Torchwood Magazine # 14

This was another 100 page issue, and contained a wealth of new fiction:

* Who By Fire (by Andy Lane) is a short story about an evil advertising exec who somehow discovered how to control an orbiting alien death ray and uses it to kill rivals at other ad firms. The story is actually a little better than it sounds, but is too brief to give much in the way of explanation as to how this guy found, much less figured out how to use, the alien death ray. Still, I like Lane's ability to give personality even to victims and bystanders.

* The Selkie (by John Barrowman and his sister, Carole E. Barrowman, with art by Tommy Lee Edwards and Trevor Goring) wasn't half-bad, and definitely better than a lot of strips the magazine had been running. The artwork is very nice and moody, and fits the scene well. The story is set on a tiny island off the coast of Scotland. Jack's been called in by "Torchwood Glasgow" (there's a reference to it in the show--it's basically a strange old man) to investigate a series of murders where the victims have been skinned alive. Jack discovers that an alien he took mercy on during his adventures as a Time Agent and allowed to come to Earth is responsible for the deaths. If there's ever a regular Torchwood comic book, I would like to see these artists enlisted.

* Gordian (Part One) (by Steve Savile) definitely sets the stakes quickly: an alien planet-devouring device has somehow come to Earth and will, within hours, consume the entire planet. There's not a lot else happening, as the first part ends with Jack and Ianto confronting the device in a cliffhanger ending. It's definitely a very atmospheric story, full of rain and lightning storms. I'll withhold judgment until I've read the second part.

Apart from the fiction, there was some interesting features:

* The first installment of a new series called "Beyond the Hub", which "takes a look at real life parallels with the world of Torchwood." This issue draws from the season one episode Countrycide and examines real-world cannibalism. It's well-written and interesting, though of course rather disturbing given the subject matter.

* A rather boring explanation of what all the people listed in the credits of an average Torchwood episode actually do (trust me: the difference between the "Sound FX Editor", the "Supervising Sound Editor", and the "Sound Recordist" does not interesting reading make).

* "The Love Hub: Your At-A-Glance Guide to Who Liked Who and How" Sounds, and is, cheesy but also pretty fun.

* A good interview with Gareth David-Lloyd (Ianto) about filming Children of Earth.

* And my personal favorite, a quiz that purports to determine which Torchwood member you are most like (Owen, Gwen, Jack, Tosh, or Ianto). I am, apparently and rather to my surprise, the closest in personality to Gwen. That's weird, because I don't particularly like her.