Jonathan Ross, Game Of Thrones mania and swollen extremities - it’s been a busy week at SFX HQ
Welcome back, dear friends, to the thrill-a-minute world that is SFX . In fact – checks watch, in casual, debonair style – we’re due a regularly scheduled thrill any second now.
Brace yourselves. It might be bumpy.
After an exciting end to last week (a night in London for Eve Myles’ fantastic new play All New People , written by and co-starring Zach Braff of Scrubs fame), then an awe-inspiring start to this week (a night stargazing at Greenwich Observatory and checking out an exciting new videogame) and a trip to the flicks to see The Muppets last night, Mistress Karma has clearly decided Jordan is having far too much fun and has lumbered him with an infected foot. He came in this morning like a trooper/idiot, but has been loaded with drugs and told to go home and keep his feet up for 48 hours.
If it weren’t for the agonising pain he’d be in geek heaven right now.
Tuesday saw Nick and Kirky (camera duty) head to London to hook up with none other than emperor of chat Jonathan Ross and ace comic book artist Bryan Hitch. The pair invited SFX to chat about America’s Got Powers , their new collaboration from Image Comics, launching this April (think X-Men meets The X-Factor , but with the kind of widescreen wow that only Hitch can provide). We can report that Wossy’s office truly is the ultimate Man-Cave, bursting with toys, collectables, original comic art and all manner of geek treasure. Imagine the warehouse at the end of Raiders, only with the crates ripped open and ‘70s Star Trek action figures and pages of Steve Ditko Spider-Man spilling out. It’s a wonder any work got done, frankly – even more of a wonder that nothing was stolen - but you can catch the results exclusively in issue 221.
Dave G, meanwhile, is wondering if Nick will ever talk to him again after leaving him out of our feature on What Has Wales Ever Done For Sci-Fi ? Well, he might. But it’ll probably be in Welsh, bachgen drwg.
Russell's been naughty again and watched lots of non SF telly: Masterchef , Home Of The Future ("Er, sort of sci-fi", he pleads) and The Tube , the documentary series about the London Underground - "I love it,” he says. “Almost makes me want to move back to London. But not quite." At the cinema he desperately wants to see The Artist (more non-SF, tut tut), now that it's won the Best Picture Oscar. "Well, I've seen all the 83 others..." he reasons, not unreasonably. Well, alright, a little crazily.
Rich is building glorious towers of news, and feeling massive Avengers disappointment: ridiculous new UK title, very poor new poster and even the trailer didn't get him properly excited. At least he can take solace in Fringe , which is on a truly golden run of episodes - not since Battlestar Galactica 's glory days has he seen a show on such consistently brilliant form.
Dave B and Jon, meanwhile, are locked in a secret bunker deep within SFX Towers, engaged on top secret work of vital import to the fate of the nation. They pop into the office occasionally, nicking biscuits and muttering conspiratorially. Nice.
Rob’s life has officially been taken over by Game Of Thrones . He kicked off an epic trip to London yesterday by interviewing Alfie Allen and Liam Cunningham for the forthcoming second season, before heading to the season one DVD and Blu-ray launch. Elbowing the likes of CNN out of the way to bag red carpet interviews with most of the cast, he then entered a subterranean party-cave which blew his tiny mind. HBO appeared to have transported Westeros to Waterloo, complete with armed guards, fire-dancers, troupes of drummers and medieval musicians, lavish banqueting tables, serving wenches and of course plenty of foaming ale served in tankards. He proceeded to sink a few jars with The Hound, tell Bran that he rocks, shake David Benioff by the hand and talk nonsense with Theon Greyjoy. Result. As if rubbing shoulders with the cast of his favourite TV show wasn’t enough, on the way out he bagged a hessian sack of delight, packed with Game Of Thrones goodies including the season one Blu-ray box set, a copy of the novel and a Targaryen-themed t-shirt. Needless to say, he spent the late-night haul back to Bristol in a Westerosi haze that had absolutely nothing to do with the ale. Honest.
Random office quote: “My foot looks like Chris Pine’s swollen hand from Star Trek ” – he wasn’t lying, either…
