Monday, July 25, 2011

Farscape: The Official Magazine #1

Farscape The Official Magazine's short run lasted just 12 fantastic issues. It was published by Titan Magazines beginning in 2001 and, in my opinion, remains one of their best publications to this day because it remained focused and true to providing great information.

The magazines are getting harder to find like most out of print publications, but are worth looking into if you're a fan of one of science fiction's greatest sagas.

The premiere issue, #1, features interviews with Ben Browder and Rockne S. O'Bannon. O'Bannon focuses on the first two years of the series.

A Farscape short story is included called Many A Mile To Freedom written by Keith R. A. DeCandido, author of the novel House Of Cards.

A guide to the characters of Farscape kicks things off leading you to some of the magazine's best feature articles.

Finding Farscape discusses the journey of Farscape from its original concepts and its original title, Space Chase, to its inevitable sale and the journey to see it through to production.

You get a full write-up on Farscape's Premiere episode and how the pilot adventure came together.

The final feature takes a look at the Jim Henson Creature Shop located in London, England.

Final bits included assorted news items on Season Three, a silly Q & A with Claudia Black, a look at Farscape with puppeteer Mat McCoy, Letters, a Farscape Poster, Farscape merchandise and The Producer's Cut with David Kemper.

Honestly, like the amazing series, the magazine is out of this world.

3 comments:

PDXWiz said...

Hey SFF,

That looks like an excellent magazine. Much better than a few Trek & Next Gen ones I saw from Titan with comic reprints and old article reprints, and sometimes the cover didn't match the interior... This really looks like they went out of there way to create something like the official Star Trek and Star Wars magazines. Very neat, thanks for sharing!

Gordon Long

Will said...

I really miss these type of magazines. I know they still exist but they seem to be less present at book stores. Maybe the internet had something to do with it. I own a lot of old TNG and DS9 issues of their official magazine.

I never read the Farscape magazine. I was in college when Farscape was huge and I was probably too nervous to be out in public with a magazine featuring a full size poster of Rygel! I actually had girlfriends. . .then anyways *sigh*

Great look my friend! I actually read House of Cards and I used to keep an email correspondance with Keith about his Star Trek work.

SFF said...

Exactly Gordon. You hit it on the head and you read between the lines.

Those Titan Trek magazines are dreadful overall.

I used to get them and stopped.

In fact, as you and Will mentioned, those old Trek magazines looked much better. They were a much higher quality. I don't own any but they seemed to be true to the meaterial which these Titan Trek magazines do not. They are hyper commercial and poorly assembled.

As you both mentioned, these Farscape issues were special. The Torchwood magazines look better than the Trek ones.

Anyway, thank you both.

And like you Will, I was not hanging out near the sci fi sections as much in college which is EXACTLY why I missed Farscape. I was forced to watch Moonlighting and other TV programming to get in with the ladies. : )

Oh and I loved your mention of the DeCandido association. Very cool! He looks like a heck of a nice guy. He's very prolific too. I'd like to read that book someday and I plan on getting those Farscape graphic novels by him put out by BOOM!

Cheers Will. Cheers Gordon.
sff