Friday, February 22, 2008

Hub Hubbub II

The second issue of Titan's Torchwood Magazine hit UK stores yesterday, and here's how the publishers describe the new issue:

"In the explosive second issue of the Official Torchwood Magazine, Eve Myles talks about her journey from curious constable to the heart of Torchwood, as deputy leader and organiser extraordinaire Gwen Cooper in our exclusive interview.

We will also be catching up with Freema Agyeman who will be talking about her character Martha Jones. She's now a fully qualified doctor, working with unit and ready to help Torchwood with their enquiries. Freema gives us all the details on the more grown up and worldly Martha.

The Official Torchwood Magazine will also be going behind the scenes with Visual FX Coordinator Marie Jones and her team at The Mill, the company responsible for all the computer generated effects on Torchwood. Discover the story behind the building of the 51st Century Boeshane Peninsula for episode five, Adam, and get the buzz on one of the most ambitious effects ever seen in Torchwood, the terrifying Mayfly!"

I've had a chance to buy the issue and can confirm that (this month at least) there is no new comic strip. The magazine prints an apology for this, stating that with both a Freema Agyeman and Eve Myles interview, there simply wasn't room. Hopefully it'll return with a bang next month, however...

Here's a quick rundown of what to except from the magazine:

1: The news section - News on the latest three Torchwood novels (due early March) and the already available audio exclusives, "Hidden" and "Everybody Says Hello". There's also a report on the 'spectacular' ratings "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang" achieved; the final episode titles are revealed (but the internet got there first!) and news on Chris Chibnall joining Law & Order: London (more on this news story below!)

2: Episode Previews - Matt Jones discusses the possibilities of a "Dead Man Walking"; Joseph Lidster spends "A Day in the Death"; Phil Ford jokes about "Something Borrowed"; and Peter J Hammond comes "From Out of the Rain".

3: Eve Myles - an interview with the star, who plays Gwen Cooper, which was conducted the day that "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang" aired! She talks about how Gwen changes this year; her love for Rhys; her love for PC Andy, and how proud she feels to be Welsh! Oh, and she's quite surprised that she's going to be turned into an action figure, too...

4: Creature Feature - a look at how the Space Whale from "Meat" was created, and how Reset's Mayflys were brought to life.

5: Freema Agyeman - the name behind Doctor Who's Martha Jones talks about her short visit to Torchwood shores. She admits to loving Alan Dale, John Barrowman and Burn Gorman along the way!

6: Alan Dale - Professor Aaron Copley himself is on hand to talk about his career so far (which involves shows like "24", "Ugly Betty" and "The West Wing"), what it meant appearing in Torchwood, bumping into Kylie Minogue again whilst shooting (she filmed "Voyage of the Damned" around the same time) and up and coming roles, too. Expect to see him in the latest, fourth Indiana Jones film, and in the West End's Spamalot.

7: Bryan Dick - an interview with "Adam" himself! And Jack Montgomery too (who played "Young Jack). There's also behind the scenes of "Adam" with series designer Julian Luxton and the Mill's Visual FX Co-ordinator, Marie Jones.

8: James Moran - the writer of episode two, "Sleeper", talks!

9: Anthony Lewis - a chat with "To the Last Man" star Anthony Lewis.

10: Where's your head at? - this month, Gareth David-Lloyd.

11: Production notes - Producer Richard Stokes reveals his inner-geek, what it meant to him to be working with James "Spike" Marsters, and a very special dinner he attended (lucky sod!)

12: Next issue - interviews with Burn Gorman and Richard Briers; behind the scenes at the Mill; on set stories from "Something Borrowed" and "From Out of the Rain"; previews of the three finale episodes; and - hopefully - part two of the comic strip.

13: Adverts - this month Torchwood is brought to you by (deep breath...) "Supernatural Magazine", "CSI: Miami Magazine", "24 Magazine", "Smallville Magazine", "Star Wars Insider", "Heroes: The Official Magazine", and "Lost Magazine". Geez!

Five things we learnt this issue...

1: Chris Chibnall is definately leaving Torchwood. He simply doesn't have the time to produce both "Law & Order" and "Torchwood". So, if series three does indeed go ahead, the show will have a new head writer next year. Wonder if PJ Hammond is busy...?

2: Helen Raynor based "To the Last Man" off of something she read on the official Torchwood website last year - specially a story from the Torchwood Archives that saw a man being awoken one day, every year. The main difference between that story (by James Goss) and Raynor's is that the man was originally from the future, not the past.

3: James Moran originally wanted the sleeper soldiers to have Wolverine styled spikes, but it would have been too complicated to make.

4: Anthony Lewis auditioned for the role of Ben Wainwright in Doctor Who's third season episode, "Blink" by Steven Moffat. He didn't get the role, but the production team remembered his face...

5: Gareth David-Lloyd has two dogs, which are called Darcey (after ballerina Darcey Bussell) and Maynard (in honour of Maynard James Keenan, singer within the band "Tool")

A few teases from the episode previews:

Dead Man Walking - "The whole episode is about the process of bereavement. But in Owen's case, it's his own death, not somebody else's, and it reveals a side of him we haven't really seen before. You see that he's really only finding himself and taking responsibility for his life just in time for it to come to an end." Matt Jones.

A Day in the Death - "It's about things returning to normal as much as possible after the shocking events of the last two episodes. When death happens, it's very tragic, but the next day you have to carry on. This is really Torchwood's first 'normal' mission since the death of Owen, and they've got to get on with it." Joseph Lidster

Something Borrowed - "It was a wonderful episode to do for so many reasons, but most of all it's about Gwen and Rhys' love for each other, and their detirmination to stay together, against all the odds." Phil Ford

From Out of the Rain - "I've always been fascinated by old films and photographs. I like to look at them and wonder what the people in them had for breakfast and what they've got in their pockets. It's a whole world caught in a moment, and that's what this episode is all about, really - people trapped forever in film." Peter J Hammond

Torchwood: The Official Magazine issue 2 is out now, priced £3.75.

Issue 3 is released March 20th.

You can read the magazine's official Facebook group here.

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