Cure for Hellatus – the Magazine basics

Ha, no this isn’t a talk about a magazine called “cure for hiatus”, this is about the Supernatural magazine. Actually, more of a talk about the regular features of the magazine. As more issues come out (or I get the back issues), this section will be updated.

First of all let me say that for style, this magazine has got it. With the exception of advertisements (though not as intrusive as other publications) the whole periodical has the feel of John Winchester’s journal. Which is 6 kinds of awesome. Someday I hope to have a similar theme on this blog, so the magazine gets major points for making me jealous of it.

Posters – Posters with images on either side of it. Not bad, but most of them are of the brothers. I’m more into the guys as fictional characters, not for their looks, and I’m more upset at a lack of the impala. Now there’s a lady I can drool over. OK ok. The posters are a nice feature for the fans but… strike me as a little ordinary. I hope they do more posters of the sheer awesomeness of the show, like: the impala’s trunk full of weapons, the colt firing, John wrestling the demon, just the impala. These things appeal to guys as much as posters of the hot girls on the show, so a few more for the male fans would be nice. Still, for giving a lot of fans what they want, I have to give this section a 4 out of 5.

News & Views – Not listed under regulars but really is. A diverse hodgepodge of goodies. Frequent features:
Hunted Down – What other projects SN actors/actresses are up to.
Locked and Loaded – Talk about weapons used.
Tools of the Trade – Talk about useful hunting items (may or may not always be weapons).
Where are they now? – See hunted down? Well it’s like that but more detail and focused on one actor/actress.
Top 5 – Everyone loves lists!
This is clearly the cornerstone for which the magazine is built on, and it’s a good foundation. Four pages of solid info makes this a decent 5.

Myths & Legends – The title says it all. In fact, if I had any complaint, it’s that this section isn’t larger, spanning several pages and going into deep scholarly discussions. Or have the entry be scholarly, but written in the style of a page straight from John’s journal. (so we get the feeling we’re reading what the boys are) Not too bad but needs more. 4

Director’s Cut – An interview with the director of an episode. Not too bad, but mostly a lot of fluff (example: “What’s it like working with Jared… and Jensen…?”). Nothing wrong with that but from a director, we fans should get more technical details. What scenes took the most work? Best scene he/she got in one shot? Best prank performed while they were working? Favorite/Least favorite episode moments? Etc. Right now the questions seem dull. Here’s hoping later interviews will pick up and raise this rating of 3.

Classic Episode – An excellent synopsis of an episode. (dunno about the title though, maybe… “Episode Rundown”?) For only 2 pages, this feature packs a lot, giving you the story, the best quote, trivia, wound tally, music list and disguises used. A flawless and well done regular, almost worth the price of the magazine alone. 5

Return to Sender – The letters page! Gotta love comic/magazine letter pages (plus if you write a “star letter” you get a SN season 1 companion!). But there’s a “fact or fiction” blurb squeezed on the same page which seems like it belongs in the Myths & Legends. Giving this section a 4.

Ask Eric – Mailbag roundup with the creator of this show. A feature an “official” magazine would obviously have to have. 2 pages but not a pointless question among them. Well done all around. No brainier, it’s a 5.

Coming Up – Hey every magazine, comic and newspaper has to give you a hint toward what they’re doing next week. 1 page, stuck near the back and unobtrusive. Still, does kind of break the style of the mag. 3

Who you gonna call? – Hmmm… that sounds familiar (looks up). This did make me laugh the most, having Sam and Dean (the characters, not actors) answer letters written in. Adds a bit of fun. Only 1 page and I think any more than that will be tempting annoyance. Still, for a great moment of meta-fiction, got to give this regular a 4.

So how did the magazine regulars average out?
A solid salt shells.
Which means:
Regular features alone worth the price of a subscription for hardcore fans.
Worth it for casual fans to pick up during show hiatus.
If you’re a fan wanting to get a specific issue for its unique feature, know that it will have a solid foundation to fill out the rest of the pages and shouldn’t disappoint you.

Now keep watch as I review individual issues as I get them. And as always…
Hunt well.