Text 1012, 113 rader
Skriven 2006-05-31 07:49:00 av Robert E Starr JR (1458.babylon5)
Ärende: Re: To: JMS, Re. Crusade
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* * * This message was from Mac Breck to rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.m * * *
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"Joseph DeMartino" <jdemarti@bellsouth.net> wrote in message
news:1148608464.361734.199610@j55g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

> You keep writing on this subject like it is up to JMS to approach Del
> Rey and work this out.

That may be what you are reading into it, but I just asked JMS one
simple, specific question that was designed to elicit a specific answer,
yes or no, *that's all.*  At one point, JMS was NOT open to continuing
the Crusade storyline in novels.



And when did you become the official JMS question interpreter/screener?
Did I miss a memo? :-p





> Del Rey would need to approach *Warner Bros.*
> and negotiate for a license to do some "Crusade" books - at which
point
> JMS would also be brought in as a matter of course given the
> consultation clause in his contract.

And none of this is what I asked.





> JMS has, in fact, said that he would be open to continuing the story
in
> book form if that was the only way to finish it. (He said so in an
> interview around the time the "Rangers" pilot was about to air.)

He has? Where? In print? Radio? TV? Online? Podcast?  Where? Specifics
please.



> But a
> publisher would have to be interested *first*.

That goes without saying.



> And it is unlikely that
> Del Rey would be that publisher since they evidently didn't do very
> well with the "B5" trilogies

Last word I had from Steve Saffel, then (not now) at Del Rey was:

In August 2001, Del Rey was acquiring the rights to publish the Dell B5
novels. The plan was to start with #7 & #9, the fan favorites, and see
what response they got in the way of sales. Also, with 2 of the 3
Technomage novels out, they were looking into sales patterns to see if
there was enough demand for further new novels. At the time, they were
looking into whether or not they could pick up the license to prodece
the short story collection.

In May 2002, there was still no news on the short story anthology,
except that they had talked with the licensor. At this time, they were
focusing on the reissues of Dell #7 & #9. Also they were happy with the
way the Technomage trilogy had been received, but could not release
sales figures.

In May 2003, waning sales and talks with the licensor were what stood in
the way of Del Rey considering new Babylon 5 or Crusade novels and short
stories.

And that was the last I heard. If I had to guess, and I have to because
Del Rey is never going to say anything officially, I'd guess that Del
Rey wanted a reduction in license fee because of lower than expected
sales figures, and WB balked. And that was that.



> - that's why they backed away from the
> short story book, remember?


Backed away?   See above.



> Let it go, Mac.

<Bronx cheer>

-- 
Mac Breck (KoshN)
-------------------------------
"Babylon 5: Crusade" (1999)
Galen: "There is always hope, only because it's the one thing that no
one has figured out how to kill yet."
(Galen's obviously never met Warner Brothers, TNT-Atlanta or Sci-Fi.)

"Brimstone" (1998)
[Stone lights a candle for the dead in a Catholic church]
Gina: Who's that for?
Ezekiel Stone: Me.
          
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