Torchwood, The Official Magazine #14...

[fajrdrako]

It's always a treat when the Torchwood magazine arrives in the mail. This one was a little more of a treat than usual, since they've spiffied up the periodical - glossier paper, better pictures. I approve. I like pictures good enough to frame and hang on the way.

They aren't (mostly) that. But the issue was most entertaining. They're cutting the frequency to bi-monhtly - which makes sense when we will have only one week of episodes next year.

The good stuff:

1. The comic by John and Barrowman: The Selkie: A Captain Jack Tale. Who'd have thought John Barrowman could write so well? Okay, I fail to do him justice: and as with his autobiography, it was co-written by his sister, with Barrowman providing the plot and she wrote the script. Fair enough; that's common in comic books. And it is a very well-written comic indeed. Well-characterized? Oh, yes. Jack at his best. Nicely drawn, too, by Tommy Lee Edwards and Trevor Goring, whom I have never heard of.



I enjoyed it mightily, though it was a little confusing not to have the title page as the first page. Having the title page - the splash page - come after an into is common in comics, but a little odd in a magazine where it's one item mixed up with other articles.

The story is short, and light, and features only Captain Jack rather than the rest of the Torchwood team - which I liked very much indeed. It isn't a terribly original story, but it's suspenseful, interesting, and has some nice twists. I was a little surprised that Jack would talk to a Scottish policeman about something involving his actions in another galaxy, but when I thought it over, that pleased me.

I also really enjoyed its Scottish setting. Nice to see Jack out of Wales for a bit.

2. Jack in Time: . Captain Jack's Timeline Goodness knows Captain Jack's timeline is confusing, but here we have a chart that attempts (with illustrations from the episodes) to show his age at various chronological locations, starting in the Boeshane Peninsula in the 51st century, and ending with the end of "Exit Wounds" - which they place in Cardiff, 2008. I would have thought it was 2009. Ah well, small quibble, when we've been all over the map and Jack is 2,158 years old by their reckoning. Sounds right to me.

3. How to Be Captain Jack Harkness. An article called "Just Jack" gives us a primer in how to be a charistmatic immortal alien-hunter. First, get a coat... I thought this was really cute.

4. There's an interview with Owen Teale, who played one of my favourite Torchwood villains, the hungry Evan Sherman in "Countrycide". And an interview with Gareth David-Lloyd, who is always entertaining. This is followed up by an article on cannibalism in fact and fiction, in case we hadn't had enough.

5. There's a quiz: "Which Torchwood Character Are You"? I haven't done it yet. I'm afraid to. I fear I'd come out as someone other than Jack. Think how depressed I'd be if I were Owen.

6. An article about what everyone does behind the scenes - like James Dehaviland, the 2nd AD, and the gaffers, the grips, the on-line editor and the script assistant. B est job? "Writer... Creatively conjures up enormous headaches for absolutely everybody."

7. The last item: "Little Reasons Why We Love Torchwood", first of a series. Item #1: Ianto's Stopwatch. With a picture of Ianto holding it, and a write-up. I'll have to think of my own list, but the stopwatch would be on it.

Comments

[msp-hacker.livejournal.com]

For being 2158 years old ( give or take a decade ) the man looks damn good for his age, yes?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Jack looks damn good for any age, I'd say.

Except as a kid. I wish they'd found someone who looks more like Barrowman to play the young Jack.

[auriaephiala.livejournal.com]

Re Owen Teale: he also played the villain in The Vacillations of Poppy Carew (against Sam West and Joseph Fiennes and Tara Fitzgerald). I've seen him in assorted other British productions over the years, and he's always been good.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Owen Teale: he also played the villain in The Vacillations of Poppy Carew

Oh my goodness - yes! I knew I'd seen him somewhere, but couldn't recall where, and had almost concluded it was my imagination, or misremembering the face. How cool.

I think he's a terrific actor.

[mad-jaks.livejournal.com]

OOh! nice artwork :D

That's 'Ev a n' Sherman sweetie, with an A ♥

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

nice artwork

Isn't it? I am impressed how much it looks like Jack. I loved the Paul Grist art on the previous story because I like Paul Grist, but he barely tried to make the characters look like the actors and there were moments I couldn't tell Burn Gorman from Gareth David-Lloyd except by their dialogue.

Evan

Blush. I knew that... didn't I? Thanks for the correction!

[caffyolay.livejournal.com]

This might sound stupid but I had absolutely no idea there was a Torchwood magazine. I must have been walking around the newsagents with my eyes shut. I know where I'm going first thing Monday morning... thanks for the heads-up!

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Yes, there is a Torchwood magazine. I've never seen it on a newstand in Canada - and really don't expect to, at this point. I have a subscription. I love the magazine.

It is probably available in newstands in the UK, though. Worth looking for.

[musac-luver.livejournal.com]

I can't wait to get this issue (we are about 2 months behind in Australia) to read the new comic strip by John and Carole. It is so fitting that John chose to include a selkie in Scotland in his first story as he's such a superstitious person! The rest of the items in the mag sound equally interesting. I'm really pleased that Titan Magazines has improved the quality of the paper in this magazine and hopefully this will continue in future issues as well. Thanks for posting this review of the magazine :)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

You're welcome for the review. I figure we can't get enough reviews of Torchwood-related things - I wish more people posted such things more often! Hope you enjoy the magazine, when it gets to you. I think you will.