| Big
Engine is going down Sad news has reached us at the 'Nest
that innovative British SFF publisher Big Engine is shutting up shop, taking the
relatively new 3SF magazine with it.
We got sad word yesterday that the brave little
British publishing company Big Engine which has been pumping out some of the more
groundbreaking works of recent SFF has finally decided to call it a day. Ben
Jeapes, the owner of Big Engine, had this to say: "I'm sorry to break
the sad news that Big Engine is going down. I'm seeking insolvency as the
response to two stages of reasoning. (1) BE is running out of capital and won't
be able to keep going as it is. This is not insuperable, and it could be overcome
with reinvestment and a renewed spurt of time and energy on my part."  But
this brings me to (2), which is that I don't really want to reinvest. Over the
last couple of years I've had to accept that my strengths are as a writer, not
as a businessman. I base this
on the facts that my writing has (a) been more
enjoyable and (b) paid me more than Big Engine since I started in 2000."
I would feel awkward seeking reinvestment as I couldn't put my hand on
my heart and say I would do the best that could be done with the money. So, best
not to."  He
continued to say: "This also means that 3SF will be suspended, at least pro
tem. The ideal situation would be to find someone who will take on the books and/or
the magazine. I'm putting out feelers but would welcome suggestions."
Finally,
some FAQs. 1. Does this mean 3SF also vanishes?
- at least pro
tem. If it reemerges it will be under someone else's aegis. 2. What
will you do for money?
- exactly what I've been doing all along, i.e.
combining my portmanteau career of part-time for someone else and freelance. I
haven't paid myself out of Big Engine for a couple of years now. 3.
Will you be at Eastercon?
- yes, but the thought that I might not have
to spend any more bank holiday weekends in the dealers room is not unattractive.
4. How do you get to be so handsome?
- it's a secret."
Ben would like to send his best wishes to all the customers, well-wishers
and contributors at Big Engine. You can count the team here at SFcrowsnest
among them, Ben. Fair wind, old friend. Fair wind.
| |
OTHER CONTENT - May 2003
Do Bear's Write in The Woods?
An interview with Greg Bear about some of the fascinating ideas contained in his SF novel, Darwin's Children. Human Endogenous Retrovirus anyone?
(AUTHOR INTERVIEWS)
Of Clockwork Men
Artist Tom Abba on winning both the the Ken McIntyre Award and the Paper Tiger Art Award at the UK's Eastercon, plus how he has never considered himself to be a real science fiction artist. Crikes, how did we resist slipping some Nordic pop group jokes into this interview?
(INTERVIEWS)
The Slow Death of Science Fiction Art
The 'Nest's readers respond to Stephen Hunt's plea for decent cover art on SFF novels. Bad covers get named and shamed.
(COMMENT)
Making Merry SF in Melbourne
Australian SFF came under the spotlight, with the recent close of the 2002 Aurealis Awards. Damien Broderick got best novel for 'Transcension' (Tor), which rather begs the question, why's the most popular Ozzie SF coming out of the USA?
(AWARDS NEWS)
The Core: Mark's Thoughts
A spectacular set of disasters and a heroic expedition to save mankind. Some real science and some nonsense mix. If the film does not quite click, it is probably because we have higher standards than we had for science fiction films in their heyday of the 1950s and 1960s.
(FILM REVIEWS)
The Core: Frank's Thoughts
The Core definitely had the making for fascinating sci-fi stimulation. The attempt to turn the scientific discipline of electromagnetism into a robust and cheeky mainstream entertainment seemed quite challenging in concept.
(FILM REVIEWS)
Teknolust
This SF film plays like a throwback to 1960s mod film making. It is every bit as colorful as intended, but not nearly as intelligent. It plays like a college skit but for the digital special effects that allow four Tilda Swintons on the screen at one time.
(FILM REVIEWS)
Sold Down the Riverworld
Philip Jose Farmer's interesting premise of adventures set on a strange life-after-death-world is squandered on a fairly commonplace barbarian-planet story that appears to be the pilot for a most uninteresting and humdrum TV series.
(TV REVIEWS)
Agent Cody Banks
So the likable Malcolm in the Middle pint-sized TV star Frankie Muniz is at it again on the big screen? This time, the movie handlers are trying to package him as a junior James Bond for the kiddie crowd.
(FILM REVIEWS)
Offworld
Report for April 2003
Interviews with authors Larry Niven, Whitley Strieber, Christopher Priest, Ted
Chiang, Robert Sheckley, Stephen Baxter, as well as the owners of Golden Gryphon
Press, not to mention the cast of the movie Bulletproof Monk; plus Christopher
Reeve guest stars on Smallville. Nice.
(SITE REVIEWS)
Big
Engine is going down
Sad news has reached us at the 'Nest that innovative British SFF publisher Big
Engine is shutting up shop, taking the relatively new 3SF magazine with it.
(PUBLISHING NEWS)
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