The latest issue of REDEYE is an amalgamation of material intended for both RE6 and RE7, as a lot of what we had planned for the September 2006 release of REDEYE unfortunately fell through. However thanks to the efforts of the editorial team and the growing band of courageous contributors, we finally made it out.

As an indication of how my mind works out the process of pulling together an issue of REDEYE, organising content, and for what both didn't make it and what may still come in future issues, we only have to view the development of the covers.

Every issue starts with a wish-list of content, of interviews and articles I'd like to see which form the spine of the magazine, long before any names or titles are confirmed or organised. The first idea for the RE6 cover (SEE LEFT) obviously had Jack Staff continuing the Union Jack motif from previous covers as well as signalling a planned interview with creator Paul Grist, whom we still hope to speak to in the near future. Despite variations of colour it was decided the motif was past its use and I tried to look at different ways to vary the design.

It was around this time when I wanted to introduce point five of the fabled Twenty Six point plan for the perfect comic magazine: the flip book preview. The idea of this was to not only add more strip content to a relatively text heavy magazine but also to help promote a major upcoming release, attracting more mainstream readers to be introduced to a lot of new work they might otherwise not see. With the third book of Alan Moore's and Kev O'Neill's excellent LEAGUE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENTLEMEN originally planned for a late 2006 release, I thought this would be a great opportunity to preview some of the art and interview the creators. (SEE RIGHT) Unfortunately it was not to be as the book was delayed and the DC editors never returned any emails.

With the year getting on and REDEYE 6 getting further delayed, I contacted Matt Smith, the current Tharg at 2000AD and JUDGE DREDD MEGAZINE, to see if I could preview the upcoming Dredd epic ORIGINS.Soon enough I was interviewing Matt, John Wagner, Kev Walker, WR Logan and looking at gorgeous b/w art from Carlos Equerra. Yet again further delays with other areas of the mag meant the preview art saw print and instead the commentary provided by the creators was restructured into an article.

One thing I really enjoyed doing was creating a visual style for Justice Department computers which hasn't really been established in the comic, as it varies from artist to artist. What was the inside contents page (BELOW LEFT) representing an interface, was re-jigged to a double page spread instead (BELOW RIGHT).

As the magazine finally came together, with the Tom Gauld interview now our lead feature, I developed the new cover with him using a cover from an upcoming book, but reversed and recoloured work with the text. (RIGHT)

Likewise with the new flip preview pages (SEE LEFT), this time done in collaboration with Top Shelf to promote their new release from Aleksandar Zograf, Regards from Serbia. Again I altered the titles cover slightly with feedback from the artist, and for the first time changed the title font to better suit the previewed title.

Work is already apace on REDEYE 7 with another first: a specially commissioned original wraparound cover by Lorenzo Etherington of Blink Twice Studios. Check back for previews in May.

- EDITOR BAZ