How about a non-script reprint after the series ends?

[JonLaidlow]

Unlike most fans, I have no real interest in the scripts of the shows, but I'd love to read the JMS introductions and other commentary materials. I think it'd be a great idea to reprint those at some point (long) after the script series has finished in a separate volume.

Heresy? Or a neat idea?

J

[Jan]

I've heard several fans say that they're only interested in the introductions and commentaries. Some who've bought the cript books anyway have become interested in the scripts, too, though.

I think it's a good idea. Defiinitely not heresy IMO.

Jan

[B5_Obsessed]

At the rate jms is going, that alone would still be a fat book. Sadly, I can't justify the expense of investing in the series, but I would buy that as a one-off.

[petiole]

That's a good idea. I too am more interested in the introduction and commentary materials. If they were printed in the first place, I would have bought them.

[Kresche]

After having bought all the books so far and having to wait anxiously through the delays between volumes, this would piss me off to no end -- no matter how much time passed.

Part of the reason for paying what we have been for these books is because of the introductions, so to have all the "good parts" distilled into (probably two books if they were the same size as the script books) for the cheapskates would be a slap in the face to everyone who coughed up hundreds of dollars for them across 14 volumes.

I don't think it will happen. JMS has more integrity than that.

[Jan]

I dunno, isn't that kind of like saying that since JMS (via the Fan Club) sold some of the scripts for $20 each several years ago, his including those scripts in the script books is a slap in the face to those who'd paid so much more? Or that the people who are buying the books now are cheapskates if they didn't buy the more expensive product back then?

'Fraid I disagree. And I'm one of the ones obsessive enough to have bought all of the above.

Jan

[Kloreep]

Sounds like a good idea to me. It would probably still take multiple volumes, but I think it would be good to provide a way for people to only buy the commentary content.

[Kresche]

I dunno, isn't that kind of like saying that since JMS (via the Fan Club) sold some of the scripts for $20 each several years ago, his including those scripts in the script books is a slap in the face to those who'd paid so much more?

No, at least I don't think so. The selling point of the copies sold by the fan club was that they were LIMITED EDITION, licensed/legal copies of what was actually used in production as opposed to crummy photocopies that anyone with access to a photocopier can sell with no provision for the writer. If the script books were nothing but bound photo-copies indistinguishable from the earlier version, you could say that the original buyers have a point in being mad.

In fact, I bought the Bible that's being used as part of the material for Volume 15 from the fan club and while I might think it's kind of a bummer that part of my reward for buying all 14 volumes is getting another copy of something I already own, the copy I already have is a reproduction of the original Bible -- and both (will) have value as limited editions.

By the same token, the top selling point of the script books, aside from the scripts themselves, are the introductions "written exclusively by JMS for each volume of this collection and detail the inner workings of the cast, crew and studio.

The highlight of these introductions are his thoughtful, revealing and deeply personal episode-by-episode commentaries, which provide a rare and uncensored glimpse into the behind-the-scenes world of Babylon 5. Nothing is held back."

Which I take to mean, "available here and nowhere else." If they said, "...all of which will be available in a succeeding volume..." I might think twice about some of the books if it were a difficult month to conjure up $30. I think they knew that $30 ($40 even) for a book might be a little hard to swallow for 14 times over, hence, the "rare" intros.

If they did put out the intros only at a later date, one who had previously purchased the prior volumes could look at those two paragraphs on the website and reasonably conclude that something stated explicitly has been reneged on. Which, again, I don't think they would do.

Also, the word "cheapskate," in retrospect, was a poor choice of words. My apologies to the more frugal members of the board here.

[Karen]

It may not be a matter of "frugality". Some people on this board may not be able to afford the books and also such luxuries as food and shelter. I would have no problem if JMS decided to sell just the intros and memos and photos in the future. I see no reason to deny people the opportunity to buy a product they want and can possibly afford. I bought the script books because they were SCRIPT books. That I am enjoying the intros so much is a benefit, but was not the main reason in my initial decision to get them. If people have passed on getting the books because they did not neccessarily want to read the scripts of shows, but just watch them, and are now interested in portions of the books, why not issue those portions. How does it lessen YOUR enjoyment? You agreed that buying the script books was worth $30 or $40. You seem to be trying to keep others from their enjoyment because of "exclusivity". He also wrote the scripts "exclusively" for the TV show. Does that mean he should stop publishing them?

[Jan]

If they did put out the intros only at a later date, one who had previously purchased the prior volumes could look at those two paragraphs on the website and reasonably conclude that something stated explicitly has been reneged on.

I guess we'll just have to agree to disagree. The way I see it, JMS could write a story 'exclusively for XYZ Magazine' and then, later on, publish it again in an anthology. In fact, a lot of people are hoping that he'll do exactly that with the short stories he wrote for the Babylon 5 Magazine and for Amazing Stories.

At any rate, it's not worth worrying about until and unless he does decide to republish the introductions/commentaries at some point down the line. Meanwhile, I think my Volume 11 should be delivered tomorrow!

Jan

[Kresche]

It may not be a matter of "frugality". Some people on this board may not be able to afford the books and also such luxuries as food and shelter. I would have no problem if JMS decided to sell just the intros and memos and photos in the future. I see no reason to deny people the opportunity to buy a product they want and can possibly afford. I bought the script books because they were SCRIPT books. That I am enjoying the intros so much is a benefit, but was not the main reason in my initial decision to get them. If people have passed on getting the books because they did not neccessarily want to read the scripts of shows, but just watch them, and are now interested in portions of the books, why not issue those portions. How does it lessen YOUR enjoyment? You agreed that buying the script books was worth $30 or $40. You seem to be trying to keep others from their enjoyment because of "exclusivity". He also wrote the scripts "exclusively" for the TV show. Does that mean he should stop publishing them?

First, I'm not running down people who are "frugal". That's why I took back "cheapskate" -- it was a crummy thing to say. When I say "frugal" I mean "economical, useful and proper" in terms of spending money. To me, that's an admirable quality and rare in the U.S. these days. So if you (hypothetical) can only afford to house and feed yourself, it's not USEFUL or PROPER to spend a large amount of money for expensive books -- and if you choose not to go into debt for them, I can't commend you highly enough.

But I'm being made to be the bad guy here. I didn't force babylon5scripts.com to set these rules for themselves. And I don't think anyone would unreasonable who expected them to follow them. What if you only wanted/could afford Volume 15? The same arguments still apply ("But they don't want to read ALL the scripts, they only want the bonus stuff"), but I'm pretty sure they're not going to honor your request. They aren't "trying to keep other people from their enjoyment" because they've said from the beginning that you could only get that Volume if you bought the others.

Here's a compromise: A three volume set with all the introductions and bonus material -- two for the intros and the third is the full 200+ page Arc (that we all heard so much about) that JMS had written as the guide as he was writing the show. Newcomers have to buy all three. People who bought a significant portion of the scripts books could pass Go and buy the third book (or all three, if they were completists) at lessened price. Sound good?

[Karen]

I was not trying to make you the bad guy. I was just pointing out that reprinting portions of the scriptbooks for people who aren't buying the whole series in no way lessens your enjoyment of the whole. It just seems that your citing exclusivity was a way of saying that you got what you want, but others can't have it too, because they were not willing to pay the same amount you are paying. I apologize if I misread what you were trying to say.

[Jan]

But I'm being made to be the bad guy here.

With respect, being disagreed with doesn't cast anybody as a bad guy. Around here we're all welcome to express any opinion as long as it's done politely.

Here's a compromise: A three volume set with all the introductions and bonus material -- two for the intros and the third is the full 200+ page Arc (that we all heard so much about) that JMS had written as the guide as he was writing the show. Newcomers have to buy all three. People who bought a significant portion of the scripts books could pass Go and buy the third book (or all three, if they were completists) at lessened price. Sound good?

First, it's not as if this is anything but a theoretical discussion anyway. Second, it's not up to any of us at all so any proposal we might make is a moot point. And third, even if it wasn't, your proposal is a bookeeping *nightmare*. As it is, I don't envy the Scripts Team a bit making sure that the right folks get their Volume 15.

Jan

[Kresche]

No apology necessary, Karen. I don't mean to deprive people of the enjoyment of reading the intros, but it's kind of a double-edged sword, isn't it? The exclusivity of the "behind the scenes" material is used to sell the books but you can't give only that material to the people who don't want/can't afford the scripts without being somewhat unfair to the people who already bought them.

It's too bad these scriptbooks aren't the sort of thing you could find at a library...

[Karen]

Jan, I don't think it will be as difficult as you say. All of the orders are through one outlet. They have access to each one. All of my orders are on my account page. I'm sure it would be a simple matter to verify it thruogh the CafePress database. Now, if they were selling the scripts through multiple outlets, I would agree with you completely.