SFX Issue 200

Pop the champagne, we celebrate our bicentenary with 200 of the greatest science fiction secrets and a journey to the next frontier with Star Trek 2

We may have half killed ourselves pumping out 52 extra pages this month but it was well worth it because it’s finally here – 15 years in the making – SFX issue 200.

200 Secrets Of Science Fiction

Spock might be hogging all the glory on our cover but if you ask us there’s an even brighter gem sparkling inside. Or 200 tiny gems if you will because for the past year the SFX hive mind has been taking every opportunity to gather together 200 24-carat nugget secrets from the furthest reaches of the galaxy. James Cameron, Russell T Davies, Stan Lee, Mark Millar, Neil Gaiman, Wes Craven, Edgar Wright, David Tennant and Terry Pratchett all contribute. Our favourite, though: Joss Whedon’s five part guide to the secret of great dialogue. Genius.

Star Trek 2

A milestone issue demands a milestone investigation, so we’ve pulled out all the stops to bring you the most in-depth exploration of Star Trek 2 on the planet. There isn’t even a script yet so we went directly to the source – writers Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman and geek hero JJ Abrams – and extracted every last morsel of information we could (short of calling in Jack Bauer) from their grey matter. Don’t miss it.

Leonard Nimoy

The second part of our Star Trek 2 special – Spock Prime talks Trek, Fringe and passing on the torch.

Merlin

We go behind the scenes of the hit BBC One show on the eve of war to talk with stars Anthony Head, Colin Morgan and co-creator Julian Murphy.

Jonah Hex

The victim of bad reviews or a cursed production? Jonah Hex might only be second to The Last Airbender in this summer’s bad buzz stakes but one thing’s for sure – it’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen. We speak to star Josh Brolin.

Terry Pratchett – Fannish Inquistion

We put your questions to the legendary Discworld architect and former SFX Guest Editor.

Terry Gilliam

A look back at the life and works of the former Python turned one-of-a-kind fantasy-filmmaker.

Jonathan Ross – Heroes And Inspirations

Find out what makes the one-time mouth of Friday night TV tic.

Peter F Hamilton

Take a glimpse inside the study of the Space Opera maestro as we learn how to craft an epic sci-fi series.

Profiles

Heroes ’/ Resident Evil ’s Ali Larter, Warehouse 13 ’s Eddie McClintock and novelist Alden Bell melt under SFX ’s brutal interrogation lamp in the latest batch of profiles.

Couch Potato – Killer Plants!

The glorious return of an old favourite – that’s right The Happening is back on the pages of SFX . And we take the Michael out of it. A lot.

The History Of SFX

Forgive the indulgence but we are 200 issues old after all. Ever wondered when the first ever Spoiler Zone was? Or what issue the cast of Spaced joined us on the couch? Never wonder again with our handy double page timeline.

A World Without Star Wars

No Lord Of The Rings , no Star Trek Next Gen , no Pixar, but most importantly no SFX. Why the world of science fiction has a lot to thank Star Wars for.

Retro Features

We come across all nostalgic for Buffy The Vampire Slayer and classic Eagle comic Doomlord .

Don’t Miss:

Wishlist : Doctor Who Season Six – Steven Moffat’s first year in the hot seat may have ended with a Big Bang but you let the BBC in on the secret of evolving Doctor Who in the latest Wishlist.

Spoiler Zone : True Blood , Warehouse 13 , Futurama , Eureka , Haven and the last ever episodes of Saving Grace in the latest slimline Spoiler Zone.

Big Shot : The Green Hornet – double-barrelled pistols at dawn as Seth Rogen dons the emerald suit in Michel Gondry’s first stab at the superhero genre.

• Our Comic Con Red Alert special kicks off with Joss Whedon’s dream team as The Avengers assemble live on stage.
• The year’s hottest movies: exclusive interviews with the talent behind Tron Legacy , The Green Lantern , Resident Evil: Afterlife , Paul and Megamind .
• TV to die for: the latest word on The Walking Dead , The Event , Caprica , No Ordinary Family , The Cape , Smallville and V direct from San Diego.
• M Night Shyamalan’s reputation might be in freefall but his new thriller Devil finds a group of strangers trapped in a suspended elevator, but one of the group aren’t who they appear to be…
• This year he’s appeared on TV, video games and magazine covers (ahem) but now the eleventh Doctor is making the leap to graphic novels with The Only Good Dalek . We speak to the writer.
• Not to be confused with Dr Fox, Enterprise’s Dr Phlox returns from the wilderness for the latest Afterlife
• Gremlins legend Joe Dante returns to the big screen with family-friendly horror The Hole . We speak to the man himself.

Rated : Scott Pilgrim Versus The World , Kick-Ass , Lost Season Six, Terry Pratchett’s I Shall Wear Midnight , The Flash and Starcraft II .

Next issue : SFX 201, on sale Wednesday 22 September. Why not subscribe ?