THE ZOCALO TODAY

Hello, all. Just a short note from Bulgaria to say that I've been
reading the wonderful reviews of BABYLON 5: THE LOST TALES on the
internet. I am so happpy that fans of Babylon 5 are enjoying the new
movie as much as I have.

I will be back in the U.S. next week and perhaps we can pull some
reviews together to see what you all think about the new movie. Get
your pencils ready (I guess you'd have problems getting the paper
into the computer), so get your e-mail messages ready and send them
to me so that I can post your thoughts about the new movie to share
with other readers. Don't forget to mention what you thought about
the extra material on the DVD as well. I know everyone enjoyed the
memorials to Andreas and Rick.

In the meantime, Jan wrote up a report from San Diego Comic Con that
I thought I'd share with you. For those of us that couldn't make the
convention, thanks Jan for sending along the information to share.

************
The only B5 related thing on Thursday was a signing by JMS. Being
mid-day on a weekday, there was a pretty small but steady line.
Several people had sent me things to get signed so I got that
accomplished right off.

Friday afternoon was a group signing for the Lost Tales folks. I
understand that a goodly number of people missed it because Wed. and
Thurs. nobody at the WB booth knew anything about it. By Friday
they'd finally started putting up schedules of events for the current
day and the next. A little more than an hour before the signing was
scheduled to start, I stopped at the Warner's booth to find out when
and where the line would be forming. As luck would have it, the
woman I asked decided that the line would form right then and there
with me at the head. In less than a minute there were ten more
people behind me and they soon moved the line up closer to where the
actual signing would take place. As is his wont, JMS arrived a few
minutes before time along with Samm Barnes (producer of the Diaries
and TLT extra features) and Bruce Boxleitner. There was a bit of a
wait for Tracy Scoggins and Doug Netter who, I understand got stuck
behind a train out in front of the convention center. While waiting,
JMS went out and talked to fans for a few minutes. When Tracy and
Doug arrived, the booth people started trying to call "Michael"
back. Once the line was complete, the signing began and it was my
pleasure to finally get to thank Doug Netter for his part in bringing
B5 to reality.

There was a con exclusive mini-comic for the TLT folks to sign. I
understand that they'll also be available for people who get their
copy of Lost Tales at Best Buy as an exclusive. It's just a lovely,
touching piece if you can get it.

A couple of hours after the signing was the highly anticipated
Babylon 5: The Lost Tales panel moderated by writer/interviewer Joe
Nazzaro who did a wonderful job. Before the panel began, Joe N.
handed out some homemade sock puppets to the front rows of the
audience. Just before starting time several people went out into the
audience to give out Babylon 5: The Lost Tales flashing necklaces
also. After introducing the panel (JMS, Doug Netter, Bruce
Boxleitner, Tracy Scoggins, Peter Woodward and Samm Barnes), the
first order of business was to play an extended clip of one of the
segments. Then played the trailer that's been available online and
then Joe N. had the player stopped but JMS wouldn't let him and
wanted to continue to the third segment.

That segment was about how JMS tried desperately to convince WB
liaison Gregg Maday of his fresh, original idea to use sock puppets
in place of the live actors. It'd be artistic, innovative and
certainly within budget. He demonstrated a Londo puppet (in purple),
a Sheridan puppet (including a necklace), a Lochley puppet (with
hair) and a Galen puppet (in black with a cowl and a Sharpie as a
staff). They filmed a scene with the puppets but Gregg seemed
unimpressed...or was that horrified...definitely speechless...and
simply turned away. At the end of that, Joe N. assured JMS that all
of the fans were behind him and his artistic vision 100% and asked
for a show of hands at which time we all raised our sock puppeted
hands.

This was the beginning of a bout of give-and-take among the cast and
crew that was a lot of fun. Joe N. did a great time with questions
and kept things going nicely and at least some semblance of order, a
not inconsiderable task. I'll be able to transcribe it at a later
time. Everybody wants to know if there'll be more Lost Tales disks
and at this point no decision has been made.

Saturday was JMS's spotlight. He updated everybody on 'The
Changeling' starring Angelina Jolie and being directed by Clint
Eastwood and that he's writing the screenplay for 'World War Z' for
Brad Pitt's production company. He said that he got some really
great news about WWZ but that he can't share it yet. He also
mentioned that he's turned in the screenplay for the Silver Surfer
movie.

Before turning things over to questions, JMS said that he's had three
stages to his career that he likened to a three stage rocket. First
he started writing at 17 and was writing articles and news and
everybody told him that as a New Jersey street kid he had no business
thinking he'd be a writer. Then he started writing for TV and comics
and was told that he'd never make it without the right connections.
Now he's writing amazing movies for amazing talent and suddenly, at
last, he no longer hears the roar or feels the push of the rocket.
When asked if he'd ever consider doing another TV series, JMS replied
that he also had something going on there that we might be able to
hear word on around September. He was very excited about the people
he'd be working with.

The questions for this spotlight were really good, ranging from B5 to
comics to writing questions. Again, I'll post a transcript at some
point but it was a really good panel.

Sunday was one more signing. The line was quite a bit larger this
time but not nearly as long as I've seen at some cons. Before JMS
arrived, some friends and I observed that across the hall was a group
of young people screaming over a celebrity and we got the group in
line to join us in giving JMS a rock star greeting, too. He
pretended to turn around and go away but came back and started
signing.

It was really great touching base with some of the people on the
moderated newsgroup and on JMSNews.com and meeting new people who
just love B5. Seeing the stars and crew of the new DVD was a lot of
fun and it's obvious that they enjoyed being involved with B5 again.
*********************

Well, that's it for now. I want to thank Jan again for sending in
the report from San Diego Comic Con. We all wish we were there!!!!

Off to the Rila Monastery in the mountains of Sofia.
Talk to you all later.
Have a great weekend.
Take care.
Sandy

Sandra Bruckner
Editor/Publisher
The Zocalo Today
http://www.isnnews.net
Sandra