by the time we caught it and realised that it was stalling it was even later. We worked every single permutation of it, but I think we came up with some exciting ideas of where to take Lana that were planted at the end of Season Three. She goes away in the nale, and when she comes back there were some interesting new dynamics. Gough emphasises that much of year three was spent with Lex being victimised by Lionel, which presented sufcient explanation as to why Lex moves down a darker path. He offers, Clark said it: The more you battle your father, the more you become him. But Lex needs that thing in his life to rage against. He has that line in Season Three when he says, Maybe Im the hero of the story. That was a good moment, and I think a very interesting one. 104 |

SEASON FOUR As Season Three ended, the characters were undergoing tumultuous circumstances, which all had to be resolved in the new year. Additionally, Season Four featured the positively received rst self-propelled launch of Clark into the stratosphere an encounter with future Flash Bart Allen (Kyle Gallner) and the introduction of Erica Durance as Chloes cousin, Lois Lane. On the negative side, fans did not enjoy Lanas new love Jason Teague (Supernaturals Jensen Ackles), nor the many personality-switch episodes, Lionels bouncing back and forth between good and evil or a far too pervasive obsession with sex and suggested nudity that felt incongruous to the series. The characters were getting older, Millar offers in explanation, and in Season Four Clark lost his innocence in a way thematically. Hes getting older, hes a jock, hes really good looking, hes interested in the subject, and somehow we have to deal with this. Otherwise, you watch the show and feel like youre in the Fifties. Yet, for all the criticisms, Gough and Millar stand behind Season Four, believing that it fullled the goals they mapped out for themselves at the beginning of that year. We wanted to lighten the tone of the show and get back to the more human stories that we told in the rst two seasons, says Gough, and away from secret labs and sort of heavy dark mythology we got into in Season Three. We wanted to really exploit

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the fact that it was our last year in high school, and this was the last time we were going to be able to do some of these stories. Admits Millar, We always try to have the show make sense in terms of the character arcs and whether or not there are enough stories to sustain a season. Does everyone move forward? Do the relationships change? For me the season really crescendoed in a good way. But one of the biggest strengths had to be Lois. Its always good to introduce a new person to a series, let alone an icon. We just really lucked out with Erica [Durance]. The character was a really cool interpretation of Lois, and she brought humour that we really hadnt had. She sparked with Clark, which is nice. Lois was the only person who didnt feel as though Clark walked on water, Gough interjects with a laugh. In terms of the Lana/ Clark relationship, Lana had a new boyfriend, but by the end of the season she was obviously getting closer to Clark, and they professed their love for each other, which felt good. I also think that Lex and Clark spiralled away from each other. That obviously got heated up in the last parts of the season where he clearly thought Clark was totally lying to him and Lana didnt trust him. Noted above is the fact that Bart Allen appeared, marking the rst DC Comics hero to do so besides Clark. Every year we had

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IF YOU IGNORE SEX, YOU WATCH THE SHOW AND FEEL LIKE YOURE IN THE FIFTIES
MILES MILLAR
an idea we were never able to crack, and this is one we had since Season One how do we get the Flash on the show? Millar notes. Eventually, we gure out a way to do it. In Season Four we wanted to bring in more DC characters, and it seemed like the right time. SEASON FIVE The highs and lows of the Clark/Lana romance took place, with Lana gradually nding herself pushed towards Lex due to Clarks apparent lack of honesty, and Jonathan Kent dying of a heart attack. Also, the show built on its Flash appearance with the arrival of DC characters Arthur Curry (Alan Ritchson) and Victor Stone (Lee Thompson Young respectively Aquaman and Cyborg) as well as Brainiac, which takes human form and manipulates Clark before stranding him in the Phantom Zone while the spirit of Zod takes over Lex. Year ve was a big growing up year for Clark, says Gough. With his dad dying, he now had to step up and really take on his mantle, which I think you saw him starting to do. In year six, when he gets back from the Phantom Zone, which is the ultimate incarceration, he discovers the path of the hero is a difcult one. He sacriced his dad basically for Lana, and now he doesnt even have Lana anymore. He and Lex are enemies. Hes unleashed this evil force on the world in the form of Zod, and so its sort of where does he stand in his journey? Lex has embraced his darker elements and now so has Lana, so I think a lot of year six, too, was the corruption of good as well with people sort of wandering around the paths theyve chosen. Enthuses Millar, Without question this was the best season we ever had. It was consistent, it had continuity, it had momentous change with the death of Jonathan, it had Clark maturing, it had him out of high school, the Daily Planet, the Fortress of Solitude, it had Lex and Lana, Lex going bad just a bunch of really important, life-changing moments for Clark and the other characters. New to the mix was, as noted, the addition of other DC heroes, with a focus on how they impact on each other and their ultimate

SEASON 11 AND BEYOND?

Writer Bryan Q Miller on the direction of DCs Smallville Season 11 comic-book
Smallville had the challenge of hewing to the mythology as best as it could while reaching a mainstream audience. What kind of balancing act does the comic have to do? There were a few things where, towards the end of the series, everything got lined up probably as close as it was going to be to lining up with everyones traditional notion of what the Superman mythology is. With the comic, it just carries the ball down the eld. There might be some people and notions from the past and present DC universe that pop in and out, but from a narrative standpoint a plot standpoint its all grounded in Clarks rst year as Superman.
Who is this Superman? Whats great about this version is that with Smallville-Clark, so much of his personal conict of what do I use my powers for, do I expose myself, should I be saving people? thats all been covered in the show. A lot of his angst is dealt with at this point, so rather than rehash that, this Superman is a Superman who, right before the comic starts, in the series nale pushed a planet out of orbit and saved Earth as his rst big, grandiose act in front of the whole world. Superman arrived and saved the planet. Hes riding the contact high a little bit, so youve got a Superman who very much enjoys what hes doing. Hes taking the ideals and values and principles that Ma and Pa Kent instilled in him during the early years of the show and kind of spreading that and paying it forward to everyone he can in a very Christopher Reeve Superman Zen-like way. Its intriguing seeing the exploration of the Tom Welling Superman and Michael Rosenbaum Lex Luthor Theres not too much time spent on what happened during the six months, but Lexs mind was wiped on the show though not to the point where he doesnt know how to walk or feed himself. So youve got a Lex who came to from being poisoned with his dead sister on the ground, a planet in orbit and the world seeming to come to an end. Hes in a place now where hes leading the xenophobia charge. Someone with a telescope got pictures of alien slaves on the surface of Apokalips when it was in orbit. The world knows were not alone, so youve got Lex leading the we need to defend ourselves charge. He is doing everything he can to try and embolden humanity to protect itself moving forward.

As per a teen romance show, it wasnt simply a case of Lois & Clark revisited.

Even early on, questions regarding Lexs true nature were never far away.

Smallville Season 11: Volume 1 is available from 16 April 2013, priced at 10.99.

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One DC icon to make the Smallville transition was Arthut Curry, aka Aquaman.

Far removed from the boy scout persona, Smallville didnt shy away from exploring Clarks dark side.

WE ALWAYS WANTED TO BRING IN MORE DC CHARACTERS

MILES MILLAR
destinies. Of Cyborg, Gough says, Victor Stone is a high school football star who has a full ride to USC, but then hes in a terrible car accident. In our version, LuthorCorp takes him on as a project and builds the limbs and the articial intelligence that goes into that. Its really a question of, How much humanity do I have? How much [of a] machine am I? Clark teaches him how to control his abilities. He realises his life isnt what he thought it was going to be, but he can still have a fullling life, and Clark helps put him on that road. With Arthur Curry, we played him more as a Greenpeace activist. Hes determined to save the ocean, and Lex is doing something nefarious involving a defence contract. In a weird way, Arthur is probably two feet from being an eco-terrorist, and Clark has to sort of reel him back in terms of what hes willing to do. Aquaman learns that he has to use better judgment and cant just destroy things because he has the ability to do so. I think what he brings to Clark is that if Clark is going to use his powers, he has to think globally. Thats what Aquaman brings to the table in the same way that the Flash got him to see that he could have some fun with his powers. SEASON SIX Lois and Clark break up, and she marries Lex (for reasons too complicated to explain here), but that dissolves as well when she realises hes been lying to her about everything including her seeming pregnancy; Martha becomes a senator and moves to Washington DC, and there was the introduction of Oliver Queen/ Green Arrow (Justin Hartley) and Martian Manhunter (Phil Morris), while the episode Justice brought together Victor Stone, Arthur Curry and Bart Allen as embryonic version of the Justice League (see boxout). Surprisingly, it was Green Arrow/Oliver

Inevitably, relationships formed a big part of the shows narrative.

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As it progressed, Smallville increasingly abandoned its more trivial trappings and began to tackle progresively darker storylines.

Queen that has had the most impact, bringing Smallville as close to a Superman/Batman dynamic as it got. The integration of Green Arrow provided a great way to humanise the show and depict a hero who is a human being as opposed to someone with powers, thus inspiring Clark in a way that no other character has done so before on this show, offers Todd Slavkin, who served as writer, director and producer at various points in the shows history. It made Clark an active participant rather than reactive, which he had been throughout this series and we all know Superman is an active hero. So Oliver Queen brought in a whole sense of justice, that its every citizens responsibility to go in and tackle injustice in the world. I think that shook Clark up and propelled him toward his future destiny. SEASON SEVEN Highlights of the season included Lex growing closer to learning Clarks secret, Lana pulling away from the people she knows and loves from Smallville and the appearance of Clarks biological cousin, Kara Zor-El (Laura Vandervoort), who he tries to educate while dealing with Lexs attempts to find out what she is. Heres somebody whos a flesh-and-blood family member who needs his guidance, says Gough of Kara, so it puts Clark into a bit more of a parental-mentor role rather than being a child going to a parent. For us it felt very natural, and the next step in his evolution that he would have to sort of mentor not only a Kryptonian, but a cousin whos a girl, whos 19, who can fly and who doesnt have 18 years of living with the Kents as a moral background. Smallvilles real drama at the end of Season Seven was the cast and crew shake-up that took place. The contracts for both Kristin

Kreuk and Michael Rosenbaum were up, and neither one of them wanted to continue in their respective roles of Lana and Lex. And then, with the season having followed a 100-day writers strike coupled with a budget cut from the studio Gough and Millar left the show. Replacing them would be their four co-executive producers, Brian Peterson, Kelly Souders, Darren Swimmer and Todd Slavkin. The budget was the final thing, reflects Gough. Wed done seven seasons, and then a couple of weeks after the strike ended Warner Brothers came to us and said, The only way the show is going to get picked up is if we dramatically reduce the budget. We knew Rosenbaum wasnt coming back, because they certainly didnt have the money for him. They had Tom for Season Eight, so they definitely wanted to get to Season Eight, but for us, we told the stories we wanted to tell, and going into a season without the Lex/Clark dynamic which wed always seen as the core of the show we realised it was time for us to step away and do other things. SEASON EIGHT Lex was written out of the show, having discovered Clarks secret and being subsequently buried in the collapse of the Fortress of Solitude. Additionally, Lana left Smallville (though for contractual reasons Kreuk would return for several episodes); Tess Mercer (Cassidy Freeman) took over LexCorp, sparks began to fly between Clark and Lois and the show began to a move in a decidedly more Superman-esque direction, with Clark working with Lois at the Daily Planet. Added into the mix was Davis Bloome (Sam Witwer), revealed to be a Smallville take on Doomsday (the | 107

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NO TIGHTS, ONE FLIGHT

n the fourth season premiere, Crusade, Clark is possessed by his Kal-El Kryptonian personality and soars into the stratosphere to retrieve an artefact from Lex Luthors private jet while its in mid-ight. If we were going to break the rule, reects cocreator Miles Millar, we wanted it to be a signicant moment in Clarks life, and I think we came up with a way to do so while setting in motion the events of Season Four in a really cool way. Explains visual effects supervisor Mat Beck, In terms of the actual ying, we didnt want to just have Tom Welling in front of a green screen. We were trying to give him the opportunity [for] a little bit of performing, and Tom was better than fabulous. He was constantly looking for ways to look serious, motivated and intense, but at the same time doing slight movements that would motivate movements in ight. He gave us an enormous amount to work with. Most of the ying sequences were done with either him on a harness or standing on a green platform with the camera ying past him. That allowed him to give a lot of performance in terms of turning his body this way or that way. The sequence actually kicked off with Clark crouching down and knocking his mother, Martha, aside. From there, an energy effect gathered around him before take off. In essence, notes Beck, he draws the energy to him, it compacts around him and launches him into the air I think it came off well.
The nished scene yielded impressive results for a TV show.

THE SECRETS BEHIND CLARKS ONE AND ONLY FLIGHT

IF WE WERE GOING TO BREAK THE RULE, WE WANTED IT TO BE A SIGNIFICANT MOMENT MILES MILLAR

Much effort was put into Clarks rst ight.

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fascinated with The Blur at the same time she and Clark begin to realise that there is something between them. Also, Kryptons past comes into play as Major Zod (Callum Blue) and his followers, who have arrived on Earth with a desire for conquest and a need to obtain the superpowers they mysteriously dont have; theres an alliance of sorts between Tess Mercer and Zod, and the arrival of such DC heroes as the Justice Society of America and villains Metallo (Brian Austin Green) and Amanda Waller (Pam Grier), and the Checkmate agency. Behind the scenes there were continuing shake-ups, with Swimmer and Slavkin departing, leaving Peterson and Souders as dual showrunners. They were determined to really move Clark towards his destiny. Notes Souders, For us, this was a step closer to the actual Superman costume. Clark isnt a guy at that point who was probably going to put on the tights and the boots and get something made. He hadnt gone quite as far as Green Arrow; he was still on the path to becoming that man, but he was definitely recognising that there is this second identity. As much as he knew what Clark Kent looked like, he needed to figure out what the Superman part of him looks like. Even though it wasnt quite the costume everybody was used to seeing, it was one step closer to getting there.

WE DIDNT JUST WANT TO DO AN ENDING; WE WANTED A BEGINNING

BRIAN PETERSON
Though they started the series as friends, the seeds of Lex and Clarks legendary rivalry were gradually sown.

creature that killed Superman in the comics) and the arrival of such DC luminaries as the Legion of Superheroes and Zatanna. Says Souders of the change, Saving people in Smallville was one thing, where Clark had to run to the factory to save Chloe and the roads werent very crowded. But being alive in Metropolis as Superman is a very different experience, and he found out very quickly that its not so easy when youre running through crowded streets or you have to run into a crowded crisis situation. Or, interjects Peterson, youre accountable to Lois back at the Daily Planet. Up until that point we hadnt done a lot with Clark trying to balance the double identity of Clark Kent and his Superman figure, so Season Eight was very much about double identity and him learning the balance of that, because thats a long journey in itself that we hadnt even touched on until then. And during it all, Green Arrow played a role in helping to solidify Clarks decision. Theres an interesting dynamic between the Green Arrow and him, opines Darren Swimmer, because Green Arrow was always the person nudging him and kind of giving him a little kick in the butt to go out and be more proactive. So while Clark in Season Eight was really accepting his destiny, the Green Arrow started questioning what his own destiny really [was] and what kind of superhero he really wants to be. That was an interesting dynamic. SEASON NINE In the aftermath of his battle with Doomsday, Clark is determined to protect Metropolis as The Blur, wearing a long black trenchcoat and black T-shirt emblazed with the Superman S. As he fights crime, he leaves behind his heat vision-inscribed symbol as a sign to the people. Along the way Lois becomes

SEASON TEN In the aftermath of Zods defeat, Lois comes to realise that Clark and The Blur are one and the same, and their romance begins to grow. In the meantime, public sentiment is turning against costumed heroes, encouraged by the minions of Darkseid, who is manipulating humanity and threatening Earth. The season also offers spiritual guidance to Clark from Jonathan, Lionel Luther from a parallel world tries to garner a power base for himself, Supergirl returns, the Chloe/Oliver Queen romance grows, Lex Luthor briefly returns and, at last, Clark Kent becomes Superman (though before doing so he dons a red leather jacket emblazed with an S). Souders points out, In Season Nine, Clark delved into his darkest hour, and I thought that was really interesting and something we needed to do in order to go through a pretty rigorous test for him to make it to the Superman moment. But what was interesting about it was that by the end of the season he really wasnt Superman. He wasnt that bright, shiny inspiration; he kind of was a loner who wasnt trusting of the people around him, who hid on rooftops and in shadows, and thats a very different guy than Superman is. So it kind of made us look at the 22 episodes of Season Ten as a way of getting him to that moment. Closing, Peterson emphasises it was important to them that We didnt want to just do an ending; we wanted to do a beginning. What we were aiming for was giving people the emotion of whats to come since the end of the show lines up with every movie and a lot of other things. Unlike other shows, we know where the story goes, so its a hand-off to those other pieces of mythology rather than just an ending.

Smallville Season Seven is airing on week days at 7pm on Syfy. Smallville: The Complete Series is available on DVD, priced at 79.99.
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INTERVIEW
RONALD D MOORE

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RONALD D MOORE IS A NAME HALLOWED BY SCIENCE FICTION FANS NOT JUST FOR HIS STELLAR WRITING ON STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION AND DEEP SPACE NINE, BUT ALSO FOR BRINGING THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED REBOOT OF BATTLESTAR GALACTICA TO OUR SCREENS. WE SAT HIM DOWN TO FIND OUT HOW THE DARKNESS OF BSG WAS BORN ON THE BRIDGE OF THE ENTERPRISE
WORDS KRYSTAL SIM

RONALD D MOORE
You joined the writing staff in the third season, when the series really started to ourish. What was the perception of the show at the time? When I joined the show there was a sense that we werent real Star Trek. I remember going to conventions around that period, and you would see T-shirts and posters saying that the TNG crew were pretenders and there was really only one real Star Trek there was only a grudging acceptance of the series. We all felt like the underdogs or the stepchildren that nobody wanted. We werent exactly loved. It wasnt really until when Best Of Both Worlds Part I premiered that things started to turn around and people started to talk about the show: Did you see the cliffhanger? Whats going to happen to Picard, and whats Riker going to do? There was a shift in how the show was viewed by the fans. Michael Piller joined the writing staff at the beginning of the third season, just before he hired me, and he wanted it to be more of a character-driven show. He wanted to focus more intensely on regular characters on the Enterprise and approach every story by understanding

INTERVIEW

Joining Star Trek: The Next Generation in its third season, writer-turned-story editor-turnedproducer Ronald D Moore arguably did more to set sci- off to meet its 21st Century destiny than any other creator, ushering in a new age of darker and more emotionally literate sci- epics that eventually found its true voice in his celebrated, fan-favourite reboot of Battlestar Galactica. We talk to Moore about his incredible career, which thus far has encompassed three Star Trek series and two movies, and two incarnations of Battlestar Galactica Is it true your big break into the world of Star Trek came after a tour of the TNG set arranged by a girlfriend who had worked on the pilot? She still knew some people, and arranged a set tour for me. I had written a script (The Bonding), which I took along with me on the set tour. The guy who was giving that tour read it, and he turned out to be one of Gene Roddenberrys assistants, so it was an incredibly lucky break. 110 |

whose story it was. Was it a Troi show, a Picard show or a Riker show? That way you were immediately connecting with one of the characters in that story. Your scripts always had dark corners to them. Was it tough making a case for more emotionally complex and darker story arcs? I always enjoyed pushing characters and nding where the cracks in the armour were, as well as humanising villains and exploring our heroes aws. I just found that more fascinating than doing an alien of the week. I liked looking at these people and making them more human by nding out that they werent perfect; that they did make mistakes. It was how they dealt with those mistakes, and how they dealt with death and their psychological turmoil that I found was the most fascinating part of the show. In the episode Family, the breakdown Picard has in front of his brother is very moving. I was really glad that I got to write that one, and its a great performance from the two actors. Patrick and Jeremy [Kemp] had known each other for a while and enjoyed working together, and it was such an
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rOnALD D MOOre
interview

I wOuLD hAvE gONE EvEN fuRthER thAN JJ AbRAMs

RONALD D MOORE
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RONALD D MOORE

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Battlestar Galactica allowed Moore to go into darker territory than was possible in the Star Trek universe.

interesting episode. There was no action whatsoever; there was no jeopardy except emotional jeopardy. When you moved on to write for Deep Space Nine, did the space station setting inuence your writing? The station didnt go anywhere, so the plot lines always hung around; whatever you wrote last week was going to be there next week. You couldnt not pick up a plot thread that had been established in a continuing character story, so inevitably the writing moved in that direction and made DS9 an even more character-driven piece than TNG. The Bajoran/ Cardassian conict made for a lot of interesting plot lines. The great thing about it was that you could play those ideas out over years as opposed to doing a few episodes here and there; you could really elaborate on that ongoing story week after week. I thought Gul Dukat was a great character and villain, and the Kira, Sisko and Dukat relationship was one of the central triangles on that show. What challenges did you face adapting the TNG cast for the big screen in Generations and First Contact? Generations was a big learning curve for Brannon [Braga, co-writer] and I. It was our rst feature, and it was also transitioning the show into a feature format. Paramount had a laundry list of things that they wanted to do with that rst lm, which really hemmed us in terms of creativity. They wanted to have The Original Series cast in it, but they couldnt only appear for the 112 |

WHEN I JOINED THE SHOW THERE WAS A SENSE THAT WE WERENT REAL STAR TREK RONALD D MOORE
rst 15 minutes; they wanted Kirk to reappear at the end; they wanted a Picard story as well as a Data story; they didnt really want it to be a time travel story, but they wanted a big villain, and they also wanted Klingons. We had to gure out how to weave the story around all of these. The movies are much more action-adventure orientated its the Enterprise and its crew versus a particular villain, doing a lot more running and jumping with more battles and explosions. And that really wasnt what we were doing week in, week out on the series. The series was a character piece, and it was a show about morality plays, big ideas and science ction. The movies are angled in a different direction, so part of the experience was us realising that we had reset what the show was about. On the show we did a whole episode about Data getting a girlfriend! Its a wonderful episode, but youll never do that as a movie! Thatll never pan out. The movies are fun, and they have their own joy sitting down, eating popcorn and watching this big ashy adventure. They dont really get an opportunity to go too much deeper than that, because the expectation is move on to the next space battle. What did you learn from those movies? I dont know, to be honest. Its such a different format.
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RONALD D MOORE
INTERVIEW

Sadly, Battestar Galactica didnt enjoy the long shelf life of Star Trek, and prequel series Caprica lasted for just one season.

Xxxxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxx

I really love television because I like the ability to take a group of characters, evolve them, change them and play around with them over many hours. I like to take a story in a very different direction from where it started, to take risks and to try different kinds of storytelling. A movie is a big two-hour single story angled in a very specic direction. So I learned a lot from doing things like the Star Trek movies and Mission: Impossible, but I still love television; its still the place that gives me the most satisfaction. If the opportunity ever arose to be showrunner of a new series of Star Trek, would you take it or are you done with that universe? You know what, never say never. It would depend on what it is and what the circumstances are. Is this something someone has brought to me or is it an idea Ive had? Its a great format, its a great franchise and I still have a tremendous amount of affection and love for it, and I would never say never. It would just depend on the specics. What did you make of the JJ Abrams Star Trek movie reboot? I enjoyed it. Id been thinking that the franchise needed to reset. The continuity had become so dense and complicated with all the different series and back stories that it was almost impenetrable to newcomers. It just becomes hard to be creative in that environment; you nd yourself pitching stories and stopping yourself to ask, but does this contradict something that was said in Series Three, Episode 12 of DS9?
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I liked the idea of going back to the beginning with the new movie; go back to Kirk, Spock and McCoy and the ve-year mission and just start over. I thought it was a great cast and it brought a whole different energy and life to Star Trek. Personally, I would have gone even further. I wouldnt have done the time travel plot or had Leonard [Nimoy] in the lm; I would have just started at zero and not even acknowledged anything before. A ship far from home trying to reach Earth: there are some parallels between Star Trek: Voyager a show you didnt quite mesh with and Battlestar Galactica. Would a Ron Moore-helmed Voyager have been a lot darker in tone? I think it would have been darker, but I dont know how dark it could have gone, because the Star Trek universe has a certain fundamental optimism to it that you have to maintain, or it isnt Star Trek, and I dont think I couldnt have taken Voyager as dark as Battlestar. It just wouldnt have t in with the ethos of that universe, and Im not sure it would have been welcomed if I had tried it. What made you want to reboot Battlestar Galactica, and what do you love about the show and what you accomplished? The show came to me. I mulled it over and realised that there was a tremendous opportunity to do a new kind of science ction and expand on some of the ideas I had on Star Trek that I knew didnt t in that

universe darker, more ambiguous, more serialised and a vrit style to shooting, taking a harsher approach to visual effects. There were things I couldnt explore on Star Trek that I had the opportunity to do on Battlestar, and looking back Im very proud of it it was so much greater than I had hoped it could be. The production, the cast, the crew the whole ensemble that we put together lifted the material. One of the things I was most proud of was that the show was even better on screen than it was on the page. I was proud of the writing we did, and then Id watch it and go wow, this is better. The end result was better than the creative idea from the outset, and I think thats very rare. It was sad to see Caprica cut short. What were you most proud of from that show? The show was ambitious, and we were determined to do something different, not just another knock off Battlestar. We really tried to do something complex and interesting, and we just werent able to pull that off in the time that we had. We had a tremendous cast who really carried the series from week to week, and its just too bad that we didnt have more time to really nd our feet with it.

Battlestar Galactica: The Plan is out now on DVD and Blu-ray, priced at 5.26 and 13.99.
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FLASHBACK
TWIN PEAKS

REVOLUTIONARY NINETIES DRAMA TWIN PEAKS PIONEERED THE FORMAT OF WHAT EVENTUALLY BECAME SERIALISED STORYTELLING IN ALL FORMS OF TELEVISION. HERE, THE SHOWS CO-CREATOR AND WRITER MARK FROST DISCUSSES THE SHOWS EARLY DEMISE, HOW HE INITIALLY PLANNED IT TO RUN FOR FIVE SEASONS AND HIS COLLABORATION WITH DAVID LYNCH
WORDS JODIE TYLEY

TWIN PEAKS

FLASHBACK

Twin Peaks went from being the biggest show on TV to a cancelled obscurity within just over a year. Buoyed by a huge central mystery that essentially carried the momentum of the entire story the nasty death of high school prom queen Laura Palmer and the way it affected the entire cast of characters within the town of Twin Peaks it was a compelling, wonderful and unique show dened by the hallmarks of lm director David Lynch. Yet, it was subject to almost all of the negative elements that lead to our favourite TV shows being cancelled today. This illustrious serial drama was hit by network pressure that forced the resolution of the investigation into the murder of Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee). This then pushed the Pacic Northwestshot show into a creative corner it almost didnt pull out of, and ratings crashed following this resolution, which led to it being put on hiatus by its network, ABC. On top of all that, its creator, David Lynch, left the show at one point to work on the lm Wild At Heart, thus leaving the show rudderless and directionless. It was a lot of bad luck that a show of Twin Peaks quite extraordinary depth and complexity didnt really deserve. Had it never existed, there would be no Lost, The Sopranos, The Wire or The Walking Dead it simply allowed long-form storytelling to exist on credible network television beyond the realms of the daily soap opera, which Twin Peaks parodied. In retrospect, its reputation has sharply ascended, and one factor attributed to this success is the combination of two very different behind-thescenes talents: Lynch himself, an Academy Awardnominated director who masterfully explores the underlying darkness within man, and Mark Frost, an accomplished TV screenwriter who cut his teeth by scripting 29 episodes of the esteemed cop drama Hill Street Blues.
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Speaking to SciFiNow, Frost agrees that the mixture of skills in this collaboration was key to the creation of something so iconic. Yeah, and the other element that people dont consider is the strength of our friendship, he explains. [David and I] get along so well and our sensibilities just match up really beautifully when were working together or even hanging out, so what youre seeing is the product of two minds that are very much in sync, but also two people who share a lot of the same enthusiasm and sense of humour, and we have an awfully good time when we work together. That, I think, came across in the show as well. Weve known each other now for 26 years, so we go back quite a way. When reecting on the impact Twin Peaks had on the landscape of television, Frost explains his initial awareness that he and Lynch were working on a different sort of project. Its funny. At the time we

were making the show I said to David, This is really a subversive television show for a major network, I dont think Ive ever seen anything like this before. I was secretly gleeful that we were able to sneak it through, because I found so much of network television at the time so bland and formulaic, and the fact that the show has had such a long life and its been rediscovered, really, by a whole new generation of people and so many people who went on to create shows. Beyond the aforementioned dramas, popular comedy Psych staged a terrically geeky tribute to the show just two years ago in an episode titled Dual Spires a must-see for any Twin Peaks devotees that reunited many members of the original cast. Even The Simpsons had two great jokes about Twin Peaks years after it went off the air. Frost perceives that the shows impact has grown with time, and that it affected not just the content and structure of television drama, but the way it was approached philosophically. What happened when we went off the air was television kind of exploded; we had the advent of all the cable networks like HBO and Showtime and half a dozen others that have since followed, all of which are doing much more adventurous programming, and many of the people I know who created those shows have cited Twin Peaks as a point of inspiration for them. I think thats been really gratifying to know that we kicked the doors down and then a lot of other people were able to rush into the room. But being revolutionary meant that Twin Peaks was treated as an unknown quantity by an impatient audience and the sticky business of the shows forced resolution is something Frost has dwelled on in the meantime. Weve debated about that a lot, he admits. We were getting heavy, heavy pressure from the network to solve the murder; in fact, they wanted it solved at the end of the rst season, and Davids instinct and mine to the same extent was No, we dont have to do that; we should keep
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T win Peaks
f l a s h b ac k

Its been gratIfyIng to know that we kIcked the doors down so other people were able to rush Into the room
mark frost

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Although the shows journey was ultimately a short one, it nonetheless paved the way for numerous others like it.

MARK FROST

THERE WAS AN INEVITABLE LETDOWN AFTER THE MURDER WAS SOLVED, AND WE WERE SLOWER THAN WE SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN PICKING UP THE TEMPO
this going because thats sort of the MacGufn that brought us into this world and doesnt necessarily need to be solved. So we struck a compromise and solved it half way through that second season, and then we had to adjust on the y and try to nd a reason to keep the show going. Thats the problem with shows like this, where you get a pick-up and its so difcult to produce a full season of, say, 22 hours of TV. Youre kind of looking at the bus thats just about to run you over because of deadlines, as opposed to looking way down the road to where you want the show to be in, say, nine months, so we didnt have the time that I felt we needed to fully prepare for the impact of ending the Laura story. Indeed, while the mid-Season Two reveal of the identity of Lauras killer, as well as the exploration of supernatural elements within the woods of Twin Peaks rank as all-time great TV episodes, its what came next that tore the storytelling apart. Without a major thrust to the drama, the core principles of the show disintegrated, leading to intolerable plotlines that saw one character, middle-aged Nadine Hurley (Wendy Robie), lose her mind and believe she was a high school cheerleader, while the sidekick of coffee-loving protagonist Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan), Sheriff Harry Truman (Michael Ontkean), becomes a temporary alcoholic in an unintentionally laughable fashion. Basically, Twin Peaks became burdened by the kind of implausible soapy storylines that it had previously subverted (though one entertaining exception arguably came in David Duchovnys brilliant portrayal of Coopers cross-dressing friend, Agent Dennis Denise Bryson). We hit a little valley there in the storytelling process, which was kind of inevitable, Frost says. The Laura Palmer story was so huge and formative in terms of how the show had proceeded and what people expected of it, so I think there was an inevitable letdown after the murder was solved, and we were probably a little slower than we should have been in picking up the tempo again. I think towards the end of the second season we hit our stride again, and the second major through line with Cooper and his nemesis Windom Earle really did, I think, get to an interesting place, but Im the rst to say yeah, there was a period where we did lose a little bit of our momentum. The show did eventually nd its footing in the nal six episodes of Season Two, which would become the closing arc of the entire show. Lynch returned to the production, prompting weaker storylines that had played out for too long, including the increasingly irritating romance between Sheriffs deputy Andy (Harry Goaz) and receptionist Lucy (Kimmy Robertson) to be pushed to one side. The introduction of the Jack Nicholson Joker-esque Windom Earle (Kenneth Welsh) as Coopers opposite and Annie Blackburn (Heather Graham) as his love interest changed the paradigm once more, as the supernatural elements of the Black Lodge parallel dimension (the familiar Twin Peaks image of a room with red drapes and a black-and-white zig-zag oor) came to the fore again. It was mystery-

Twin Peaks introduced us to iconic characters like the enigmatic Log Lady (Catherine E Coulson).

based storytelling at its best, gradually bringing the always implied two worlds of our reality and the terrifyingly surreal Lodge together. Suddenly, Twin Peaks mattered again, but it was too late; the audiences of the early Nineties had lost interest. It was their loss: the nal episode, given the evocative title of Beyond Life And Death, was the rst to be directed by Lynch since the identity of Laura Palmers killer was revealed in the episode Lonely Souls. With an extended, unscripted sequence that saw Cooper consumed by the Black Lodge while faced by the demonic entity BOB (Frank Silva), this frightening and jaw-dropping hour of
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T win Peaks
F L a s H B aC k

Unsolved Mysteries of twin Peaks

television may well be Lynchs finest work. after that, the show was canned, leaving us with an aching slew of unresolved cliffhangers (see Unsolved Mysteries Of Twin Peaks). well, i know we were certainly geared up to do a third year, Frost explains when we ask him how long he and Lynch intended the show to go on for. The number five always stuck in my head. i felt we had started something that with our full attention could have run for five seasons. it was what it was then, and who knows what will happen in the future, so well see. Does that mean were not done with Twin Peaks, then, 22 years on? its something we talk about from time to time, Frost answers. in the iconic dream sequence where Cooper meets the backwards-speaking dancing dwarf and sees the image of Laura Palmer, its later stated that this is set 25 years in the future. Maybe we should check back with Frost in three years. we talked about [season Three] so long ago when we were actively planning that. i dont like to quote it because im afraid ill mislead people because my memories of it are just a little bit fuzzy, Frost tells us. But if we ever do decide to move forward i know we have a rich trove of material to draw from. Twin Peaks would gain a life beyond TV, however, as Lynch directed the 1992 prequel/sequel hybrid Twin Peaks: Fire walk with Me. Though it was panned at the time and bombed financially, the depiction of Laura Palmers final days of life and descent into darkness co-starring David Bowie, no less has gained gradual acclaim over time. i thought it was a brilliant way to both go forwards and backwards in time and extend the timeline of the mythology, and thats a film that i think has also grown in reputation over the years. Theres a large chunk of the movie thats never been seen because David had to cut it down to a more manageable length for release. were hoping that sometime in the next couple of years were going to be able to release those scenes theres about 45 minutes of
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material, so thats something, with any luck, people will be able to see pretty soon. This lost treasure trove of deleted scenes, painting a much wider picture of the titular town than we see in the finished cut, is a big talking point for fans to this day. But whether we see any unseen Twin Peaks footage again or not, the impact of the show is so expansive and pronounced that it will continue to be remembered as a milestone within its medium not just for the idea of building a long-running show around one sole, narrative-defining mystery, but also the way it brought filmmaking values to the nascent paradigm of high-end TV drama. we ask Frost which element of the show hes proudest of, looking back. i think the fact that we made the show as a kind of solid state engineering. we had feature people working in all the departments, we took a lot of pride in making the show look like a movie and not a television show, we took great care in casting the show and making sure that we had the very best actors available playing those roles, and we were able to make the show we wanted to make. [There was a] unique degree of freedom from the network in making those sorts of decisions and, to their credit, they did not try to meddle creatively with what we were doing. Thats a very rare experience in television, and youd be hard pressed to find anything like that today in network television, Frost says. we were lucky in that regard, and the fact that the show is still regarded in the way it is when most network television ends up being fairly disposable or a product of its time, i think is a testament to how hard we worked at maintaining that quality. Mark Frost is the author of The Paladin Prophecy, available in paperback from Random House. The Twin Peaks: Definitive Gold Box edition is out now on DVD, priced at 52.49.

The lingering questions that weve had to live with for 22 unsatisfying years
Hows Annie? no, really, what happened to annie? after Cooper saved her from the Black Lodge, its said that shes okay, but does his love interest remember her horrific experience in the supernatural dimension? Presumably, Heather Grahams character would have had a key role in a potential third season. Is Ben Horne seriously injured? after a rough encounter with Doc Hayward (warren Frost) over Donnas true parentage, Ben Horne (Richard Beymer) appears to be seriously injured by the usually benevolent physician as he smacks his head on a fireplace. its a macabre scene, though we presume hes alright since the Doc appears later in the scene, but what actually happens next? Who died in the bank explosion? audrey Horne (sherilyn Fenn), Pete Martell (Jack nance) and andrew Packard (Dan OHerlihy) are caught in an explosion at the Twin Peaks bank in the final episode we never found out what happened to the beloved femme fatale or fish-loving Pete. These three characters will forever have an ambiguous fate. Will Cooper escape BOB? This is the big one. in the final episode, Cooper was possessed by the same demonic force that led Leland Palmer (Ray wise) to kill his daughter and, as our hero is shown to be corrupted by the ultimate evil in the closing seconds of Twin Peaks, the real Cooper was forever left trapped in the Black Lodge. Just where is BOB from, anyway? a few years ago, an unproduced Twin Peaks graphic novel project made a vague hint that BOB was from a planet made of creamed corn. it sounds like nonsense, even if it does dovetail with the details of the show, but wed still like to learn a little more about where this intangible antagonist came from.

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MODERN CLASSIC
GREMLINS

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GREMLINS
WORDS JODIE TYLEY

NEARLY 30 YEARS ON AND THE CHAOS THOSE UGLY CRITTERS WREAKED ON AMERICAN SUBURBIA IS STILL AS TALKED ABOUT AS ANY REAL HISTORICAL EVENT. IN THIS MONTHS CLASSIC, WE SQUIRT THEM WITH WATER PISTOLS, TOSS THEM A CHICKEN LEG AND DRAW BACK THE CURTAINS ON GREMLINS

Modern Classic Film No.41

Film
RUNNING TIME: 106 minutes RELEASE DATE: 1984 DIRECTOR: Joe Dante WRITERS: Chris Columbus CAST: Zach Galligan, Pheobe Cates, Hoyt Axton, Frances Lee McCain, Corey Feldman

About
What do you buy the teenager who has everything? Randall (Hoyt Axton) takes a trip to Chinatown and nds an adorable fuzzy creature for his sons Christmas present. The wide-eyed Mogwai, whos christened Gizmo, goes down well, but his care instructions are too much for Billy (Zach Galligan) to digest. Spilling a glass of water on his new pet, Billy inadvertently unleashes all manner of chattering critters on the sleepy suburb of Kingston Falls. It turns out that the next evolutionary stage isnt as cute and furry; its more scaly and scary. These are hailed the gremlins, and Billy must get rid of them all before they continue to multiply.

Everyones got a story to tell, but nobodys got a story like this one, says Randall Peltzer (Hoyt Axton). Hes referring to the Christmas he spent cleaning gremlin goo from his kitchen walls a story so original that when the script landed on Steven Spielbergs desk, he snapped up the rights faster than Jaws would a shing boat. It was penned by Chris Columbus in the days before he turned director and helmed child-friendly classics like Home Alone, Mrs Doubtre and the rst two Harry Potter lms. The combination of Columbus and Spielberg should have delivered another bouncing baby of a movie, especially since it was dressed in seasonal cheer; that is, until a glass of water is spilled and the whole thing descends into cert-15 territory. Columbus was inspired by the noises that came from his loft at night. What sounded like a platoon of mice would come out, and to hear them skittering in the blackness was really creepy, he admitted on the DVDs Behind The Scenes featurette. Spielberg called it one of the most original things Ive come across in many years, but his workload meant he needed to nd someone else to take on the responsibility of looking after the movie. Acting as executive producer, he drafted in Joe Dante, having been impressed by his work on horror/ comedy The Howling (1981). The early drafts of the script veered more towards the former, as the gremlins ate Billys dog and tossed his mothers decapitated head down the stairs. There was even a scene in McDonalds where they chowed down

on customers rather than burgers. These elements were scrapped in favour of a more family friendly feel, but the bedlam they reap remained. The concept of Gremlins was nothing new; pilots in the Royal Air Force had been blaming them since the Twenties for any mechanical faults. They became especially well-known in World War II for causing inexplicable problems with aircraft, but author Roald Dahl was the rst to take the myth beyond the front line in his rst childrens novel, The Gremlins (1943). He was familiar with the fantasy beasties through serving with

foreign piece of crap car, saying they often had gremlins inside, The same gremlins that brought down our planes in the big one [World War II]. The leader of the bandits, Stripe, was originally meant to be Gizmo. In a screening of the lm at the Royal Theatre in Los Angeles in 2008, Dante admitted it was Spielbergs idea to turn Giz into the star. A couple of weeks before production, Spielberg said, You know, I think this Gizmo is pretty cute, and I think we should keep him alive for the whole movie. We said What? He cant walk, hell have to be carried around all the time, he said.

GREMLINS IS OF THE MOST ORIGINAL THINGS IVE COME ACROSS IN MANY YEARS
STEVEN SPIELBERG
the military, and had his own run-in with the critters when he crash-landed in the Libyan Desert. It captured Walt Disneys imagination, and a series of short stories were written. They later appeared the Twilight Zone episode, Nightmare At 10,000 Feet, in which a gremlin attacks an airliner. However, Dante said his were a very different breed. Theyre sort of green, and they have big mouths and they smile a lot, and they do incredibly, really nasty things to people, and enjoy it all the while, he commented. They certainly enjoyed tinkering with equipment, though, snapping Murray Futtermans TV antenna and driving his snow plow through his house. It seemed that the war veteran foresaw the danger, lecturing Billy on his Since CGI wasnt available, a chunk of the $11 million budget was spent making puppets, and the on-screen mayhem was governed by what they could and couldnt do. We all know Mogwai come with more care instructions than a dry clean-only garment dont get them wet, expose them to bright light or feed them after midnight and the director and crew found him just as demanding off-screen. He was so hard to work with, and such a prima donna, says Dante. He had all these gears on him and he would cost us a lot of time, so we would try and get our revenge by thinking up as many terrible predicaments to put him in. There were things in the movie that were suggested by the crew; we had a notepad with Terrible
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modern cl assic

Gremlins

top 5 Cutest moments

new pet

The scenes that made us all want a Gizmo

Billy unwraps his christmas present early and meets Gizmo for the very first time. The cute little critter blinks, chirrups, and is happy to be cradled like a baby. its enough to make us melt and want to slap the mother for nearly blinding him with a camera.
T
Gremlins was releaseD in June wHen warner Bros realiseD tHey HaD no maJor Competition for tHe summer season.

Gizmos Got talent

Billy and Gizmo start jamming together over a keyboard. it sparked a line of toy versions that will sing and sway when you clap your hands, but like all the heart-tugging scenes starring Gizmo, it ends with him in pain. now we want to slap Billy for nearly blinding him with a mirror.
Composer Jerry GolDsmitH wrote T Gizmos sonG, wHiCH was HummeD By a CHilD aCtress ratHer tHan tHe voiCe of Gizmo, Howie manDel.

Gremlins: critter feature or capitalism critique?

Gremlins 3D
Gizmo looks at a comic with his new owner while wearing 3d glasses and mimics his masters americanisms, mumbling, cool and neat. The 3d trend was in its infancy, and the red and blue specs were seen multiple times throughout the film.
The gremlins were originally conceived as far more sinister than they turned out. Billy Buys a ComiC at Dr fantasys T tHe niCkname of exeC proDuCer frank marsHall.

Game of Darts
The gang team up against their maker and strap Gizmo to a dartboard. His yelps attract the attention of Billys mother. With her kitchen under siege, she pounces on the little buggers, grinding one in a mixer and exploding another in the microwave.
T
tHe set for kinGston falls is tHe same one useD in BaCk to tHe future BotH are filmeD in tHe universal BaCklot.

Beep Beep!
its Gizmos finest hour as he zooms to the rescue, driving a hot pink vehicle and nearly running over the family pooch. Presumably he picked up some motor skills through watching To Please a lady earlier on, where he mimicked the race car driver. He even makes the beep noises!
T oriGinally, Gizmo anD Billy pulleD a BlinD eaCH to kill stripe, But spielBerG wanteD Gizmo to Be tHe Hero, so it was CHanGeD.

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RETRO CLASSIC
BEETLEJUICE

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things we can do to Gizmo today. One of the things was to put him on a dartboard and have darts thrown at him. The puppet master was Chris Walas, who demonstrated his skills on Raiders Of The Lost Ark (he was responsible for melting the Nazis) and acted as creature consultant on Return Of The Jedi. He created different sized puppets to better convey emotion in close-ups, and used nifty techniques to bring scenes like the birth of the gremlins to life. Balloons attached to air pumps were employed to grow the exploding balls of fur, and were later used for the scene where Billys mother traps one in the microwave.

Providing the high-pitched squeaks and warbles for Giz was Howie Mandel, whos best known for presenting Deal Or No Deal in the US, and the gravelly, dirty snorts of Stripe were provided by Frank Welker, the voice of Scooby-Doo. They spoke their own language with one or two English words thrown in, like Gizmos cries of Bright light! which Mandel learned to speak in various languages for foreign audiences, and they even sang most notably in the scene where the gremlins pretend to be Christmas carol singers. While we were making the movie, we discovered the gremlins were kind of funny, said Dante, and if you put funny

GIZMO WAS SO HARD TO WORK WITH, AND SUCH A PRIMA DONNA JOE DANTE

clothes on them and had them do funny things then they were pretty satirical, so the movie moved away from being a horror picture and became more of a comedy, and it was all puppetry. The titular menaces were the ones we will always remember, but the human cast gave us characters to identify with. The relatively unknown (then and now) Zach Galligan was picked for the part of Billy, the teen who cant follow the three simple rules. His love interest was the wholesome Kate (Phoebe Cates), who caused some controversy with her anecdote about the time her father dressed as Santa and broke his neck climbing down the chimney. The studio wanted to leave the scene on the cutting room oor, but Dante insisted it represented the lms horric yet comedic tone. But watching it back as an adult, you realise theres an undercurrent of corporate capitalism.

THE THE GOONIES (1985) NEW BATCH

Parodies of Gremlins in pop culture
Want to share your thoughts? Follow us on Twitter @SciFiNow

Chunk calls Sheriff Steinbrenner to report a murder, but he recognises him. Chunk pleads hes telling the truth, but the Sheriff is having none of it. Just like the last prank about all those little creatures that multiply when you pour water on them, he retorts.
T WHILE RECORDING FOR THE GOONIES DVD, SEAN ASTIN HAD TO DEPART MID-WAY. HE LEFT A SAMWISE GAMGEE FIGURE IN HIS PLACE.

HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER #1.12 (2006)

Womaniser Barney tells Ted that the rules of dating are the same for gremlins: never get them wet (dont let them take a shower); keep them away from sunlight (dont see them in the day) and never feed them after midnight (dont let her sleep over and have breakfast).
THERE ARE PLENTY OF BUFFY REFERENCES T THANKS TO ALYSON HANNIGAN, WHO STARRED AS WILLOW.

Theres not much that bafes super-geek Sheldon, but Gremlins has him stumped. When the gang watch it, he wonders, The instructions are very clear; dont feed the gremlins after midnight, dont get the gremlins wet how hard is that?
IN ANOTHER SPIELBERG REFERENCE, T SHELDON IS CHASED FROM A THEATRE IN A HOMAGE TO RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK.

THE BIG BANG THEORY #3.4 (2009)

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IF YOU LIKE THIS YOULL LIKE HARRY AND THE HENDERSONS (1987) // BEETLEJUICE (1988) // THE ADDAMS FAMILY (1991)

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gizmos cuddly appeal was noted by steven spielberg, who made him the hero of the piece.

GREMLINS
MODERN CLASSIC

Characters like money-minded harridan Ms Deagle (Polly Holliday), with cats named after currency, and the selfish and greedy Gerald Hopkins (Judge Reinhold) are reminders that the worlds changing and you got to change with it. Mr Futtermans constant jibes at foreign technology recalls the economic climate at the time of the Reagan era. Gremlins is also packed with references to the filmmakers pasts. On the cinema youll spot two of the working titles for Spielbergs ET and Close Encounters Of The Third Kind: A Boys Life and Watch The Skies. Look closer in the scene where Gizmo is interacting with another Mogwai through a box and youll spot a sketch of Jaws; and when Randall calls home from a convention, Dante and Spielberg out-do themselves with the number of things they cram in. In the front of the shot, the Beard himself is riding a bike; composer Jerry

Goldsmith is in a phone booth wearing a Stetson; Robby the Robot from Forbidden Planet (1956) moves across the screen and in the background the titular device from The Time Machine (1960) is there one minute before vanishing the next. None of it takes away from the watching experience, but its in keeping with the mismatched tone of the film. Is it a social commentary or a silly romp in the vein of Dantes later work, Small Soldiers? The secret to success is to have both: entertainment and hidden agendas that give fans meat to pick apart. Columbus story certainly ends on a thoughtprovoking note: So, if your air conditioner goes on the fritz or your washing machine blows up or your video recorder conks out turn on all the lights, check all the cupboards and look under the beds. Cause you never can tell, there just might be a gremlin in your house

The New BaTch

The story of the second movie

Warner Bros wanted to pour water all over the first movie for it to multiply into a multi-million dollar success, but director Joe Dante refused. He felt Gremlins had a conclusive ending, so the studio continued without him. Potential storylines could have let the gremlins loose on Las Vegas or even Mars, but nothing grabbed them, so they winded up going back to Dante. They granted him complete creative control a rarity in Hollywood and he agreed to return. Screenwriter Charlie Haas came up with the idea of moving Billy and Kate to New York, starting jobs at the Clamp Corporation as a cost-cutting solution to the problem of having critters taking over NYC. It was lighter than the first instalment, spoofing movies like Rambo, The Wizard Of Oz and, most notably, the first Gremlins film. Gremlins 2: The New Batch wasnt the moneymaker Warner had hoped for, coming in at number 31 on the highest-grossing films of 1990, but Dante liked it the best.

Why is Gremlins a modern classic?

Nearly 30 years on, and the rules are still a pop culture reference that everyone gets. Theyve been referenced in the likes of The Simpsons and Family Guy, and director Joe Dante even acknowledged them in his subsequent film, Small Soldiers.

The Three rules

Gremlins was one of the first horror-comedies in the early Eighties, along with Ghostbusters, An American Werewolf In London and Fright Night. They struck a healthy balance, making the beasties just the right amount of scary before dressing them in bobble hats and scarves.

ITs a horr-edy

award-wINNINg souNdTrack

This straight-to-DVD horror/comedy is so bad its cult. The evil snowballs are just as troublesome and dangerous as gremlins, but a blender doesnt work on Jack Frosts hatchlings. Theres also a snowball that sports a Mohawk of icicles, just like Stripe.
sTripe is voiced by Frank Welker, T Who also played The parT oF meGaTron From TransFormers.

Jack FrosT 2 (2000)

Family Guy #5.11 (2007)

After allowing Stewie to get sunburnt, Peters wife Lois scolds him, saying it was just like the time he fed his Mogwai after midnight. A cutaway scene shows Peter feeding Gizmo a chicken leg, causing him to turn into nasally New Yorker Fran Drescher.
one oF The mosT reFerenced Film T Franchises in Family Guy is sTar Wars, havinG dedicaTed enTire episodes To iT.

Legendary composer Jerry Goldsmith created the films score and won a Saturn Award for Best Music. The aim was to achieve the mischievous humour and mounting suspense of gremlins and the famous dah dah dah tune nails the brief.

gIzmo

The cutest of the critters was granted a reprieve by Spielberg, and toy sellers were glad he did. Theres even a Scottish post-rock band named after him.

(lack of) specIal effecTs

The pinnacle of the special effects? Fake snow on the backlot of Universal Studios in California. It gives the movie a classic, timeless feel, and if it was remade with CGI today then Gremlins would be worse off for it.

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WERE YOU UNDER THE SPELL OF THE HALLIWELL SISTERS? IF YOU THINK YOU KNOW YOUR PIPER FROM YOUR PHOEBE, PAIGE AND PRUE, TAKE THIS QUIZ TO DISCOVER IF YOU ARE WELL AND TRULY CHARMED
HALLIWELL 101
1| What was the title of the very rst episode? a) Be Careful What You Witch For b) Something Wicca This Way Comes c) The Witch Is Back 2| Name the incredibly catchy opening theme song and the band. 3| What was that weird, circular logo actually called? 4| Name the rst witch, who prophesised the arrival of the Charmed Ones? 5| How did Patty (the Halliwell sisters mother) die? 6| Name all three of the original sisters powers. 7| How many times did Prue Halliwell die? 8| What colour was Paiges hair in Season Five? 9| What hasnt Phoebe turned into? a) Banshee b) Mermaid c) Cat 10| Who is the only sister to continue the tradition of giving their children a name beginning with P? 13| Who do the Elders send to help Phoebe nd love? 14| What is the name of the parole ofcer that Paige marries? 15| Which witch fell pregnant rst?

THE TIMEWARP CHARMED QUIZ

MEET THE BOYFRIEND
11| What three job roles has Leo Wyatt had before becoming mortal? 12| What alias did Cole Turner go by when he was a demonic assassin?

POWER OF THREE
16| Name the family heirloom that contains centuries of witchy know-how. 17| What relation was Paige to the Halliwell sisters? 18| Which sister said this: I curse you, you curse me, lets get together and do a little cursing? 19| Phoebe always had the tamest power, but what others did she eventually gain? 20| Which sister was turned into a dog?

SISTER STUFF

you did with our DIDNT HE/SHE DO WELL! See how scoring system arbitrary

16-20

11-15

6-10

0-5

Youre not just the sexy one; youre also the smart one. Demons tried to distract you from your studies, but you graduated in Psychology and, more importantly, passed this quiz.

PHOEBE HALLIWELL

Loyal, dependable and a little dull, you helped the sisters out of demonic dilemmas throughout Charmeds eight seasons. We all knew there was more to you than a handyman who xed chandeliers by levitating.

LEO WYATT

Smouldering looks and a wicked nature kept Phoebe and viewers hooked. Sometimes you knew all the answers, and at others you looked like a poor mans Darth Maul. You could ace this quiz on a better day.

COLE TURNER

You arrived when Charmed was on its last legs in a desperate bid to cast a youth spell and make it hip again. The hex backred, though, and the lame missing-sis storyline cursed the nal season.

BILLIE JENKINS

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THIS WAY COMES 2 HOW 3 TRIQUETRA MELINDA WARREN A DEMON KILLED HER 6 PREMONITION, TELEKINESIS, FREEZING ANSWERS: 1 B) SOMETHING WICCAPHOEBE 11 WHITELIGHTER,SOON IS NOW BY LOVER SPIT LOVE CUPID (COOP) 414 HENRY MITCHELL515WATER16 THE BOOK OF SHADOWS 17 HALF-SISTER 18 PHOEBE 7 THREE 8 GINGER 9 C) CAT 10 ELDER, AVATAR 12 BELTHAZOR 13 PIPER WWW.SCIFINOW.CO.UK

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Coming Distractions
Cliffjumper
Inspired by the CGI show Transformers Prime, this is no ordinary version of Autobot Cliffjumper yes its a deluxe version, and yes, its a first edition toy, but the real news is that this is a variant edition marking bots stint as a zombie-like Terrorcon in the show. www.kapowtoys.com 19.99

The best collectables in the weeks ahead

6 4

1 3

Batman Deluxe Figures

Inspired by popular series Batman: Hush, these deluxe Batman and Joker figures from Medicom have been sculpted at sixth scale from Jim Lee designs, and feature all the detail youd expect from the line including realistic costumes and a wide range of articulation. www.play.com 149.99 each

Funko ups the Hobbits cute factor

PRECIOUS PLUSH

T-1000 Figure
Necas latest wave of Terminator figures includes this take on the T-1000, in the guise of a motorcycle cop, but frozen with liquid nitrogen, which features special decoration and paint effects to achieve that just frozen look. We bet hed melt in a smelter, too. www.play.com 13.99

HOBBITUAL COLLECTOR
Its not often that a Hollywood-standard special effects studio will go to such lengths as recreating pieces of the movies for fans in-house, but thats exactly what New Zealand-based Weta Workshop has continued to do for lm series, including The Lord Of The Rings and The Chronicles Of Narnia, as well as individual outings like District 9 and King Kong. The Peter Jackson connection to Weta has been strong ever since the latter worked on the practical effects for Jacksons debut, Bad Taste. That relationship will continue with The Hobbit movies, and Weta has wasted no time in making dozens of collectables and screen-accurate props a reality for fans. All of the following pieces can be bought direct from Wetas online store,

Weve featured Funkos plush and vinyl wares before, but its not often the company lavishes both treatments on a franchise in such a big way. The Hobbit is no ordinary property, however, and the book/movies three key players have each been lovingly realised in both cuddly and solid form. Gandalf and Bilbo we can live with, but Gollums gure has looks only an Uruk-Hai could love. www.forbiddenplanet.com 8.99 each

Take an unexpected journey to where Tolkiens fantasy epic began

but are also available via numerous other stores, so its worth shopping around. First up is Hobbit hero Bilbo Baggins, the subject of a sixth-scale statue which features the likeness of Martin Freeman in a sword-wielding pose atop a base. He is joined in similar style by Dwarf warrior Thorin Oakenshield, a survivor of the dragon Smaugs destruction of the kingdom of Erebor. He is also depicted in an action pose elven blade, Orcrist in hand and is almost ten inches tall. Rounding out this fellowship is Gandalf, returning in classic style with sweeping gowns, wizards staff and iconic (and optional) hat. All the statues are available as part of an open edition. Wetas forte is props and effects, however, and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey has an embarrassment of screen-accurate riches. Gollums precious, the One Ring, gets a new take made of 18 carat gold-plated tungsten, which comes in its own display box made of cherry timber, while Thorins key to Erebor is also available, cast from zinc alloy using the original props moulds. Other Middle-Earthen artefacts include the brilliant contract of Bilbo Baggins , a substantial, rolled-up document that governs the hobbits conditions of engagement, and is completely hand-aged and assembled by Daniel Reeve, the artist that made the movie original. Turns out there are some things that money can buy. Bringing up the rear is Thorins map, also created by Reeve, which is aged and reveals moon runes when held up to the light.

Predator 2 Figure
This SDCC 2012 exclusive figure is something of an original this city hunter Predator is cloaked, hence its semitranslucent state. Its also fully poseable with 25 points of articulation, and comes complete with extendable wrist blades and an exclusive skull trophy. www.play.com 21.49

1. Bilbo statue www.wetanz.com $199 (approx 124) 2. Thorin statue www.wetanz.com $249 (approx 155) 3. Gandalf statue www.wetanz.com $249 (approx 155) 4. One Ring www.wetanz.com $99 (approx 62) 5. Erebor key www.wetanz.com $29.99 (approx 19) 6. Bilbos Contract www.wetanz.com $449 (approx 279) 7. Thorins map www.wetanz.com $199 (approx 124)

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BLOCK start falling into place BUSTERS Lego licensing pieces
New licensed Lego still gets us unreasonably excited, and a couple of recently revealed sets are no exception. As well as a new set in the DC Super Heroes range Arkham Asylum no less, which comes with more gures than you can shake a brick at were nally getting Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Lego, based on the Nickelodeon toon. The rst set includes two of the team and other fan-favourite characters. shop.lego.com both sets TBC

THE VAULT
Memorabilia

GAME BREAKER
The months best game-related collectables
BioShock Innite Skyhook
The game may not even be out yet, but BioShock Infinites steampunk stylings are heading to the real world, too, courtesy of this replica skyhook used in-game to evade/ cause destruction by zipping around the turn-of-the-century floating city of Columbia. www.forbiddenplanet.com 76.99

PROP SHOP
Bringing the movies home
Dredd Badge
Judge Dredd is back on the big screen, and now you can clean up the streets of Mega-City One with your very own Judges badge. This full-size scale replica is made from solid metal, is gold-plated and comes with its very own display stand to remind perps you are the law. www.forbiddenplanet.com 79.99

Portals loveable, if conspicuously inanimate companion cubes move onward and upwards with yet another tie-in product. Aperture Sciences loyal side-kick can now store all kinds of goodies in the form of this lunch tin. Whod have thought a box would be so popular? www.forbiddenplanet.com 13.50

Companion Cube Lunch Tin

Shepard Bishoujo Statue

Kotobukiya is at it again, turning western favourites into animeinspired bishoujo figures. This time around its Mass Effect hero Commander Shepard, depicted here in femshep guise with N7 armour and swappable M55 Argus Rifle and omni-blade weapons. www.forbiddenplanet.com 49.99

Cap Posters
The first Avenger is remembered here during his days as a World War II hero in the propagandastyle posters from the Captain America movie. Each is seen on-screen during a different part of the movie, and were created using Marvels original digital files. We have a strange urge to buy some war bonds www.efxcollectibles.com $20 each (approx 12)

TOP TEN

GAME OF THRONES
We showcase the best wares the Seven Kingdoms has to offer
2 Westeros Mugs Weve been saying for years that the best place to display a map of a huge fantasy continent is on a mug. No, really. This set goes two better, spreading the full cartography of Westeros across three stackable beverage holders. Youd be a mug not to get them www.play.com 19.99 3 Fire and Blood Perfume Youll probably want to try before you buy this Daenerys Targaryeninspired scent. Packaged in a dragon egg-style bottle, the fragrances include green grass, leather, exotic flowers and dragons blood. www.thinkgeek.com $74.99 (approx 47) 4 Littlenger Pin No, not another Mockingjay; this is Dark Horses replica of the Mockingbird pin worn by professional gossip and political manoeuvrer, Petyr Baelish. Littlefinger is one fans love to hate, so alternatively get the hand of the king pin instead. www.forbiddenplanet. com 13.99 5 Game of Thrones board game Designed for five players but playable with three, this strategy game is based on George RR Martins original novels and pits players as heads of feuding houses, moving armies and double-dealing with each other in a bid to sit on the Iron Throne. www.firebox.com 49.99

HAL 9000
No, not a Bang & Olufsen remote control; Artifactory has recreated one of the most iconic science-fiction villains of all time with this aluminium take on 2001: A Space Odysseys malevolent AI, HAL. Created from the studio blueprints, HAL can repeat 15 phrases and features a replica lens based on the original prop. www.bigbadtoystore.com $499.99 (approx 311)

1 Ned Stark Figure Despite being officially licensed merchandise, Funko Pop!s figures generally dont look a lot like their counterparts. Here, however, they buck the trend, with their Ned Stark looking exactly like Sean Bean. Or maybe its just us www.forbiddenplanet. com 8.99

6 Tyrion Statue The diminutive Lannister is immortalised in polystone courtesy of Dark Horse in a sculpt inspired by the Battle of Blackwater, as imagined in the second season of HBOs TV show. Features the likeness of Peter Dinklage and screenaccurate armour detailing. www.forbiddenplanet. com 99.99

7 Coaster Set Turn your coffee table into an analogy of Westeros with the second wave of coasters inspired by the series various families. This set features the sigils of Houses Arryn (a moon and a falcon), Tyrell (a golden rose), Greyjoy (a kraken) and Tully (a trout). www.play.co.uk from 9.49

8 Mini Iron Throne What everyone in Game Of Thrones is trying to get their hands/backside on itd be much easier to simply order this mini replica, which is half the height (and a sixth of the price) of the 14-inch version. The mini one is based on the same sculpt. www.forbiddenplanet. com 39.99

9 Direwolf Bookends Based on the guardian statues in the crypt beneath Winterfell, these bookends represent the oversized, intelligent and possibly supernatural beasts on House Starks sigil. The question is, can your book shelf handle a pair of Direwolves? www.bigbadtoystore. com $69.99 (approx 44)

10 Daenerys Targaryen Figure Another in the Pop! figure range, Daenerys represents House Targaryen with her flowing gold locks and small dragon Rhaegal depicted in vinyl. The mother of dragons is almost four inches tall. www.forbiddenplanet. com 8.99

Source Code Book

Ever feel like your life is repeating itself over and over? If youre not Bill Murray in Groundhog Day, try writing down your experiences in this book/Filofax which, fittingly enough, was seen on-screen in the possession of Michelle Monaghans Christina. Deja-who? www.premiereprops.com $399.99 (approx 249)

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MEMORABILIA

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GEEK CHIC
The latest in sci- paraphernalia
Portal Jacket Batman Hoodie
Where did they get that wonderful hoodie? Thats the question your nemeses will be asking after youve faced them in this brilliant Batman hoodie, which comes complete with a cowl and built-in utility belt. www.superherostuff.com $44.99 (approx 28)

If youve ever felt like a test subject then make it ofcial with this cool jacket inspired by Valves Aperture Science labs from the Portal series, with colour scheme and logos to boot. Theres We cant get enough of the classic S logo, and even cake in the pockets. Were not lying. though it isnt emblazoned on the chest of this tee Slothwww.forbiddenplanet.com 44.99 from-the-Goonies-style, the cool red, black and blue image of Supes more than makes up for it. www.forbiddenplanet.com 17.99

Superman Tee

They Live Tee

John Carpenters cult classic aliens-in-society movie is the inspiration here for the latest sci- offering from Last Exit to Nowhere, which simply carries the entirely believable logo of the nefarious station Cable 54. www.lastexittonowhere.com 18

Strategy board game Settlers Of Catan gets a full Star Trek conversion, which keeps the original gameplay while adding new elements. Redesigned pieces, new support cards and loads more equals fun between three and four players, logically. www.rebox.com 44.99

Star Trek Catan

The Serenity takes centre stage in this stylish glossy poster print by artist Jeff Halsey, which marks the tenth Anniversary of Joss Whedons fan favourite, Firey. The slogan You cant take the sky from me and Mals nale speech top things off. www.thinkgeek.com $19.99 (approx 12)

Firefy Poster

Silhouettes From Popular Culture

Minimalist designer Olly Moss goes from strength to strength, and in his rst book art fans will nd all of the Victorian-style silhouette portraits that made up Moss debut gallery show. Can you identify them all? www.amazon.co.uk 9.46

DC Dog Collars

Is your pooch moonlighting as a superpowered crime ghter or billionaire vigilante? If so or at the very least you have your suspicions furnish your pet with a Batman or Wonder Woman collar for that nal bit of encouragement. www.thinkgeek.com $24.99 (approx 15)

Not an obvious combination, this. If youre female, enjoy cycling and are a big fan of all things Trek then this is for you. At least we hope so, because no one else will be interested. Includes Vulcan phrasing. www.thinkgeek.com $79.99 (approx 49)

Star Trek Cycling Jersey

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THE VAULT
Memorabilia

DUNGEONS R US
Dungeon crawling for all the family
As dungeon crawlers continue to grow in popularity, the game which kickstarted the genre back in 1975 is receiving a fresh new airing for the benet of a new generation of gamers. Bar a few rule changes, Dungeon! is pretty much identical to the game which rst appeared nearly 30 years ago. Set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe, players get to choose from one of four core archetypes: ghter, wizard, rogue and cleric. Each hero has different strengths and weaknesses, and must explore a dungeon to retrieve a set amount of treasure. Wizards, for example, are weak in combat, but have the ability to ing awesome spells, while rogues are far more likely to discover the secret doors found throughout the dungeon. The dungeon board itself is split into six colourcoded levels, with the higher levels featuring stronger monsters and better treasure. The turn structure has a player moving up to six spaces, after which they have an encounter should they end up in a room or chamber. Encounters require ipping a monster card from the relevant part of the dungeon and then using two dice to match or beat the score of the relevant monster (values change depending on which character you use). Succeed, and you earn a treasure card; fail and youll be attacked. Dungeon! is an incredibly simplistic game that will hold little interest to more seasoned board gamers. It is, however, the perfect introduction for younger gamers, and is a good gateway into the surprisingly diverse genre that is the dungeon crawler.
Dungeon! Publisher: Wizards Of The Coast Players: 1-8 RRP: 16.99

CLASSIC CARD SETS

Essential collectables from Ash Trading Cards

Chase card sets are always worth seeking out, and this fine offering by acclaimed artist Joe Corroney is no exception. Taken from the fourth Star Wars Galaxy series, the etched foil cards join together to form an epic image of the saga, featuring everyone from Han Solo to the Emperor. This gorgeous sixcard set is available for just 9.95.

Foiled force

MAGIC: THE GATHERING RETURN TO RAVNICA

1 2 3 4 5

TOP FIVE
The Clone Wars is a prominent part of Star Wars canon, and theres no better way to celebrate it than to revisit the original movie. The 90-card basic set features cool poses of all the key characters, as well as classic moments from the hit film. A small outlay of 8.95 allows you to relive all those precious moments whenever you feel like it.

1 Jace, Architect Of Thought 31 2 Angel Of Serenity 22 3 Vraska The Unseen 17 4 Overgrown Tomb 15 5 Armada Wurm 13

Cloned Cards

So many zombies, so little time

ZOMBIE NATION
Starting off life as a Kickstarter project, Zombicide features some of the most stunning character models weve ever seen. The rest of the presentation is top notch, easily justifying its high price tag. Zombicide is a fully co-operative game for 1-6 players that is as punishing as it is fun to play. As with many co-op games, the difculty level is very high, meaning players need to really work together in order to stand any hope of survival. Turns see players having a limited amount of action points that can be used to do anything from opening doors, searching for additional weapons or attacking zombies. As more zombies are killed, players level up and gain more skills, which triggers even more dangerous attacks. Filled with clever mechanics making too much noise attracts nearby zombies Zombicide is the board game equivalent of a videogame horde mode. Miss it at your peril.

DO YOU REMEMBER?
Escaping the videogame

DOOM: THE BOARD GAME

Some people thought it was impossible to turn id Softwares fast-paced first-person shooter into a brilliant board game. Those people were wrong. While Dooms instructions took a little while to grasp, the end result was an excellent adaptation of the popular franchise, which captured all the key elements of the series while adding plenty of fresh new ideas. Players could level up between scenarios, while a clever dice system used different combos of die to reflect the many different weapons found in the series, from pistols to the shotgun. Factor in some fantastically designed figurines and lush board pieces, and Doom was a triumph that proved that even the most unlikeliest of adaptations can work if theyre given a bit of thought.

Heroes and villains

Publisher: Guillotine Games Players: 1-6 RRP: 69.99

The Star Wars universe has an amazing array of charismatic heroes and villainous foes, and were delighted to see that the very best are in this excellent chase set. The 15-card set covers all six movies and features everyone from Luke Skywalker to Darth Maul. Drawn by Randy Martinez and finished off with etched foil, theyre deserving of their 9.95 price tag.

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Arrow 2012 Warner Bros Entertainment Inc. All rights reserved. The Wolverine 2012 Marvel Characters, Inc. All rights reserved. and 2012 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All rights reserved. Star Trek Paramount Pictures. All rights reserved. Doctor Who BBC. All rights reserved. Gremlins Warner Bros. All rights reserved.

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