April 27th, 2010 no comments

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SFX Magazine issue 196

SFX Magazine issue 196

Terry Pratchett guest edits as we shine the spotlight on the fearless females taking over British telly

Free Gift!

Grab a copy of issue 196 in you local Morrisons (anything to tempt you away from the deli counter) and you’ll get a top comic for free. Not a word of a lie. It’s the perfect way to get started as we launch the Summer Of SF Reading.

Guest Edited By Terry Pratchett

Yep, you read that right. The one and only Terry Pratchett has taken over SFX for one month only to help us launch the Summer Of SF Reading in rib-ticklingly irreverent style. This isn’t your average name-on-the-cover kind of job though, Sir Terry has contributed to all sections of the magazine from his hilarious Ed Zone to a “We Love SF” dedicated to Oblivion modding.

Who’s In Charge

Hmm, has anyone else noticed the brilliant female roles in some of our favourite British Sci-fi shows at the moment? Well we did so we only went and interviewed six of the best from the likes of Doctor Who, Merlin, Misfits and Being Human. Boys, who needs ‘em?

The Summer Of SF Reading

As much as we love films, TV and videogames no-one wants to be stuck inside on a gorgeous summer’s day. With the weather bucking up (almost) what better time to launch our Summer Of SF Reading, three issues worth of coverage celebrating the literary scene. Don’t miss part one of our countdown of the 100 writers who shaped science fiction, an exploration of the life and works of John Wyndham and we ask our guest editor what makes his mind tick in “Heroes And Inspirations”.

Going Postal

We go on set to find out where those parcels we were supposed to have delivered last week are, err, we mean take a behind the scenes look at the latest Discworld adaptation. Did we like what we saw? Answers on a stamped address envelope.

A Nightmare On Elm Street

The remake hits screens in little over a week, so we risk insomnia and mental psychosis to bring you the man behind the knives. Includes a chat with pizza face himself Jackie Earle Haley and the five freakiest Freddy moments.

WTF? TV

Ever heard of Australian soap Chances? Neither had we until one of our top freelancers filled us in. Sex cults, body swapping and fever dreams? You won’t believe your eyes.

Retro Features

Take the TARDIS back to 1963 for a timely look at Jason And The Argonauts and we dissect Blade Runner (at the request of our guest editor) in the latest Anatomy Of A Classic.

Profiles

He’s a former vampire, time agent and alien brain-box but James Marsters can currently be found blowing stuff up and terrorizing little girls on Caprica, we have words. Stargate Universe’s TJ, Alaina Huffman, also jumps through the wormhole for a chat and author Adam Roberts talks New Model Army.

Don’t Miss or you’ll regret it:

Book Club: On the eve of his unprecedented third Arthur C Clarke Award China Miéville’s Perdido Street Station goes under the microscope of top author Adrian Tchaikovsky.

Wishlist: The Sarah Jane Adventures Season Four – the Slitheen might be back, but so are Russell T Davies and Matt Smith!

Spoiler Zone: Doctor Who! Lost! Ashes To Ashes! Caprica!Supernatural! Fringe! All feel the love. Ghost Whisperer and V on the other hand…

Big Shot: There’s a flaming sword in it. Do you need to know any more?

* Warehouse 13 was the surprise hit of last year’s bumper crop of new shows so it probably won’t come as a surprise that the second season will be with us shortly, but did you know there’s a top secret Eureka cross-over in store? Find out all the details in Red Alert.

* It’s funny, despite a lifelong fear of sterile (yet strangely whiffy) hospital wards nothing makes us giggle more than an hour with Casualty or Holby City. Paul Cornell’s putting the terror back into the wards, however, with his new BBC3 drama Pulse.

* Want to know what poor old Ianto Jones, Gareth David-Lloyd, has been up to since the pesky 456 got their mits on him (apart from appearing at the SFX Weekender of course)? The Casimir Effect, there we just went and blurted it out.

* It’s been over a year now since the crew of the Red Dwarf made their long-awaited trip Back To Earth so we thought it was about time to catch up with our favourite fully evolved feline Danny John-Jules for the latest news.

* Brown coats rejoice! The Serenity is taking flight again in FireFly: Still Flying. Caprica show-runner Jane Espenson reminisces with us.

* The First Avenger has a face, and a name, and it’s Chris Evans. Yep The Flaming Torch himself has been cast as Captain America and we get the first word from the red, white and blue warrior.

* It’s been all change at DC in recent months, so we chat to brand new big cheeses Dan DiDio and Jim Lee about their plans for the future.

* It’s been a long time coming but there’s finally a Doctor Who videogame on the way we can actually look forward to. With proper writers and everything! Find out the first details inside.

Rated: Clash Of The Titans, Repo Men, Avatar, Minority Report on Blu-ray, China Miéville’s Kraken, Mark Millar’s Nemesis and Prince Of Persia: The Forgotten Sands.

Next issue: SFX 197, on sale Wednesday 2 June

For more information go to the SFX website Here

Categorised under: General Sci-Fi Magazines, Magazine