THE ZOCALO TODAY – February 4, 2006

WHAT'S NEW

BABYLON 5 SCRIPTS - VOLUME 4 - DUE FEBRUARY 11

Volume 4 contains 7 scripts, 10 pages of photos and a 61 page introduction.

Episodes included in this volume:
• Hunter, Prey
• And Now for a Word
• In the Shadow of Z'ha'dum
• Confessions and Lamentations
• Divided Loyalties
• The Long, Twilight Struggle
• Comes the Inquisitor

Here's the latest from JMS on the volume:
You beat me to it...I was going to mention this. I kind of fell behind on the intro and commentaries (18,000+ words) due to finishing up the first television script for the new series. But I'm caught up now, and all is good. One difference in this edition...a lot of folks were asking for more lost story material after the first couple of books came out, and I located a partial early draft of a script entitled "Festival!" which I completely dropped and re-tooled as "The Parliament of Dreams." So we're including that partial script and the notes that I wrote with it about where it was going to go in volume 4. This was also the only script written featuring Mr. Jones, who was going to become a recurring character on the show. Again, it's an inside look into the creative process and decisions that created the series.

BABYLON 5 SIGHTING: PETER WOODWARD

PETER WOODWARD (Galen on Crusade) was a guest star on last night's episode of STARGAT ATLANTIS. He played the Chamberlain to the Lord Protector in the episode "The Tower."

PAT TALLMAN'S VALENTINE'S DAY PROJECT

As you all know, Pat Tallman has worked with the Penny Lane organization for years -- trying to brighten up the lives of troubled children in the Los Angeles area. Here is a project she'd like your help on.

Share Your Love with Abused Children at Penny Lane
Send a Valentine's Day Card!

"All you NEED is LOVE"
Penny Lane Valentine's Day Outreach 2006

Every Child deserves to be loved. Penny Lane serves children of all ages who have been abused abandoned and neglected, families in crisis and young adults building lives that break the cycle of abuse.

THIS YEAR, Penny lane is reaching out to you and to the community with our Valentine's Day OUTREACH!

"All you NEED is LOVE"
Share the love you have to a Penny Lane child who needs it!

OUR GOAL: Gather 1,656 Valentine's Day Cards - one card for each child, teen, young adult, and family served by Penny Lane. Each card represents a moment of love that can brighten a day and build a positive future.

HOW? Simply send a Valentine's Day card to Penny Lane
DUE DATE: Send all Valentine's Day cards by February 13th
WHERE: Mail cards and donations to
PENNY LANE CENTERS
Attn: "All you need is love"
15317 RAYEN STREET
NORTH HILLS, CA 91343

THE LOVE YOU SHARE WITH A PENNY LANE CHILD CAN CHANGE A LIFE!

SPECIAL AUCTION FOR RICHARD BIGGS FAMILY

Ranger Jan sent along the note below about a special auction coming up to benefit the family of Richard Biggs.  Here are the details:

Most of you will remember JMS's garage sale last year.  There were a lot of fans disappointed that they couldn't afford the items auctioned.  Now, thanks to a big-hearted fan, you can have the next-best thing AND benefit Richard Biggs' family.

Some of the most important pieces of B5 history are the concept paintings done by Peter Ledger to help JMS and Doug Netter get the idea of the B5 Station across to the network execs.  Even with that 'Show and Tell', it was an uphill battle.  JMS auctioned off the interior painting last year for over $5,000.  Because he had commissioned the art, all rights to make prints were transferred along with the ownership.

Jahkneebee, who was the winning bidder, has done something wonderful.  He's had a VERY limited number of high quality, full size giclee prints of the painting made and I'm auctioning them to benefit Rick Biggs' family.  ALL proceeds will go to the family.

These prints have a retail value of $375.00 and the beginning bid for the first two prints I've listed is only $75.  Not only that, Jahkneebee is following JMS's example and will ship the prints to the winning bidders, worldwide, for only $5.00 each!!

This is a *beautiful* print!  Check out:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6602761319&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&rd=1 and remember that every bit of the bid will go to Rick's family!! 

NEW DISCUSSION TOPIC

Here's a real discussion question for you. Why do people either like or dislike science fiction? Is written science fiction better than movies or TV? Why?

Send your comments along to share with your fellow readers to sgbruckner@... and I'll post it on the Discussion Page. If you have other issues you'd like to talk about, send them along.

KEEPING UP WITH CAST AND CREW

BILL MUMY - PERFORMANCE TONIGHT

The annual Jenerators Birthday Bash. Mark your calendars and come on down to help Bill, Tom and Miguel celebrate becoming one year wiser, more handsome and even sexier! (Hey, it *could* happen!)

THE JENERATORS are set to perform on Saturday - 9:15 pm - February 4th at
Rusty's Surf Ranch
on the Santa Monica Pier
Santa Monica, California
RESERVATIONS ARE RECOMMENDED
CALL 310-393-7437
* ONE SET ONLY *
Band Members: Tom Hebenstreit, Miguel Ferrer, Chris Ross, David Jolliffe, Bill Mumy, Gary Stockdale
Come on out and pick up a copy of the band's latest CD, "Pony Up"!

We all know how talented Bill is. He is not only a fabulous actor, but he is a musician and writer as well. He recently published a graphic novel LOST IN SPACE: VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SOUL -- which got compliments from Stan Lee. If you'd like to read more, go to http://www.comicon.com/pulse/ for a recent interview where he talks about acting, comics and more.

NEW JMS INTERVIEW
Ranger Paul pointed me to a new interview with J. Michael Straczynski (JMS) that you may want to read. Go to www.InFuzeMag.com. You will have to subscribe to the newsletter, but it has a nice range of subjects available -- and you can cancel after you've read JMS' interview if you like.

 

PATRICIA TALLMAN - PERFORMANCE CLOSING TOMORROW
Pat is starring in an upcoming performance of THE HUMAN CHAIR (from a story by Edogawaa Rampo; written and directed by Karla Boos) at the Quantum Theatre in Pittsburgh (Carnegie-Mellon University).
When: January 19 – February 5. Opening and Press Night: January 20.
Performances Wednesdays-Sundays (2 shows Saturdays at 5:30 & 9:00; Sundays at 2:00; all others at 8:00 p.m..)
Where: The Reese Building, 925 Penn Avenue, downtown.
Tickets: $26 ($22 Wednesdays and Thursdays) and a limited number of $15 student tickets. Call 412-394-3353 or visit www.proartstickets.org

BABYLON 5 BIRTHDAYS

Bill Mumy - February 1
Myriam Sirois - February 2
Michael Beck - February 4
John Schuck - February 4
Ardwight Chamberlain - February 16
Karen Harrell - February 21
John Iacovelli - February 25
Matt Plummer - February 26
Majel Barrett Roddenberry - February 23

NEW DVDS COMING

THE PRETENDER - SEASON THREE

Fox Home Entertainment will release THE PRETENDER Season Three on February 14, 2006. This will be a four-disc DVD set featuring all 24 episodes, including select episode commentary by writers Craig W. Van Sickle and Steven Long Mitchell, and a three-part "Making Of" featurette. In case you missed this show, Jarod is a Pretender - a genius whose exceptionally high I.Q. allows him to master virtually any profession. Still on the run from his ex-captors, Jarod continues to help innocent victims even as he digs deeper into his own background and the secret inner workings of the Centre. At the same time, he also uncovers disturbing facts about Miss Parker's family, which cause her to question her own life's work. But in the end it is Jarod's long-lost father who suddenly reappears with news of the Centre's latest project - a shocking cloning experiment that has father and son teaming up in a desperate effort to shut down the research facility once and for all.

THE ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN, THE COMPLETE SECOND SEASON

The Adventures of Superman, the Complete Second Season
(Warner Home Video, $39.99)

Before actors Dean Cain and Tom Welling assumed the television role of the Man of Steel, George Reeves delighted 1950s viewers with his interpretation of DC Comics' unstoppable superhero. The 1953 second season of the series arrives on DVD in a five-disc set and delivers all 26 black-and-white episodes, which will make younger viewers scratch their heads at the lame effects and corny plots but allow older fans to take a nostalgia trip into wholesome family entertainment.

The season marked the return of actress Noel Neill as Lois Lane (having previously played her in the 1948 serial and a 1950 film) and plots including Superman battling kryptonite and Earth-destroying meteors and helping a little girl regain her sight. Slick menus mixing comic book page panels and footage from the show lead not only to the individual episodes but extras such as a segment on Noel Neill as Lois, a 12-minute Superman show from 1954 used to promote the U.S. Treasury Department's Saving Stamp program and optional commentary tracks on two episodes by Noel Neill and Jack Larson (Jimmy Olsen).

NEW BOOKS TO LOOK FOR

SERENITY: THE OFFICIAL VISUAL COMPANION
Titan Books, which previously published SERENITY: THE OFFICIAL VISUAL COMPANION to the SF movie, announced that it has bought the rights to publish a companion book to Joss Whedon's cult television series FIREFLY, on which Serenity was based. FIREFLY: THE OFFICIAL COMPANION is scheduled for publication this summer. FIREFLY aired on Fox in 2003; Serenity, which reunited the show's cast with creator Whedon, debuted last fall in theaters and is now available on DVD. Serenity was released by Universal Pictures.

STARGATE SG-1: SIREN SONG

Stargate SG-1: Siren Song is due out in a couple of weeks -- 7 February 2006. The novel revisits Aris Boch, one of our favourite baddies. Better yet, this book was written by two new authors who we found through our open submissions policy. We're very pleased to welcome Holly Scott and Jaimie Duncan as Fandemonium writers and hope to see more books from them in the future. For more information about Stargate SG-1: Siren Song, click on this link: www.stargatenovels.com/sg1-sirensong.shtml.

Books are not available in North America, but you can order them through Amazon.com.uk.

NEW SCIENCE FICTION MAGAZINES

 

TV Zone #199: INVASION is highlighted in this issue. The aliens have landed in the sleepy Florida town of Homestead, but are they planning to invade the Earth, or save it? Star William Fichtner talks about his best menacing stare, and chats about his role as Sheriff Tom Underlay in the latest hit series to mystify the world. DOCTOR WHO's Camille Coduri chats about how she's enjoying the opportunity to act big, as Rose Tyler's `gobby' mum Jackie in the BBC's new series. STARGATE ATLANTIS' Rachel Luttrell is fighting fit in Season Two.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS

February 17-19, 2006
FarPoint
Place: Hunt Valley Marriot
City: Baltimore, Maryland
Guests: Harve Bennett, Executive Producer, "Wrath of Kahn"; Jack Stauffer, original Battlestar Galactica
For more information, go to http://www.farpointcon.com

February 19, 2006

Los Angeles Comicbook and Science Fiction Convention
Place: Shrine Auditorium, Expo Center (700 West 32nd St., Los Angeles, CA )
Show Hours: 10:00 A.M.-5:00 P.M

Babylon 5 Guest: Bill Mumy
Bill will be signing his new graphic novel, LOST IN SPACE: JOURNEY TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SOUL
For more information, go to http://www.comicbookscifi.com/

February 24-26, 2006
MegaCon
Orange County Convention Center
Place: Orlando, FL
B5-related Guests: Jason Carter, Mira Furlan, Tracy Scoggins
Other guests include John Schneider, Tony Amendola, (Stargate SG-1), Cirroc Lofton (DS9), Marina Sirtis (TNG/Stargate SG-1), Steve Bacic (Andromeda/Stargate SG-1)
For more information, go to www.megaconvention.com

That's about it for now.

Be sure to drop over to the website at http://www.isnnews.net to get the latest news from the world of science fiction.

Have a great weekend.

 

Be safe,

Sandy

 

Sandra Bruckner

Editor/Publisher

ISN News:  The Zocalo Today

http://www.isnnews.net