I shall not discuss squirrels

When Cats & Dogs came out a few years ago I was extremely disappointed. I know I shouldn't get too worked up over a kids film but the premise for this one - cats and dogs fight a high tech war under our noses - looked as if it had real potential. The film was let down, however, by the shameless pro-dog propaganda stance: dogs are portrayed as the valient, obedient servants of mankind while cats ruled the Egyptian empire as gods and are plotting to re-enslave humanity. What's more this outcome is somehow contrived to be a Bad Thing.

Our feline overlords will be pleased to read Sean McMullen's light-hearted and wickedly humorous short story Mother of Champions in Interzone 222 as it goes some way towards redressing the balance. I particularly enjoyed the depiction of the deadlocked and futile conversation between the (human) scavenger and (feline) Champion - two species that think very differently.

Elsewhere in Interzone 222: cinema reviewer Nick Lowe's PhD thesis on the subject of Watchmen is published in full. Conclusion: he quite liked it - I think. There's also a moody and metaphysical Aliette de Bodard short fantasy, Ys, with an Atlantean legend at its heart. de Bodard's writing is always a pleasure and I look forward to more of her Aztec-themed stories including a forthcoming novel.