Editorial: Cassandra Complex - Minorities & Multicultures
By Antony Johnston
They say 'Write what you know', but where does that leave the issue of minority characters? Antony Johnston makes a case for inclusion without prejudice - good or bad.

Article 10: No Smoke Without Fire
By Paul O'Brien
Truth is out there. In student dorms, fairgrounds, and on billboards twenty-three years in the future. The truth appears to be that Marvel has cut a deal with an anti-smoking lobby that has consequences for the reputations of both groups.

Guest Editorial: Memo To The Makers
By Leland Purvis
If you've ever wanted to make comics, VOX creator Leland Purvis has some dirty little secrets he'd like to share with you. Forget the mechanics: comics are all about drama, and if you can get that right, you'll be ahead of the field.

Minority Report: The Mirror Crack'd, Part 1
By Rob Vollmar
Following his 'brief history' of women in comics, Rob Vollmar launches an exploration of the modern trends of female creators, taking a lead from literary theorist Elaine Showalter to examine the 'Feminine' paradigm.

Editorial: Face It, Tiger - The Value Of X
By Andrew Wheeler
Andrew Wheeler takes a look at his old stomping ground, the X-MEN fandom, and provides the reason why you shouldn't be reading x-books - and the reason why you should. Plus, whatever happened to Chris Claremont?

Article 10: Riding The Wave
By Paul O'Brien
When the sales figures came in for SHONEN JUMP, the rest of the industry asked, how high? Now Marvel's trying to cash in with its ill-defined Tsunami line. Will the manga audience be interested, or is there little crossover between manga and comics?

Things To Come: Previews February for comics shipping April 2003
By Chris Ekman
Ignore the horrors offered by the latest Previews covers and dive inside, where you'll find the joys and comforts of Peter Bagge's new series, the first Yves Chaland anthology, the wisdom of Brian Hibbs and, for anyone who arrived late, JIMMY CORRIGAN in paperback.

Editorial: Camera Obscura: Get Smart
By Alasdair Watson
It's all about alternatives with Alasdair Watson this week; alternatives to the comic culture, and alternatives to activism. Could push technology provide the shove that comic readers need?

Everybody Be Cool: Brand Cool
By Kieron Gillen
In the final part of his journey into cool, Kieron Gillen looks at how some comic fans really are cool - though others really aren't - and how being cool isn't necessarily a good thing for comics.

Editorial: Cassandra Complex - And Now, The Good News
By Antony Johnston
The comic industry isn't always doom and gloom. Antony Johnston looks at a triple whammy of good news in the form of comics sales in bookstores, how those same stores are racking them, and CrossGen's new Traveller editions.

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