Babylon 5 Magazine Issue 17 Review

First Published: 11/21/99

Issue 17 of The Official Babylon 5 Magazine focuses on Bruce Boxleitner and his character, John Sheridan. Unlike recent issues, this theme is highlighted by the cover, which features John Sheridan. There is also a poster of John Sheridan included in the magazine. As another improvement over last month, the poster is bound in the center for easy viewing and removal.

Features

The first of the centerpiece articles is an interview with Bruce Boxleitner. Mr. Boxleitner speaks candidly about John Sheridan, Babylon 5, and the issues surrounding his replacement of Michael O'Hare. This article focuses on seasons two and three, and promises to continue with seasons four and five plus the movies next month. The second headline article is an analysis by Stoddard Hayes of John Sheridan, the Captain. This article, part one of three, discusses the strengths and weaknesses of John Sheridan in the time period before his journey to Za'ha'dum.

There are two other feature articles this month. The first explains how the Jet Propulsion Laboratory became a consultant on Crusade. The second is about Fiona Avery, who's name has been popping up in Babylon 5 news quite frequently. Find out who she is and how she got the job that countless writers and Babylon 5 fans have dreamt of.

Episode Examinations

The "Videodrome" articles document set visits conducted during the filming of episodes currently being released on video in the UK. This month, the magazine looks at the conclusion of Babylon 5 portrayed in "The Wheel of Fire", "Objects in Motion", "Objects at Rest", and "Sleeping in Light". The first article contains a set report from R. L. Dietz, who painted much of the artwork that appears in personal quarters on the show.

The magazine reported that last month was the final installment of the "From the Set" article series covering set visits to Crusade. However, this month they take one last look at "Each Night I Dream of Home". They also include a summary of all 13 Crusade episodes plus the four known unproduced scripts.

Regular Columns

The Babylon 5 Magazine includes several regular columns. "ISN News" contains short news articles about Babylon 5, Crusade, and their casts and crews. This month, several stories focus on the musical tastes and talents of the Babylon 5 cast and crew.

The "Zocalo" reports on the latest Babylon 5 merchandise. This month, it includes a history of the Babylon 5 trading cards from Fleer/Skybox. "The Great Machine" is a forum in which Fiona Avery answers your questions about the Babylon 5 universe, and "Lines of Communication" prints letters from readers.

The issue is concluded by J. Michael Straczynski's "The Last Word". This month Straczynski reflects on the apparent end of Babylon 5 programming and the new projects he is working on.

Conclusion

The Official Babylon 5 Magazine is published by Titan Magazines in the UK, but it is also available in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. It has 64 glossy pages. Next month, the magazine begins printing the highly-anticipated official Babylon 5 chronology. They are billing this as a 12-part feature, indicating that this magazine is one Babylon 5 product that plans to stay in circulation for quite a while.