From The SFX Office

A post-Comic-Con haze pervades SFX towers

The Comic-Con crew are back in town. Yes, the two Daves and Rich have returned from San Diego, bleary-eyed and suffering the effects of jet lag and American food. About the first thing each of them did on getting back, apparently, was ravenously shovel some fruit or vegetables down their gullets having survived for the previous six days on burgers, pretzels and brown things covered in radioactively-glowing cheese – there’s little else on sale near the convention centre).

But there’s little chance to catch up on our sleep patterns, as there’s still the mammoth issue 200 of SFX to get to the printers in just over a week. Not that those left behind have been slouching (in fact, they’ve done a ton of work), but with over 60 extra pages to fill, it’s all noses to the grindstone, hands to the tiller and backs to the thing that needs backs to get it going. We’ve got a couple of massively ambitious features in the issue, which seemed like great ideas at the time – and will once again seem like great ideas when the mag finally comes back – but which currently feel like the stupidest ideas in publishing since the editor of The Camelot Gazette invented the concept of round table interviews. Rich, especially, has to try and cram five days worth of interviews into one, packed, Comic-Con themed news section. No wonder his keyboard is in meltdown.

In the art corner, Dave B and Jonathan are slaving over the issue 200 cover. Or should we say covers. And no, that doesn’t mean there’ll be multiple covers to choose from (or buy, if you’re a completist)… but we’ll keep the details of exactly what we mean a mystery for the moment. That’s your cue to go, “Oooooohhhhhh!” Which you probably will do again when you see the thing for real. But here’s one clue… There’s something missing. Even for subscribers (who usually have a lot missing from the cover anyway).

Nick may not have jetted to California, but he was having his own special kind of fun. Yesterday he was on set for the filming of the Doctor Who 2010 Christmas special, feeling very seasonal on a blazing hot day in Wales. He refuses to reveal anything about the plot, but there’s definitely a hint of A Christmas Carol about it all. He did admit, though, to queuing next to Karen Gillan at the food wagon. Don't think she was having the sticky toffee pudding.

Ian is in a good mood after having a very interesting chat with Cloverfield director Matt Reeves last night about Let Me In , his forthcoming remake of Let The Right One In . Those who were in the office to overhear couldn't help but notice Ian's attempts to ingratiate himself with Matt by saying things like, “Of course, in the original book there’s a scene where...” and, “When I interviewed Tomas Alfredson, director of the original film…” Worra show-off.

Dave G, meanwhile, has just issued a massive sigh of relief, and is dancing around the office singing, “I never have to spoiler review any more episodes of Saving Grace ever again! Hurrah! Hurrah! All praise to the Axe! All praise to the Axe!” It’s an annual ritual; you just have to replace the name of the show depending on the year ( Flash Gordon , Charmed , etc, etc). Wonder what he’ll be singing in Saving Grace ’s place next year? The Cape ? No Ordinary Family ? Or maybe we won’t have a year to wait if Haven doesn’t improve. Rapidly.

Random quote of the week: “Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…”

Random observation of the week: Americans walk really slowly. But there‘s no point overtaking them on the sidewalk. You just get to the next junction first, where you have to wait for the little Walk man to light up, by which time all the ambling pedestrians you’ve just passed catch you up.

Whose T-Shirt? (No answer to last week, as there was nobody here):

(Oh, and in case we ever play Whose Desk? again: the people in the above photo may or may not be at their actual, own desk)