rior to its purchase last year by Sovereign Media Co., the motto of the periodical Sci-Fi Universe was "The Magazine for Science Fiction Fans with a Life." This slogan was indicative of the edgy attitude often projected by the editors and writers toward their subject matter, and that acerbic tone continues in Eon, the new monthly on-line version of the publication.
The debut edition of Eon features a number of serious articles, including a spotlight interview with Titanic director James Cameron and a look behind the scenes at the making of Sphere. Other stories include a conversation with Stephen Furst of Babylon 5, a peek at the comic book The Lost and an in-depth examination of the fifth season of Deep Space Nine. Critiques of various movies, videos, TV shows, CDs, books and collectibles are also posted, with additional reviews and updates added each week.
Short video retrospectives on the best and worst science fiction films of 1997 are available to download (in Vivo format), along with similar messages on what to expect from the genre this year. An area focusing on pre-teen speculative fare is also accessible, plus various genre news briefs, a column for lovelorn fans, a sci-fi hate page, messages from the publishers and the editorial director, and a chat room and bulletin board.
Not the average science fiction fare
While Eon is not without some remarkably insightful commentary, several of its stories possess a caustic bite that, depending on the skill of the writer, can be either uproarious or upsetting. A tongue-in-cheek piece that analyzes why the recently canceled Tony Danza TV series was the epitome of televised sci-fi is quite humorous, while a brusque review of the revamped print version of Sci-Fi Universe is unnecessarily indignant.
Like many similar Internet publications, Eon intermingles film trailers, scalable photos and other appropriate interactive components within its pages. A ticker at the bottom of the screen informing readers of updated sections is a nice touch, but visual clips of critics discussing movies seems to be overkill, particularly given the tame demeanor of the participants. Text alternatives for some of these video segments would also be nice, especially for users with older computers or modems who could not otherwise experience such features.
To their credit, the editors of the publication are upfront regarding their funding, which comes from Dean Devlin and Roland Emmerich, the filmmakers responsible for Stargate, Independence Day and the upcoming Godzilla. Whether the magazine will be able to candidly cover their benefactors' future projects remains to be seen, but a smart-aleck journalistic attitude, combined with a genuine concern for the genre, assures readers of invariably interesting if not always sympathetic science fiction fare.
