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Steven EllisLaura: I know you love Star Wars and Supernatural. What other genre shows/movies/books are you into?
Steven: I’d have to say Fringe. What started as a fairly standard X-Files-type show has really come into its own, with very compelling stories, both arc-related and stand-alone stuff. I’d say it’s my favourite hour of sci-fi TV at the moment. A great cast and I think Walter Bishop is one of the best characters I’ve ever seen on TV. I’m glad the show is doing well in its new Friday night time slot over in America. Hopefully we’ll get a few more seasons yet and they’ll be able to tell their story completely.
I’d also mention Jasper Fforde’s Thursday Next books which I’m re-reading at the moment. He’s a brilliant writer and his use of words and the book-related world is fantastic.
Laura: If you had to pick one medium from whence to get your sci-fi fix, which would it be? Book, comic book, television show, or movie? Why?
Steven: Oooh. That’s not fair. That’s a real toughy! I love books and TV and comics and film… But if I had to say which has given me most pleasure over the years I suppose I’d have to say film. Star Wars started it all for me and I haven’t looked back, so I think I’ll go for film. Wait… Can I change my answer to comics… No wait, books! What ever answer I give I would regret, I get my fixes from so many different things. Aarrrgh!
Laura: What do you think of sci-fi parody/comedy films, like Galaxy Quest and Fanboys? Are they celebrations of the so-called geek culture or insults to it?
Steven: I really liked both films you’ve mentioned, so I guess I think of them as celebrations. As long as they’re made from a place of love of the genre and are inclusive of the fans, something the fans of the parodied shows can laugh along to without offence, then I think they work well. It’s always better to laugh with than to laugh at in this kind of thing. If it’s just pointless cruel fun poking then less so.
Laura: Marvel or DC?
Steven: Neither. Sorry. I’m a 2000AD boy all the way! I’ve never been a big fan of the superpower/superhero type stuff. I don’t own very much Marvel/DC stuff at all. I have a friend who used to lend me stuff to read to try to win me over. I quite enjoyed The Authority but then it descended into crossovers and team-ups and I lost interest. I really enjoyed the Squadron Supreme reboot series by Michael Straczynski a few years back; I thought it started really well but it lost its way a little.
Laura: What or who made you a sci-fi fan?
Steven: My Dad. It’s all his fault! He took me to see Star Wars as a kid and he bought me my first issue of 2000AD as well.
Laura: You seem to be well-versed in the expanded universe of Star Wars. What is your favorite book series? Thrawn? Rogue Squadron? Other? Do you enjoy the short story compilations, like Tales of the Bounty Hunters, or novels, like, say, Darksaber?
Steven: Yeah, I love my Expanded Universe stuff. Darksaber I didn’t like. Not one of the better SW books. But on the whole there’s a lot of good stuff in the EU literature. I’m not a big fan of the huge long arcs of the Yuuzhan Vong/New Jedi Order stuff or the later nine-book Legacy of The Force/Fate of the Jedi arcs, they’re just too long. I’d rate the Thrawn trilogy, the Tales books, and Karen Traviss’ Republic Commando series as my favourites.
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