Are the JMS short stories and comics canon?

[Delenn_of_Mir]

I am trying to compile a chronological list of the tv show and movies along with the canon books because in my view you need them all to make a truly complete saga.

So then I was wondering about the short stories. I have the one about Marcus reviving Ivanova (i think it would have benefitted from a novel treatment) But I don't have any others or even know how many there are, much less which if any are canon. Does anyone here know? Almighty Jan?

Answered part of my own question here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/syl.../1JON78EB3BAGN

[Jan]

I'm pretty sure that all the short stories are considered canon though the only one I recall JMS specifically commenting on is 'Space, Time...' due to its controversial nature.

That's a great link! I'd never seen that one before. One I use for reference, our own KoshN created and posted on B5TV.com http://www.b5tv.com/showthread.php?t=11723 It's very useful for the timeline info that each book or story covers.

As for the comics, they're accepted as canon, too. JMS had creative control over them except, oddly enough, the ones he wrote. He's never disowned them, though.

Jan

[Delenn_of_Mir]

Thanks Jan! I was thinking since JMS wrote them that they would be canon, but wanted to be sure. Now all I have to do is get my hands on the final comic I don't have and the short story magazine.

I'm glad you found the link I found useful. I will go look at the link you shared now.

Faith Manages!

[Marsden]

I think the only comics that you wouldn't count is that deleted story about G'kar and Garibaldi being stuck together in the middle of the station being menaced by a cleaning robot.

Here is where I go for comics information: Lurker's guide

So you can understand the vauge discription I made above.


Yes.


Good.

[Delenn_of_Mir]

Thanks Marsden.

[Delenn_of_Mir]

OMG! I just read the Nautilus coil. No fair it was only a short story. I loved the Psi Corp trilogy and reading this was just AWESOME, but I want more!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've read the other short stories now too. Truth Seeker with Alisa Belden the detective was my second fave. Loved that one too!!!!!!!!

The season 5 story with Ivanova and Lochley in a scene together was pretty fun to see, and the G'kar and Lyta travelling story was fun too.

Incurable Romantic is my least favorite just because i don't feel right about what Marcus does. To me it's like the first act of a much larger story. It demands resolution.

Nautilus Coil is like a teaser for a new much larger story as well, but it still managed to have some sort of resolution, while leaving me hungry for more that I will likely never see.

Any way. The short stories are a must read for any B5 fan. IMHO.

[Marsden]

I think you have seen this but what I really like regarding the comics is this:

Watch season 1, then read the first four issues and it's picks up and tells what happens to Cmdr. Sinclair. Then read To Dream in the City of Sorrows and it continues right after issue 4 up until about the end of season 2 and then watch War Without End and it's all one nice seamless story. And I really like Cmdr. Sinclair/Valen, so I like it.

Then, there are two stories in issues 5 to 8, one happening at that time, in the later middle part of season 2 and the other as a flashback while that one is continuing. The flashback story is mentioned at least 2 times during the
B5 show, once in The Gathering, and the other in more detail in Messages from Earth in season 3.

It's like one big tapestry, it all fits together and makes sense and it's beautiful to behold.

[Delenn_of_Mir]

I think you have seen this but what I really like regarding the comics is this:

Watch season 1, then read the first four issues and it's picks up and tells what happens to Cmdr. Sinclair. Then read To Dream in the City of Sorrows and it continues right after issue 4 up until about the end of season 2 and then watch War Without End and it's all one nice seamless story. And I really like Cmdr. Sinclair/Valen, so I like it.

Then, there are two stories in issues 5 to 8, one happening at that time, in the later middle part of season 2 and the other as a flashback while that one is continuing. The flashback story is mentioned at least 2 times during the
B5 show, once in The Gathering, and the other in more detail in Messages from Earth in season 3.

It's like one big tapestry, it all fits together and makes sense and it's beautiful to behold.

I'm not sure what you mean by issues. Issues of what?

Also two stories in issues 5 to 8, are these stories that continue from one magazine to another? Or is there is one story in issue 5 of something and then an issue 8 of something? I don't remember reading anything that was a flashback.

I have "In Valen's Name" and "The Price of Peace" and ordered two books that have comics in them. And of course I have "To Dream In The City of Sorrows".

My In Valen's name comics do have numbers, 1, 2, and 3, on them.

Oh, my POP book does say originally published as Babylon 5, 1-4, 11. Is this what you meant by 1-4?

[Marsden]

I'm sorry. By "issue" I meant Comic book issue number 1. Here is a chart:

Date (US) Issue Title
94/12/08 1 In Darkness Find Me
95/01/03 2 Treason
95/02 3 In Harm's Way
95/03 4 The Price of Peace

95/04/04 5 Shadows Past and Present
95/05 6 Against the Odds
95/06/06 7 Survival the Hard Way
95/07/05 8 Silent Enemies

95/08 9 Duet for Human and Narn in C Sharp
95/09 10 Coda for Human and Narn in B Flat

95/10 11 The Psi Corps and You!

98/01/28 12 In Valen's Name
98/02/25 13 In Valen's Name, Part 2
98/03/25 14 In Valen's Name, Part 3

So from one to four inclusive is a story, then five to eight inclusive is a story, then nine and ten are a story, number 11 is a kind of parody of propaganda but it's published by Psi corps about how wonderful they are. Then 3 years later the In Valen's Name story came out as a miniseries. I forgot you would probably not seeing individual "issues" but collections, although I don't know if the story in 5 thru 8 are in a collection. I know 1 to 4 with 11 tacked on is a collection, and that's the one that really fits between the end of season 1 of the actual show and To Dream in the City of Sorrows.

[Delenn_of_Mir]

Oh right. Thank you for clarifying.

Yes, I have 1-4 and 11 in one book called "The Price of Peace" but I have "In Valen's Name" in 3 separate comics. And then I ordered one book called "Babylon 5" that is supposed to also be a compilation and another one called, "Shadows Past and Present". Hopefully that will net me all of them, but I'm not sure.

The Psi Corp comic is awfully funny. It's very different from Bester's true origin story. "giggles"

[JoeD80]

I believe #9/#10 were released only as single issues and weren't in any of the collections.

[Delenn_of_Mir]

Rats! I ended up buying a book I didn't need and neglecting the two I did.

[Marsden]

I believe #9/#10 were released only as single issues and weren't in any of the collections.

I believe the only collection they were included in was trash removal.

They were really bad.

[Delenn_of_Mir]

Well one of the graphic novels I ordered arrived today and it contained numbers 5-8. So I have all of them now except for the those two trash removal ones.

As soon as the book arrived I sat down and read it in 15 minutes. I wasn't expecting the Talia surprise at the end. I liked learning more details about Sinclair and Garibaldi's meeting and I like Sanchez, too.

Wasn't there a character called Sanchez in the show, as well?

One nice thing about comics is they're so short and don't take long to read at all.

[Brandon Klassen]

"Laser-Mirror-Starweb!" was originally conceived by David Gerrold as a B5 episode. In Other Voices Volume 1, Gerrold writes "when DC Comics started doing a Babylon 5 series, Joe (Straczynski) recommended they pick up this story."

Other than that recollection from Gerrold, I don't recall seeing Joe ever comment on it directly.