It’s an all new Torchwood comic and you can read it online right now at Watch! The comic is part of Alien Invasion Week on the UK network and that means good stuff for all (even us Yanks in the US.) My favorite goodie is a quick interview with John Barrowman where he giggles his way through an explanation of how Captain Jack became the Face of Boe.

If you’re in the UK, you’ll get to watch a great scifi lineup on Watch starting on February 13. It includes Doctor Who, Torchwood and Sci Fi movies like Starship Troopers and Terminator 3. The latest Torchwood series; Children of Earth will air every weeknight at 9pm and each segment will include a personal introduction by John Barrowman.

Not in the UK? You can still enjoy the new Torchwood comic from Titan and Watch.

Photo: Titan

Post from: SF Universe

An interview with Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles

For nine months of the year, Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles are possessed by supernatural entities. It’s like demons – or angels – have taken over their bodies and they are powerless to do anything but watch their days unfold through someone else’s eyes while they speak someone else’s thoughts and live someone else’s lives. Of course, those entities are just the fictional characters they play for their TV show, but when they’re Sam and Dean Winchester for “sixteen hours a day, five days a week – it’s like being in a different world,” Padalecki related. “I’m Sam Winchester more often than I’m Jared Padalecki!”

When Jared and Jensen are working those kinds of hours in the mindset of brothers who are trying to stop the apocalypse while dealing with their dysfunctional relationship and coping with the fact that the blood of all humankind could be on their hands due to the roles they played in freeing Lucifer, the enormity of it all can be rather “exhausting,” Ackles confirmed. “It’s been an exhausting season so far.”

What’s surprisingly not difficult for Ackles is having to pretend like he wants to kick Padalecki’s Sam’s ass to Hell and back. “I love it when they fight each other!” he insisted with a laugh. “In the past, Dean could never stay mad at his little brother, but this time he could because he has all the reasons in the world to be mad: his little brother caused the Apocalypse! I mean, come on!”

Padalecki agrees. “I love the conflict. Before it was like, ‘Oh, you made a deal with a demon, didn’t you?’ ‘Yeah.’ ‘Uh, okay. So, how long?’ ‘A year.’ ‘You suck. I’ll find a way to get you out. Hug me.’ But then the situations obviously changed, so even though the brothers still cared about each other, what Sam and Dean went through changed them both and separated them more into individuals, so their relationship got much darker. I like the dynamic of brother versus brother when they both think they’re doing the right thing for the right reasons. And I would like to see how dark Sam could get.”

Both actors don’t actually expect that things will go darker; they expect that Sam and Dean will change the destinies laid out for them in The End. “They still have their own inner demons and skeletons and secrets and all that to deal with,” Padalecki pointed out, “but I’m sure they’ll get back together and join forces somehow.” Ackles agreed, adding, “Yeah, I kinda think they’ll spend most of the rest of the season trying to fix things up and forgiving their mistakes, especially Sam, because he’s feeling guilty for Lucifer’s rising on Earth. He’s admitting his faults and trying to find redemption.”

Read the full interview in issue 14 of The Official Supernatural Magazine on newsstands now.

To receive Supernatural Magazine exclusives, including sneak peeks,
interviews, promotional offers, and sweepstakes, visit: http://mailing.titanmagazines.com/mailing/

Supernatural Magazine launches Facebook page!

SUPERNATURAL MAGAZINE ISSUE 14 On-Sale NOW!

Photos courtesy of Supernatural Magazine

Post from: SF Universe

Now, Jensen Ackles, the man behind Dean Winchester, is moving one step closer as he lends his voice to a new animated Batman DVD release.

According to the LA Times, Jensen will voice The Red Hood, an anti-hero, superhero in Batman: Under the Red Hood. Bruce Greenwood will voice Batman and even Neil Patrick Harris will be along for the ride.

No word on the release date yet, but a preview of the film will be included on the next Justice League DVD “Crisis on Two Earths.”

Photo: Jensen Ackles poses with his Ten Inch Hero castmates Danneel Harris and Elisabeth Harnois. Credit: Cynthia Boris

Post from: SF Universe

*   *   *         *  *  *        *   *   *

Longtime fans of Stargate SG-1 and Stargate: Atlantis are familiar with the International Oversight Authority (IOA), a group of bureaucratic busybodies who love poking their noses into our heroes’ comings and goings through the Stargate.

On Stargate Universe, IOA representative Camille Wray finds herself a long way from home on board the Ancient ship Destiny. Given the IOA’s reputation, she is trying to balance her professional instincts and compassionate nature, especially as one of the mediators between the military and civilians. It is not easy, but actress Ming-Na, who plays Camille, is enjoying the challenge.

“The hardest thing when you’re playing a strong female character is not having her come off as a bitch and someone who everyone wants to hate, and being an IOA official, that’s especially important for Camille,” explains Ming-Na. “Robert Cooper [series co-creator/ executive producer] and I had a conversation where I mentioned this, and they decided to change my character’s job with the IOA from accounting to something else. They suggested human resources and I said, ‘Oh, that would be fantastic, because then she’s a people person.’ “I immediately latched onto that.

I think that makes her interesting, because she’s ambitious and you’re not quite sure where she’s coming from, which I love. At the same time, I hope the viewers like her enough to want to keep figuring her out, just as I’m figuring her out.”
For more information and to subscribe visit http://www.titanmagazines.com/stargate

Photo courtesy of Titan Publishing

Post from: SF Universe

In honor of David Tennant’s retirement from Who-ville

Here’s what’s included:

The Eclectic Gypsy by Dave Thompson which takes you through the history of Doctor Who in a very unusual way.

Next we have two Primeval novels – Shadow of the Jaguar by Steven Saville (my personal favorite) and The Lost Island by Paul Kearney.

Plus three Torchwood novels – Slow Decay by Andy Lane, Border Princes by Dan Abnett and Another Life by Peter Anghelides.

It’s a fun collection of books for Brit scifi fans from three of my favorite shows. Want to win? Leave a comment on this post preferably with the title of your favorite TV Tie-in book.

US only please.

Deadline to enter is December 11, 2009 at midnight PST.

This is a hefty lot of books so it will be sent media mail, thus I can’t promise delivery in time for the holidays in case you were planning to share.

Post from: SF Universe

The publishers say the “160-pages of black and white photographs shot with the soon-to-be-extinct Type 55 Polaroid film captures the intensity of the male subjects.”

And boy, what subjects. . .   Taylor Kitsch (Friday Night Lights), Ian Somerhalder (Lost,Vampire Diaries), Chace Crawford (Gossip Girl), Ryan Kwanten (True Blood),  Jerry O’Connell (Crossing Jordan), Justin Chon (Twilight, New Moon), Justin Hartley (Smallville), Mark Wystrach (Passions), Gilles Marini (Sex and the City),  Victor Webster (Mutant X),  Will Estes (American Dreams), Jim Caviezel (The Prisoner), Travis Van Winkle (Friday the 13th, Transformers), Jesse Metcalfe (Desperate Housewives),  William Fichtner (Prison Break, The Dark Night) and lots more. Sadly, the only thing missing from this book are either one of those Supernatural boys.

About Face is cloth bound, 160 pages, 10.25 x 12.50 inches, and signed, with a limited-edition of 1500 copies and so it does come with a hefty price tag — but hey, that’s what holiday gift giving is all about.

You can see some of the photography and order a copy at Pixie Press Worldwide. The publisher will be donating a portion of the profits to the children’s charity Smile Train.

Book cover courtesy of Pixie Press Worldwide via Newscom.

Post from: SF Universe

Stargate

The issue focuses on Stargate Universe and includes a guide to the new show, inside the writers’ room, and interviews with stars Robert Carlyle and Louis Ferriera.

There’s also a salute to Daniel Jackson, an interview with Ben Browder and a look at the Wit and Wisdom of Rodney McKay. That’s a little something fans of every Stargate incarnation.

To download this Stargate Magazine: Special Download Edition, visit:
http://www.titanmagazines.com/stargate

While you’re there, sign up for the special Stargate sweepstakes to win a “money-can’t-buy” prize!

Photo courtesy of Titan

Post from: SF Universe

What classic scifi show do you think this Time magazine reviewer was referring to? You’ll find the answer when you read Mark Phillips’ blog covering what the critics had to say about early scifi TV.

Mark and I “met” virtually when we both began pitching stories about Irwin Allen’s TV shows to magazines such as Starlog in the early 90’s. Since then, he’s made quite a career out of tracking down crew members and guest stars — just about everyone who ever worked on an Irwin Allen production as well as other classic shows.

Together with his partner Frank Garcia, Mark wrote an extensive encyclopedia covering 62 scifi shows always trying to be as objective as possible about the material. During his research, he uncovered tons of critiques written when these shows were new and now he’s publish bits of them on his blog.

From the critic who said Lost in Space star Jonathan Harris gave the worst single performance of the year to the one who said Star Trek was a “dreary mess” — check out Mark’s blog and don’t forget to tell him that Cynthia sent you.

Photo: Amazon

Post from: SF Universe

Says Fitzgerald of his encounter with a ghostly child, “I believed she knew who it was and we needed her to give us the name of the killer. I asked a leading UK EVP specialist to help and low and behold she gave us a name, but the reluctance of the police force stopped any further development and all our investigations were halted immediately. She is still there and the killer is still free.”

Read Alison’s full interview at Screamstress.com.

Pictured: (clockwise from bottom left) – Dustin Pari, Brandy Green, Angela Alderman, Joe Chin, Barry Fitzgerald, Robb Demarest — SCI FI Channel.

Post from: SF Universe

Claudia’s quite the mixed bag, isn’t she? How would you describe her?

Allison: Claudia’s a complex chiquita. She’s smart and sassy and kind of a child prodigy with IT.  She was orphaned at a young age with her brother and twelve years ago he was lost in a freak teleportation accident that involved an artifact.

But thanks to Claudia’s determination and Artie’s know how, he’s been rescued from that “neither here nor there” world.

Allison: Shooting that episode, while it was a major challenge time wise and with all the effects, was seemingly effortless because Saul Rubinek and I clicked immediately. It was like we’d been working together for thirty years and the writing — I just connected with it. I thought it was fantastic; it was not a difficult task to settle in. And Claudia is, witty, but she’s also; she’s passionate, she’ll go after her goals with 100% commitment. As you saw, she didn’t rest for twelve years trying to get her brother back, that’s actually a bit of a crisis that goes on after the episode-so small spoiler, Claudia trying to figure out what to do with her life.

The writers had said that they tried to take from something from the actors to put into the stories. Is there anything of you in Claudia?

Allison: Oh absolutely. I mean, I’m sort of a sass in life. I’m fluent in sarcasm, so I’m definitely given the freedom to riff. The first thing I was told when I visited the writers room after I got the part was okay, we’re a bunch of guys in our late twenties and thirties writing for an eighteen year old girl, so if we got something wrong, go ahead, put your Allison flavor on it, because you know better than we. But more often than not they just gave me hilarious little Claudia-isms to establish from. If I share anything with my character I think it’s wit. Hopefully.

The Claudia episode is pretty heavy, but it looks like you lighten up some in the future.

Allison: That was the tricky part of Claudia. Balancing, the humor that was written with the emotional stakes of  the action going on and the ultimate goal which is to get Joshua back, which was, as you saw, very dangerous. So, yeah, once Claudia settles into the warehouse, she definitely finds her groove and finds her confidence; likes to have fun, sometimes at the expense of the warehouse and always at the expense of Artie’s nerves. But also brings her new-age, steam-punk skill set to the IT system.

I saw some promos you filmed with Saul and you’re like an old Vaudeville team, the two of you.

Allison: That was such a fun day. We had a blast doing that. We’re like, wow that’s exactly how it feels, we can just kind of riff non-stop. You put us in our characters and in a situation and we just go. He’s the best.

Saul’s quite the trooper, what have you learn from him and has he learned anything for you?

Allison: I have learned a ton from Saul. I think Saul has probably learned a bit about how to handle his daughter by being around me. With Saul, I mean, he’s just… you know with stories, of the good ole days and his past, fifty-some-odd year career, sage advice. He talks a lot, I spend half the day talking to Saul, but I’m never tired of it. I definitely learned a lot from Saul, he’s a guru, a friend, a mentor. Our on-screen relationship has definitely crossed over into life.

Talk to me about Joanne and Eddie. Whenever I see them together, they come off like loving, bantering brother and sister.

Allison: Yeah, If the foursome is a family then Eddie is my older, goofball brother.  Joanne’s the focused, hardworking, detail-oriented, overachieving sister, I’m the middle child, no I’m not, well yeah! I am, Eddie’s kind of a little kid. And then Saul is our providing patriarch. It did not take long for us to fall into those family roles.

It sounds like your on-screen and your off-screen roles fit rather well together.

Allison: They absolutely do. The line blurred, it is totally blurred.

The whole premise of the series is about the cursed objects, but I wonder if you had an object that could give you some really great power. What would you want it to be?

Allison: If I could have one artifact, I think I would like Marilyn Monroe’s lipstick.  I have a feeling that Marilyn Monroe’s lipstick once applied would make any man fall in love with you.

Now to my favorite random questions:

What’s something you’ve done that you’re never going to do that again?

Allison: Oh my goodness… never do again? Wow. I gotta think about this one. I don’t think I regret anything. Isn’t that weird?

It doesn’t have to be a regret. It could be something really fantastic that its not likely you’ll get a chance to do again…

Allison: Oh well! I did just get back Hawaii. And I learned how to surf in Hanalei Bay which is right around the corner from where Puff the Magic Dragon lives.  And it was just the perfect setting to learn. To try out the waves and stuff. But it’s a totally different animal trying to surf in California, the water’s freezing, it’s dirty, you have to have a wetsuit… so as much as I would love to make that a habit, realistically, I don’t think I’m getting in that freezing, dirty water.

What is something that you have kept since you were a kid?

Allison: Oh my goodness. I could be honest and give the really dorky answer…? Or… aw man, I want to have a cool public image so badly. What have I kept that is not dorky?

Dorky’s endearing. Come on…

Allison: Okay, alright, alright. I’ll be honest. When I was 3 months old, my grandmother gave me a little stuffed dog that I named Fifi and I still have her.  She’s my security blanket, in preschool, if a  kid dared me to go up on the monkey bars, I’d just consult with my little white dog… oh no, I’m sorry, Fifi doesn’t want to, she’s afraid, you understand. Fifi belongs in the warehouse I think. If you clutch her tight to bosom, she bestows a feeling of joy.

Which is kind of funny because Allison has the same effect on people. Sweet, endearing, with a “nothing can stop me now” attitude, she’s a great addition to the Warehouse 13 family.

Watch Warehouse 13, Tuesdays at 9:00 on Syfy.

SCI FI Channel Photo: Justin Stephens

Post from: SF Universe