Join The Community
Here are the answers from blogger John Cooper
1/ What first got you into SF?
Sitting in the front row of the cinema watching Flash Gordon as a young boy. My eyes got sore with the glare, and the spiky pit duel made me dizzy, but the visuals were glorious and are seared into my brain. I can quote most of it.
2/ Who was your first geek crush?
How did you know I fancied Peter Davison? No Seriously. I was a late developer, so ST:DS9. Not the popular choice of Terry Farrell, but Nana Visitor as Kira. She was sexy and feisty and had a soft spot for odd looking men. Then they did that mirror universe where she's dressed all in black - lordy!
3/ If you were a spaceship from a TV show or movie, which would you be (and why)?
I'd be the brown hammerhead ship that Shad/John Boy Walton (Richard Thomas) flies in Battle Beyond The Stars. It's funny looking, rubbish in a fight, yet strangely attractive and second only to B7's Liberator in that it appears to be flying backwards.
4/ If SFX were to run a convention, which guest would you most like to meet there?
Prentis Hancock, or Ron Perlman. Or both. In a pub, sharing a pint, setting the world to rights. My idea of heaven.
5/ What's the most exciting thing to happen to you (SF wise) in 2009 so far?
Falling in with a Doctor Who convention and getting to interview Fraser Hines, then doing a gig with Mark Strickson as compère. He discovered Steve Irwin you know.
6/ What feature would you most like us to add to this website?
Video blogs? They'd be harder to do, and need to be vetted for quality, but good for skits and rants. More TV reviews.
7/ What SF character has most inspired you in your life?
The fifth doctor. His vulnerability was a virtue. He quite often appeared to be bricking it, making it up as he went along and was easily distracted but still managed to defeat (nearly) all his foes. Gloriously odd and didn't care who knew it.
8/ What's always your number one book or DVD recommendation to a friend?
I always recommend the flick Lifeforce to people. It's the ultimate SF beer movie. If I can hook mates in with it then I'll try working them onto the harder and smarter stuff like Sapphire and Steel.
9/ If you were the boss of SFX magazine for a day, what would be your first command?
I'd introduce a new monthly feature called 'Natural Selection' which would basically pick on a truly terrible example of an SF show/film/book and both readers and writers would be invited to slate it. The focus would be on how wildly creative and ranty you could get with your damning critique.
10/ Who'd win in a fight, a caveman or an astronaut?
Caveman. The astronaut would be fitter, but the caveman would play dirty. The astronaut would win without the space suit on, but then he'd just be a 'man'. Unless the fight was in space then it would be obvious, but you'd have to explain how the caveman got there. Is this a trick question?
