Mongoose/JMS conflict update

[Shabaz]

I was browsing the Mongoose forum, and a newspost by head honcho Matthew Sprange caught my eye. To quote the pertinent part:

Babylon 5 Novels
There has been a lot of talk about the forthcoming range of Babylon 5 novels. However, I can now reveal that we have been engaged in talks with Mr Straczynski, and the entire range will now be approved by him û right down to every word, comma and technical detail. We will be launching with a Rangers series and a trilogy covering the activities of Susan Ivanova beyond season four, with the first books appearing in November, ready for the release of the Lost Tales DVD in the UK. We are hoping to reach an agreement for distribution into the US the following year.

Good news, I'd say.

While I know not everybody cares about canon, the way other spin off materials have been handled is probably one of the most important reasons I even bothered with them (and I'm happy I did), so for me personally my interest level went from pretty low to 'might very well end up buying it'. Though it kind of depends on the level of quality of the authors I suppose, since it doesn't seem JMS is doing outlines like with the trilogies. But for now I'm moderately hopeful.

[AmyG]

Hrm. If the newsgroup weren't currently down, I'd want to post that for JMS's comments. I'm curious what he has to say about it.

[Shabaz]

So would I. Since I know some of the actual conflict was because JMS felt they were misrepresenting his involvement in the project (which apparently was pretty much zero). But since Sprange states this in such a definite way, there has to be some truth to it, right? But yeah, I'd definitely would like to hear exactly what they have agreed to from JMS's side.

[Joansie]

I'll believe it when I hear it from the Great Maker himself.

[Joseph DeMartino]

But since Sprange states this in such a definite way, there has to be some truth to it, right?

He was quite definite in his previous claims about JMS's involvement, even in replies to messages from JMS denying any involvement, so I would not assume that there "has" to be any truth to anything he says. The newsgroup picked a hell of a time to go pear-shaped.

(I always wished JMS would have started to just write the scripts for crusade serie and sell them like he's selling original B5 scripts. I would just have loved to get my hands on those).

This is a comment from the Mongoose forum that I just got a chuckle out of because it is based on a total misunderstanding of pretty much everything about TV writing. JMS would have been in violation of Writer's Guild rules if he had written a single word of a Crusade script without being paid by Warner Bros. Union rules require that professional writers get paid for their words when writing on assignment - on the theory that professoinal writers always produce good words. And WB wasn't about to pay JMS to write scripts for a show that wasn't even in production anymore. Nor he could just write scripts without an assigment from WB and publish them on his own, because Warner Bros. owns the B5 universe, including the publishing rights with a single exception. JMS only has the right to publish the commissioned scripts he did write to Warner Bros.'s order for the series because that is allowed by the WGA minimum basic agreement with the studios.

Sprange's fans are even less well-informed about the niceties of these things than he is.

Joe

[Shabaz]

Well, I think most people aren't that aware of the niceties of television writing, to be honest. And you have uninformed people on every forum; I wouldn't hold that against Sprange, of all things; I don't think "Sprange fans" comes into it, really.

And just for completeness sake, here is another post he talks about the deal with JMS a bit (emphasis mine):

Babylon 5
This game enjoyed a second edition (and very nicely done by Gareth Hanrahan, if I may say so) this year, and the release of the huge Guide to the Station box set has proved that the Babylon 5 fan base is still very much alive and well. In 2007, things are going to go into overdrive for this universe.

By now, you should all have heard about the Lost Tales DVDs that will be revisiting Babylon 5. We believe these are going to be exceptionally popular, and plans are being made to support them. For the RPG, you will see deck plans of the White Star, a look at the pakÆmaÆra and Dilgar, more on the Rangers and Telepaths, and a lot more ægamingÆ material, supporting Games Masters with locations, starports, vehicles, and many other bits and pieces.

This, however, is just the tip of the iceberg. After having spoken at some length with the Great Maker, Mr Straczynski, a new range of official novels and Babylon 5 encyclopaedias will be appearing next year. See the æbits and bobsÆ post for more details!

All in all, it is a good time to be a Babylon 5 fan. . .

And the encyclopedia he mentions there was talked about in the first post I linked in this thread:

The AnlaÆShok Archives
If you cannot wait for officially approved novels, how about an officially approved encyclopaedia series? The AnlaÆShok Archives will feature a comprehensive coverage of the Babylon 5 universe, from the Earth-Minbari War to the innermost workings of the KhaÆRi. Each volume will come with an original print from the very best of Babylon 5 artists, and anyone who collects them all will receive, free of charge, a replica of ValenÆs DennÆBok, as presented to him after the Shadow War one thousand years before the main Babylon 5 timeline. This is an extremely high quality collectorÆs item, only available to those who make a thorough study of the AnlaÆShok Archives û it will not be available anywhere else.

As for the level of definitiveness in his statements; I know he has had a way of twisting words to either strongly imply or outright state that JMS was involved with their novel project, even if at that point he most definitely wasn't. But I don't think he has ever stated anything as clear cut as "the entire range will now be approved by him û right down to every word, comma and technical detail" before. There is not a lot of room for interpretation there, unless he's outright lying (which I suppose you could argue he has done before, but this would be the most blatant way so far if it proves not true).

[frulad]

Well, if he's telling the truth - and I have my suspicions - this would explain why the publication of the books has been delayed. Weren't the first few suppossed to have been out by now?

[Lunan]

I was browsing the Mongoose forum, and a newspost by head honcho Matthew Sprange caught my eye. To quote the pertinent part:Good news, I'd say.

While I know not everybody cares about canon, the way other spin off materials have been handled is probably one of the most important reasons I even bothered with them (and I'm happy I did), so for me personally my interest level went from pretty low to 'might very well end up buying it'. Though it kind of depends on the level of quality of the authors I suppose, since it doesn't seem JMS is doing outlines like with the trilogies. But for now I'm moderately hopeful.

considering how many LIES we have heard in the past from these people i will wait for the offical word from JMS himself

on the other hand hearing about what happens to susan would be interesting but the OUTLINES had damned well better be written by jms or they won't be worth a damn

[Satai Delenn]

considering how many LIES we have heard in the past from these people i will wait for the offical word from JMS himself

on the other hand hearing about what happens to susan would be interesting but the OUTLINES had damned well better be written by jms or they won't be worth a damn



Good news if true but I will wait until JMS if or when he says something.Regardless I think I will be buying them,as I have always enjoyed the Mongoose publishing .

[OmahaStar]

considering how many LIES we have heard in the past from these people i will wait for the offical word from JMS himself

I wouldn't believe a word of it until it comes from JMS himself.

Matt Sprange has a history of talking out of his ass, which is sort of appropriate considering how full of shit he is.

Oh, and Matt, if you read this ... go fuck yourself! [edited] [edited back in]

Edited personal attack/remark. --Jan

Jan - Keep your edits to yourself. I'll say what the fuck I intend to say.

[Jan]

Unfortunately the moderated newsgroup is completely down right now and we don't know when it might come back.

Let's not get too excited/upset until we hear from JMS himself, okay? Thing is, after the last to-do, Mongoose might well have realized that sales would be severely compromised without JMS's invovement and might have asked WB to intercede for them to open up communications.

It'd be great for fans if it's true.

Jan

[Darth_librarian]

That encyclopedia set would be too cool. Too cool.

Here's hoping...

[Joseph DeMartino]

Edited personal attack/remark/anatomical improbability. --Jan

Joe

EDIT: Wasn't either! Just rude. No fair editing my edits, Joe.

Jan

[OmahaStar]

Edited personal attack/remark/anatomical improbability. --Jan

It's not improbable ... Just ask Trillion. ... Anyway ... Yeah, I pretty much lost all respect for Matty when he went onto the podcast and spewed his crap out, and then when confronted with the facts, tried to make himself appear as though he was a victim.

He's full of crap, and I for one will not be buying anything from his company without a formal apology from him.

Joe

EDIT: Wasn't either! Just rude. No fair editing my edits, Joe.

Jan

Joe, are you bothering Mommy again? Tsk tsk ...

[Jan]

He's full of crap, and I for one will not be buying anything from his company without a formal apology from him.

If he and JMS have come to terms, I don't know that he owes the fans anything along the lines of an apology since we're not the ones who were misrepresented.

Jan