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ISN News: The Zocalo Today
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The Zocalo Today
Welcome and thank you for dropping by. Take your shoes off, get comfortable and stay a while.
There is a LOT of information here and you won't want to miss any of it.
The Zocalo Today is an interactive newsletter, encouraging readers to join a discussion topic or to send
along letters that can be shared with other readers.
If you have suggestions as to how The Zocalo can be improved -- or be more responsive --
send them along. The Zocalo Today is a newsletter for Babylon 5 fans everywhere. It is as much YOUR
newsletter as it is mine! I'm just pulling together things for you!
Join our discussion topic. It is just one way you can share with other Z readers. If you see Babylon 5 cast
and crew in other roles, let us know. We enjoy convention reports, photos, etc. Don't miss our back issues.
I hope this will become more than just a newsletter. It's a community of people that enjoy sharing their
experiences and interests. Babylon 5 brought many of us together -- and it remains with us, despite the
fact that is no longer in production. Don't be shy. Join us today!
If you have questions, drop me a line at sgbruckner@aol.com. If
you would like to join the mailing list for our newsletter, send me a note and I'll include you on the list. Or you
can use the subscription block at the left.
Again, WELCOME!
What's New Today
Friday, December 5:TOP SF NETWORK SHOWS:
Joan of Arcadia 7.3
Alias 5.9
Smallville 4.2
Charmed 3.1
Angel 2.8
Tru Calling 2.7
Enterprise 2.6
Tarzan 2.0
Jake 2.0 1.6
Source: Nielsen Galaxy Report, 11/3/03 - 11/9/03.
ANGEL: On December 4, the cast and crew ANGEL celebrated the show's 100th episode with a cake and ceremony on the Wolfram & Hart set in Los Angeles. The episode will also mark the return of former cast member Charisma Carpenter (Cordelia) to
wrap up her character's storyline; Carpenter, who left the series at the end of last season, showed up on the set with her new infant
son in arms. Also at the festivities was creator Joss Whedon. Whedon told the gathered crowd on Stage 5 at Paramount Pictures, where the show is filmed, "It's gone through a lot of different permutations. A lot of characters. A lot of different styles. But ultimately that has never left. Angel, to me, is so important, because it's about how an adult faces what they've done with their life, goes forward with it, overcomes it. These are things that have a great deal of meaning to me. Plus, awesome fights. And, you know, if I have any message for Americans, [it's that] you can solve problems through fisticuffs." Angel airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
TOP SF DVD SALES:
1. Pirates of the Caribbean
2. Finding Nemo
3. The Two Towers extended edition
4. Adventures of Indiana Jones
5. X2
6. Buffy season five
7. The Fellowship of the Ring extended edition
8. Looney Tunes golden collection
9. Alien Quadrilogy
10. Lion King platinum edition
Source: Amazon.com, top-selling genre DVDs, 12/1/03
THE 4400: Variety reports that USA Network has give the green light to THE 4400, an SF pilot for a drama series, from executive producers Francis Ford Coppola, Rene Echevarria (Dark Angel) and Maira Suro (Platinum). THE 4400 centers on 4,400 missing people who are returned to Earth after being abducted by UFOs, with no memory of their experiences. Each has been gone anywhere from a few months to several decades, but hasn't aged a day. USA has ordered the pilot plus five episodes of the hourlong show, which is created and written by Scott Peters (The Outer Limits). Viacom Productions and Renegade 83 are producing. Peters also will produce.
Casting is underway and filming is likely to begin in February with a likely air date sometime in the summer of 2004.
DOCTOR WHO: Russell T. Davies, the producer who is reviving Doctor Who for the BBC, told the British TV Times that the new Doctor's companion will be different from those in the original series. "A screaming girly companion is unacceptable now," he told the magazine. "I love the Daleks, but I wouldn't load the series with lots of old monsters. We want to make brand new ones," Davies said.
THE WEATHER MAN: Hope Davis (THE SECRET LIVES OF DENTISTS) has joined the cast of THE WEATHER MAN. Davis will play the separated wife of Nicolas Cage's weatherman character who is remaining behind in Chicago while her soon-to-be ex-husband moves to a plum network position in New York City. Gore Verbinkski (PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN) will direct the film which starts shooting next February.
EMPIRE: The Hollywood Reporter reports that ABC has ordered eight one-hour episodes of EMPIRE, a limited series about the rise of Gaius Octavius, who became the first emperor of Rome in 27 B.C. The historical epic is scheduled to shoot on location in Rome in the spring, with a premiere set for sometime during the 2004-05 season. Touchstone Television is the sole distributor, although a producing partner will likely be added later. EMPIRE was created by screenwriter Tom Wheeler, who will serve as executive producer. Also on board as executive producers are Chip Johannessen ("24," "The X-Files") and the producing team of Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, who are executive producers of the ABC comedy "It's All Relative" and also recently executive produced the controversial CBS/Showtime movie "The Reagans."
ALIEN QUADRILOGY: The new nine-disc set is moving steadily off the shelf since yesterday. If you're looking to pick up a set for Christmas check our Costco or Price-Costco where they are selling the impressive set for just $61.99. The MSRP on the set is $99.99. I believe Wallmart has the set for $69.99.
INSIDE SCI-FI THIS WEEK: Thursday, December 4:TOP 10 SYNDICATED TV SHOWS:
Mutant X 2.0
Andromeda 1.9
She Spies 1.9
Stargate SG-1 1.9
Buffy 1.6
Angel 1.5
Beastmaster 1.5
The X-Files 1.4
3rd Rock 1.3
The Outer Limits 1.2
Source: Nielsen Galaxy Report, 11/3/03 - 11/9/03
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: The cast and crew of the SCI FI's upcoming original miniseries BATTLESTAR GALACTICA were joined by some 500 guests at the premiere screening in Hollywood on Dec. 2. The first two hours of the four-hour miniseries was screened at the Directors Guild of America to an audience that included stars Edward James Olmos (Adama), Mary McDonnell (Laura Roslin), Katee Sackhoff (Starbuck), Tricia Helfer (Number Six), Grace Park (Boomer), Aaron Douglas (Chief Tyrol), Tahmoh Penikett (Helo) and others, as well as director Michael Rymer and executive producers Ronald D. Moore and David Eick. SCI FI Channel president Bonnie Hammer told the assembled guests, "We love it. We hope you're going to love it, too." Edward Olmos told SCI FI Wire that it was the first time he'd viewed a finished cut of the show. "I enjoyed it, and sometimes that's hard for me to say. It's really exciting, much more so than I had hoped." Olmos added that the miniseries is likely to appeal to viewers eager for a strong rendition of the familiar story. "The integrity of the piece is very strong," he said. BATTLESTAR GALACTIC debuts on SCI FI at 9 p.m. ET/PT on Dec. 8.
FIREFLY: The FIREFLY DVD is slated for release on December 9. The DVD set will feature three previously unaired episodes, and creator Joss Whedon offered Science Fiction Weekly a preview. "One brings back the character of Saffron [Christina Hendricks] we had in 'Our Mrs. Reynolds,' who we loved very much, for a caper episode," Whedon told SFW. "One is kind of a dark episode from Mal [Nathan Fillion] and Zoe's [Gina Torres] war days. And one of the episodes is them defending a whorehouse. And you can never have enough episodes about people defending a whorehouse." Whedon added that the DVD, which includes all of the truncated series' episodes, will run widescreen and in the order they were intended, not the order in which they aired on the Fox TV network. "The show was always built to try and surprise, to try and let people think they know where they are going and then head in the opposite direction," Whedon said. "That's kind of my theory of TV. [The new episodes] fit in the canon, and one of them has a very important plot point that was never seen. But apart from that they are just more of Firefly." For those who still resist the idea of putting Western conventions in outer space, Whedon says, "It's all 'Stagecoach.' At the end of the day, whether or not there are horses -- which, in my case, there were -- it's all 'Stagecoach.' "You take people, you put them on a journey, you give them peril, you find out who they really are. If there's any kind of fiction better than that, I don't know what it is."
DEAD LAWYERS: Here's a new pilot SCIFI is developing. "Dead Lawyers," from Zanuck Co. and Sony Pictures TV has Sean Patrick Flanery and Oscar winner F. Murray Abraham signed on to star in the project. The drama, which sounds like a cross between "Dead Like Me" and "The Guardian," features Flanery as Jimmy Quinn, a ruthless, soulless attorney to the rich and famous. When he dies in a car crash, Quinn is sent back to Earth where he must work pro bono cases until he can undo all of the harm he has apparently done to society. He joins mentor Abraham at a law firm of dead attorneys, all of whom are similarly trying to atone for their corporate sins. Emmy winner Paris Barclay ("NYPD Blue") will direct the pilot, written by Christopher Murphey. Production on "Dead Lawyers" is set to begin this month in Toronto.
THE PUNISHER: If you are curious about the soundtrack for THE PUNISHER, you can hear "Eyes Wired Shut" by Edgewater http://www.punishermusic.com/ featured in the movie. The music CD is scheduled for release March 24, 2004.
Wednesday, December 3: BABYLON 5: One thing you can say about folks following Babylon 5. They are plugged in. JMS puts a note out on the internet late on Sunday, and by Tuesday everyone is full of speculation and hope! This morning there are articles out on SCIFI.COM and CINESCAPE.COM coming from DARK HORIZONS.COM based on the internet message JMS sent (we had it out Sunday night though). The whole message sent from JMS is given below. It is very good news about the DVDs --the movies AND Crusade, awesome!
STAR WARS:TheForce.net is reporting a rumor that Fox has told retailers to expect
DVD versions of the classic STAR WARS trilogy of films on Nov. 4, 2004.
PAYCHECK: In a recent interview discussing his upcoming movie PAYCHECK, Ben Affleck said the film departs from the Philip K. Dick short story upon which it is based. "We've taken some liberties with it, obviously, and updated it. But it's great. It's fun. We have this really great, strong story and a really strong script." Affleck plays Michael Jennings, a computer expert in the future, who is hired for a top-secret project. At the end of it, he has his memory erased, only to discover that he is now a hunted man. Using only a handful of clues, he must try to reconstruct his whereabouts for the last three years before it's too late. Hong Kong action director John Woo directs Affleck and co-star Uma Thurman. PAYCHECK opens Dec. 25.
BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: SCIFI repeats their special on their upcoming miniseries BATTLESTAR GALACTICA tonight at 8:00pm. It includes interviews with cast members and a sneak peek at the series that premieres next Monday night.
THE MISSING: Ron Howard's THE MISSING is one of the first five films chosen to compete in next year's Berlin Film Festival.
PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS: Announcements are being made regarding the 30th Annual People's Choice Awards. Top vote-getters include Jennifer Aniston, Beyonce Knowles, Eminem, The O.C., The Bachelor CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and Survivor: Pearl Islands. Winners will be announced January 11 on CBS. The complete listing can be found at http://www.tv-now.com/daily/news.htm.
Tuesday, December 2: BEST SELLING SF BOOKS: Hey, any of these would make a wonderful Christmas gift:
1. The Da Vinci Code
2. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
3. Wolves of the Calla
4. Eragon (Inheritance, Book 1)
5. Angels & Demons
6. The Slippery Slope (Lemony Snicket)
7. The Time Traveler's Wife
8. The Cat in the Hat
9. Final Fantasy X-2 Strategy Guide
10. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland pop-up
Source: Amazon.com, 12/1/03
TOP 10 SCIFI CHANNEL PROGRAMS:
Stargate SG-1 1.4
Boa 1.4
Python 1.4
Species II 1.3
Species 1.2
Pythons 2 1.2
Robin Cook's Invasion, Part 2 1.0
Meet Joe Black 1.0
Taken, Part 7 0.9
Unforgettable 0.8
Source: Nielsen Galaxy Report, 11/3/03 - 11/9/03.
STEPHEN KING: The king of horrir, Stephen King, spent the holiday in a Maine hospital. He was treated for pneumonia, underwent a surgical procedure and is now recovering. He is expected to remain at the Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor for several days, but is expected to make a full recovery.
X-FILES: While writing a guest review for the Razor gaming web site, David Duchovny said that a second X-Files movie is in the works, with shooting to begin possibly next year. Duchovny also voices Mulder in the upcoming PlayStation 2/Xbox video game The X-Files: Resist or Serve, with his longtime co-star, Gillian Anderson, voicing Scully. "I'm proud of The X-Files, and I'm very pleased to see how the video game will help extend the life of the series," Duchovny wrote. "We're also working to put together the next X-Files movie. I'd imagine we'd get into shooting in the next year or so, depending on when the script is written." Duchovny said the new video game title is the next best thing. "I think people will like the game as much as the show, because we all enjoy mysteries where everyone thinks that there's just one final answer that'll be uncovered at the end," he said. "Plus, games are an acting challenge for their favorite stars, who want to be tools for the people shaping the product. With TV and movies, actors have more control over the performance." The X-Files: Resist or Serve will be available Feb. 18, 2004, with a suggested retail price of $49.99.
LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING: Over 100,000 fans lined the streets of Wellington, New Zealand as the stars and filmmakers of THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy attended a celebration parade marking the premiere of the film's final chapter, THE RETURN OF THE KING. Stars Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Orlando Bloom and Elijah Wood were greeted by the masses with claps and cheers as they were transported in cars flanked by horsemen decked out in the costumes used in the movies. "I'm feeling incredibly humbled by this wonderful reception," director Peter Jackson said at the movie's premiere. "You feel like you're the first people to land on the moon or something." Giant banners showcasing the film adorn skyrises while posters for the film are seemingly plastered on every street corner. Coverage of the event can be found at MovieWeb.com.
THE HOBBIT: According to The BBC, Peter Jackson spoke breifly about his next project, King Kong, as well as the proposed big screen adaptation of The Hobbit! Jackson said he was looking forward "to becoming a New Zealand film-maker again" after his next project, a re-make of King Kong. He also said he would be "keen" to make a film of Tolkien's The Hobbit - but he had not been asked. "I'm obviously busy for the next couple of years with King Kong," he said. Lord of the Rings executive producer Mark Ordesky, chief operating officer of film studio New Line, told a press conference: "There could be a movie about The Hobbit." So stay tuned.
CURSED: SMALLVILLE regular Michael Rosenbaum has joined Joshua Jackson, Portia de Rossi and singer Mya opposite Christina Ricci in the cast of horrormeister Wes Craven's CURSED. Production shut down on the film during the summer, four weeks before shooting was scheduled to wrap. The break allowed concerns over the ending to be addressed, further f/x sequences to be planned and new roles to be written before extensive additional shooting is begun. Completion is now set for early 2004, with release planned for the third or fourth quarter.
CURSED is an updated werewolf thriller, centering around an estranged brother and sister dealing with the recent loss of their parents, whose lives are irrevocably altered one dark night in Los Angeles by a vicious animal attack.
Monday, December 1: GENCON: Ranger James has passed along information about GenCon in Anaheim, CA December 10-14. Some familiar names
are listed as guests -- Richard Biggs, Jason Carter, Jerry Doyle and Robin Atkin Downes. Check out the calendar below for more details.
WEEKEND BOX OFFICE: It was a battle for the #1 spot this weekend at the box office -- and Universal's DR. SEUSS' THE CAT IN THE HAT managed to hold off THE HAUNTED MANSION to remain the top box-office draw this holiday weekend. A last-minute revision by Universal put Dr. Seuss' THE CAT IN THE HAG ahead of Disney's THE HAUNTED MANSION for the three day weekend, $25.5 million to $25.3 million. Continuing the trend of fun family fare is ELF in third place with an estimated $22.2 million, actually increasing its ticket sales from last weekend by 18 percent. The Will Ferrell Christmas comedy also passed the $100 million mark this weekend, unwrapping a nice $130.1 million total since its release on Nov. 7. For those looking for a change of pace, there were a number of options. Halle Berry's thriller "Gothika" and Russel Crowe's seafaring adventure drama "Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World," brought their five-day earnings to $18.3 and $17.5 million respectively. New films entering the fray this Thanksgiving holiday came in sixth through eighth places. Miramax's dark comedy BAD SANTA bagged $12.5 million, Ron Howard's western thriller THE MISSING uncovered $11.7 million and the Michael Crichton-inspired TIMELINE gathered in $12.6 million. "Love Actually" and "Brother Bear" are still holding strong, dropping less than 10 percent from last weekend. The British ensemble comedy earned $11.1 million while the animated animal film brought in $6.4 million. Warner Bros.' "The Matrix Revolutions" and "Looney Tunes: Back in Action" round out the Top 12 with $6.4 and $3.0 million respectively.
Sunday, November 30: EEP IS GIVEN!!!! For those of us who have been online with JMS for a while, EEP has a
very special meaning. Get the details below so that you can get as excited as I am about hearing
what JMS has to say on the Babylon 5 front.
HOLIDAY WEEKEND: Not a lot of news out this holiday weekend. If you are a lover of
football and other sports, you are having a hard time deciding which game to watch. If you love
hitting the mall for some shopping, this definitely the time to find bargains as you search for
a gift for that special someone. As you surf through the listings, you'll find a mix of holiday
specials and movies. STAR WARS and HARRY POTTER are featured as well as a number of other, old
classics. I watched HIGH NOON yesterday. I love that movie! I hope you all enjoy the
remainder of the weekend.
Saturday, November 29:STARGATE SG-1: STARGATE SG-1 returns to the SCIFI schedule on January 2. Beginning with "Evolution, Part 2," the second half of Season Seven will deliver 11 episodes featuring Goa'uld, space battles, Jonas Quinn, super-soliders, political maneuvering and more. The new year kicks off with a 5-episode Stargate marathon on Friday, January 2, on The Sci-Fi Channel.
SPIDERMAN: We will get our first look at SPIDER-MAN 2 on December 17, when Sony releases the first trailer for the film before screenings of THE LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING. The trailer will hit the sequel's official Web site two days earlier. Spider-Man co-creator Stan Lee told the Hollywood North Report Web site that he has filmed a cameo for the upcoming sequel film. "The line that I say is, 'Spider-Man stole that kid's pizzas!'" Lee told the site.
THE VILLAGE: Writer/director M. Night Shyamalan is busy filming THE VILLAGE in Philadelphia. The supernatural thriller, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Sigourney Weaver, Adrien Brody, William Hurt and Ashton Kutcher, is set in Pennsylvania during 1897 and revolves around a close-knit community that lives with the frightening knowledge that a mythical race of creatures resides in the woods around them. In a feature article in The Hollywood Reporter, Shyamalan talked about filming in Pennsylvania again. "The reason we have chosen to shoot in this area is because of the community itself," says Sam Mercer, a producer who has worked with Shyamalan on all of his films since "The Sixth Sense." "It's a real cross-section of America and a family-oriented community that we believe just energizes our films. Plus, there is a wonderful talent pool and crew base that we've been able to work with here." Shooting in the region is so important to Shyamalan and his team, Mercer adds, that they have pushed hard to ensure that each of their films would set up shop near Philadelphia -- flying in the face of recent industry runaway production trends. "Economics are important in putting together any movie and you always have to keep an eye on the bottom line no matter how much success you've had," Mercer observes. "But we work pretty efficiently and feel strongly about the importance of shooting here, so we've fought to do it."
LORD OF THE RINGS: THE RETURN OF THE KING: Reviews can make or break a film and the review recently published in Reuters
should be great news for Peter Jackson and LORD OF THE RINGS fans. "It's quite good. Nah it's fantastic! It's amazing, it's definitely the best," chirped Pippin Took. Being a hobbit, you would expect Took, otherwise known as actor Billy Boyd, to enthuse wildly about the last of the Lord of The Rings trilogy -- "The Return of the King," which premieres in the New Zealand capital, Wellington, on December 1. But the few whispers that have escaped from the sneak previews seem unanimous that director Peter Jackson has saved the best until last. The "Return of the King" is Jackson's favorite of the three, and features more action-packed battle scenes per foot of celluloid than the others.
THE LAST SAMURAI: Warner Bros. Pictures will give audiences an early look at the Studio's holiday epic, THE LAST SAMURAI, starring Tom Cruise and directed by Ed Zwick, when 500 theaters across the U.S. and Canada screen the film in sneak previews on Saturday, November 29.
"The Last Samurai," which was filmed on location in Japan and New Zealand, has received widespread critical praise and earned enthusiastic kudos from Japanese filmgoers when it was given sneak preview screenings there over the past weekend. Local media will announce theaters and times for the preview screenings domestically, which will be held in one or more theaters in cities and other key locations from coast to coast.
"The response to this film in advance screenings - both in the U.S. and in Japan - has been so extraordinary that we believe word of mouth about it is our most powerful tool for bringing 'The Last Samurai' to the attention of audiences," said Fellman. "As of this week, we now have enough prints to be able to screen the picture across the country, and we are taking this opportunity to give holiday audiences a special early look at a picture we're very proud of." The Last Samurai opens on Friday, December 5.
WHAT'S ON TONIGHT
8:00pm on CBS
Joan of Arcadia
Drive, He Said
Will Girardi (Joe Mantegna), the father of the teen who talks with God, could use a divine intervention during this episode. He is kidnapped by an ex-con and forced to drive to a remote area that just might end up doubling as his final resting place. Also, Joan (Amber Tamblyn) is told by God to drive on a regular basis.
On SCIFI Tonight:
6:00pm
Stargate SG-1
The Enemy Within
Alien parasites pose risks for the SG-1 team.
7:00pm
Stargate SG--1
Avengers 2.0
A newly invented viral weapon backfires when Stargate Command uses it against the Goa'uld and Ba'al.
8:00pm
Tremors: The Series
A Little Paranoia Among Friends
While investigating a Graboid sighting in Toluca, Burt tries to reason with paranoid townspeople.
9:00pm
Stargate SG-1
Birthright
BABYLON 5 ANNIVERSARY
Ranger Nick pointed out that on January 24, 2004, we will celebrate the 10th anniversary of Babylon 5 coming to the airwaves. As I thought about this, I wondered how we might best mark this event -- making it special in some way! Send along your ideas and we can see what we might be able to do.
Perhaps a special page with reflections of what Babylon 5 has meant to us? Perhaps we could suggest to SCIFI -- a special day of special episodes! Give it a little thought and let's see what we can come up with.
JMS UPDATE
I just caught this on the B5 moderated newsgroup and thought I'd best post this ASAP, so that
everyone can start thinking ahead toward January when we will hear more from JMS regarding
Babylon 5. This latest update from JMS gives us a lot to be thankful for:
RISING STAR:
Yes. There were a number of conditions set before Top Cow in order to resolve
this, and those conditions were met. So the final three scripts will be turned
in by late January/early February, and the Rising Stars story will be complete.
DOC STRANGE:
Well, lessee...the first issue of the Doc Strange mini is nearly done, and I've
turned in the first issue of a new series for Marvel which will have to await a
more formal word from them, I'm afraid, since PR is properly their venue on
things like this, and the next Supreme Power comes out next week. Spidey 501
came out a few days ago (and the last page is kind of a goof from what I'd
originally scripted...it's a long story, but it doesn't look like it should.)
BABYLON 5:
On the B5 front, there has been something of rather substantial proportion
that's finally gone from talk to money, such that I'm now working frantically
to meet some deadlines, but there's nothing I can say about this until after
January 15th, probably closer to the end of that month.
The only thing I can say is that phase one of the new project is a go, hence
the furious writing schedule at this end of things, which is why I've been
silent until deciding to kick up some dust on the political discusion. I've
been writing my little brains out.
I know the immediate result of this will be speculation, but if we could keep
that to a low roar on the nets to avoid precluding anything, that would be a
wonderfulness. But trust me: I wouldn't go on about something in this way if
it wasn't a significant development. Just trust me on this one for a bit and
hold fire until further word.
(Longtime followers of the various news groups know that an eep means that
something significant has happened, but that I can't talk about it...the eep is
just a way of saying, on the QT, that something has, indeed, happened and it's
real, not just speculation or maybe-gonna-happens. So on that basis, you may
consider this an eep.)
And on the topic of fans for a moment...I'm happy to mention that we've
included a thanks to Steve Grimm (Lurker's Guide) and our resident moderator
Jay Denebeim on the Season 5 DVD. Just a way of saying thanks for years of
help and support.
Oh, yeah...and next year you can expect two new DVD sets that a) include all
of the TV movies in one package (with commentaries from me on "The Gathering"
and "In the Beginning") and b) package all 13 of the Crusade episodes into one
box.
SPECIAL HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES
For a number of years, Pat Tallman (Lyta) has been heavily involved with Penny Lane, a family treatment center that cares for the most difficult to manage children with the highest quality care. These kids have been so sexually, emotionally and physically abused, they cannot be placed in regular foster care. Children come from all over California, Nevada and Arizona. This program focuses on kids who are the 104 in residence in the North Hills main facility and 9 satellite houses. Penny Lane also services over 700 young children in foster care.
Pat would like to focus this year on the 104 teens in residence and provide Target gift cards to the 40 young adults in Penny Lane’s revolutionary Transitional Living program.
To learn more about Pat's efforts at Penny Lane, go to the Be A Santa page. Here you will
find a note from Pat and some responses from children who are current at the Penny Lane facility.
At this special time of year, open up your heart and make one of these children feel special.
If readers would like to join together and present Pat with a number of gift certificates, I can coordinate the effort. Just let me know if you are interested -- and what you would like to donate. We can get gift certificates for Target, Tower Records, Borders and Barnes and Noble Books. Let's pull together and show the kids that the Babylon 5 community really does have the holiday spirit.
SEASON FOUR OF BABYLON 5
Warner Brothers have announced that January 6th, 2004 (Region 1) is the release date for Babylon 5: The Complete Fourth Season ("No Surrender, No Retreat"). There is no information at this time about when region 2 will be released.
DESCRIPTION:
The future begins -- or ends -- here and now. Here is the huge space station Babylon 5. Now is the fateful year 2261. Commander John Sheridan has already declared the station free, breaking the ties between it and Earth Alliance. It was perhaps only a matter of time before he would have to fight to remain free. That time has come in this complete 22-episode fourth-season adventure presented on 6 discs and featuring an exciting array of Exclusive Extras.
This six DVD set will include (preliminary listing):
Introduction to Babylon 5 - Season 4 by series creator J. Michael Straczynski
Two commentaries by series creator J. Michael Straczynski and another from director Mike Vejar
Commentary by cast members Bruce Boxleitner, Jerry Doyle, Peter Jurasik and Patricia Tallman
"Celestial Sounds" featurette about series composer Christopher Franke and the making of the series music
"No Surrender, No Retreat" DVD Suite, original music composed exclusively for the DVD
"The Universe of Babylon 5"
Personnel Files and Data Files
Gag Reel
Episode Previews
16x9 Anamorphic Widescreen
Dolby Surround 5.1 (English only)
Subtitles in English, French, and Spanish
Closed Captioned for the hearing impaired
Pre-orders can be placed at a number of locations, including www.amazon.com and Uncomyn Gifts.
BABYLON 5 SEASON THREE DVD - OUT NOW!
Season Three of Babylon 5 was released in the U.S. on August 12. It will be available in the UK beginning October 27. A review can be found over at http://www.imdb.com/Recommends/Rec2.html and the DVD series is on their recommended list. It was a featured item on http://www.imdb.com/.
BABYLON 5: THE COMPLETE THIRD SEASON
DVD Order Date: 7/15/03 Street Date: 8/12/03
Catalog #: 24243
WB Synopsis: The long-running Emmy Award-winning television series Babylon 5 takes place in the year 2257 A.D. on an immense spaces station floating in a stationary orbit in a neutral corner of a distant galaxy. Staffed by a crew of peaceful Earthmen and women, Babylon 5 serves as a non-political economic and social hub for the four alien races - the Narn, Centauri, Vorlon and Minbari - who fight to control the galaxy. Starring Bruce Boxleitner, Claudia Christian, Jerry Doyle, and Bill Mumy.
Special Features and Specifications:
o Six-disc DVD collector's set
o Introduction from series creator J. Michael Straczynski,
o Commentary on three key episodes by series creator and stars,
o"Behind the Mask: Creating the Aliens of Babylon 5" Documentary
o"Designing a Better Narn" Documentary
o"Designing Tomorrow: The Look of Babylon 5" Documentary
o Data and Personnel Files
o 16X19 Anamorphic Widescreen
o Dolby Digital 5.1
o English, French Spanish subtitles
o Running Time: 968 minutes
For a look at Season Three, go to Season Three. Here you will find individual synopses of
each episode and a graphic provided by Warner Bros.
GAG REEL
As with the other DVDs, there is a gag reel portion on the Season Three DVD as well. Ranger Mike
sent along instructions on how to get there.
Babylon 5 Season 3 DVD Blooper Reel
The Season 3 "Gag Reel" is for real! It is actually an
Easter Egg (a hidden component in the DVD) and is about
three minutes long. There is a brief musical introduction
and the segment mostly contains dialog goofs and other
blunders the cast had.
To get to the Gag Reel, put in disc #6 and from the main
menu:
* Select "The Universe Of Babylon 5"
* Select "Data Files"
* Cursor down Between the middle menu option "The Battle For Babylon 5"
and the bottom menu option "The Universe Of Babylon 5".
You should get a highlighted "5" logo to appear
* Press select to view the Gag Reel.
DISCUSSION TOPIC
Have you read any good books lately? There seem to be a ton of
science fiction books in stores these days. Do any of them stand
out? You can post a review -- or just let us know what you have
found interesting, exciting, intriguing.
Send in your comments and observations to sgbruckner@aol.com and I'll post them on the Discussion Page for everyone to share.
JEREMIAH
For all that is new with JEREMIAH, go to JEREMIAH page. Showtime does not have the show
on it's schedule right now. Fans are putting pen to paper and writing to voice their support for the series and their
desire to have it back on the airwaves. Check out how you can help.
KEEPING UP WITH CAST AND CREW
LUKE PERRY: JEREMIAH's Luke Perry is starring in an upcoming theatrical version of WHEN HARRY MET SALLY in London's West End; he'll play Billy Crystal's role. Meg Ryan's role as Sally has not been cast, but an American actress is expected to play the part.
GARY COLE Jason Bateman teams up with Gary Cole in Fox's upcoming dodgeball comedy. The untitled project centers on a
group of neighborhood residents who challenge the developers of a giant fitness center. The dodgeball picture stars Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn and Christine Taylor.
SEAN ASTIN: Sean Astin went directly from LORD OF THE RINGS to JEREMIAH. He has been marvelous in the role as Mister Smith
and Frank Garcia caught up with him as he was busy directing an episode of JEREMIAH this summer. Read all at http://www.scifi.com/sfw/current/interview2.html.
ALEXANDER ZAHARA: Alex has been very busy since the close of LEGEND OF THE RANGERS. He turns up every so often on
STARGATE or JEREMIAH. He just opened a new website at http://www.alexzahara.com/.
He's got a contest going -- he's offering up t-shirts from LEGEND. You'll note that he has just finished a number of projects
-- including OPEN RANGE -- in which he gets to shoot Kevin Costner and a recurring role in Stephen King's KINGDOM HOSPITAL.
CRUISE WITH PETER WOODWARD
Peter is considering cruising the Caribbean in early 2005 and wants to invite his fans to join the fun. He would like to see if
there is sufficient interest before going too far into planning, so if you would like to receive a brochure about Peter's upcoming
cruise once the details are finalized please advise of your:
Name:
Postal Address, City, State, Zip:
E-mail address:
Phone number:
Total number of guests in your party:
Age range of the guests including yourself:
Send this information to pwoodwardinfo@yahoo.com. Any information you send us will be handled respectfully. This is not a commitment from you, just an indication of interest.
BABYLON 5 BIRTHDAYS
Mary Woronov (Kka'Dath) - December 8
Sarah Douglas (Jha'Dur) - December 12
Kim Holly - December 25
Dark Hoffman - December 28
John C. Flinn III - December 2
Have I missed anyone? If you know the birthday of someone connected with Babylon 5,
pass the information along. We want to include everyone in our Happy Birthday Wishes.
READER BIRTHDAYS
Sometimes you just can't find the e-mail address for someone you know you have -- it's someone who responded
to a discussion topic or you met in one of the chat rooms. You'd like to send a personal note, but .... No
address!!!!
We've started a White Pages of Zocalo Readers! It's a handy way of keeping track of people -- and putting together
a birthday/greeting card list as well. If you would like to be part of the listing, just send me your name,
state, e-mail address and (if you'd like to have it listed) birthday (without year) to sgbruckner@aol.com.
Check out the Directory of Readers.
Name: Brenda Gallagher
E-mail address: brenda_birch@hotmail.com
Birthday: December 5th
Name: Gary Magid
State: Michigan
Email: SCIFIREAD@aol.com
Birthday: December 10
BABYLON 5 FANS - SPECIAL HELP SECTION
BABYLON 5 FAN CLUBS
Minneapolis Babylon 5 Fan Club
White Star Phoenix! The White Star Phoenix fan club meets once a month in Bloomington, Minnesota, to socialize, to view Babylon 5, Crusade, Farscape, Buffy the Vampire Slayer and other excellent SF, & to enjoy engaging, animated conversations about our favorite books, films and tv shows. We regularly host SF-related programming at local science fiction conventions, and we host occasional parties. For more information, go to http://home.comcast.net/~whitestarphoenix/.
Swedish Babylon 5-Club
We're situated in Gothenburg, Sweden's second largest city, and
have been around since 1999. Our activities consist of showing
B5 episodes on the big screen. The next time will be on November
8th here in Gothenburg.
Our webpage is at http://www.babcon.org/.
Asbjorn
President, Interstellar Alliance
sheridan@babcon.org
--
Interstellar Alliance - Sweden's largest Babylon 5 club
BabCon XIII on November 8th 12.30 - 02.00
http://www.babcon.org/
Italian Babylon 5 News
Ranger Bianca has a website that provides Italian Babylon 5 fans with news. The site is located
at www.babylon5.it.
BABYLON 5 MERCHANDISE
Are you looking for Babylon 5 merchandise? Would you like to possess some of the wonderful patches or
pins sold by the B5 Fan Club? Do you want to put in an order for the latest DVD? Bruce at Uncomyn Gifts
still has one of the best collections around. Check out www.uncomyngifts.com.
You may just find the magazine or t-shirt or patch you are looking for.
BABYLON 5 SCREENSAVER
I received a wonderful note from Warner Bros. yesterday. It said:
"we also got this link from WHV for B5 screensavers, if you want to post this anywhere: http://www.eyetide.com/download/?p=104117."
The graphics are awesome and it will add a certain measure of class to any desktop. Don't miss the preview
feature. You can see what graphics have been included for your viewing pleasure. Thanks WB.
BABYLON 5 ROLE PLAYING AND FACT BOOK
The Babylon 5 Roleplaying Game and Fact Book
"Signs and Portents"
By Matthew Sprange
Mongoose Publishing
ISBN: 1-904577-11-3
MSRP: $49.99
From the review written at http://www.scifi.com/sfw/current/games.html B5 fans might want to pick up this game whether they actually play it or not. Based on the first season of the series, the "fact book" portion of the book includes an overview and maps of Babylon 5 and an episode-by-episode breakdown of the first season.
TRADING CARD HELP
Ranger Tia sent along this note to share with B5 card collectors:
Don't know if you've heard of my card program yet or not, but I thought
the other B5 card collectors might like to try it out. With having almost
all of the B5 trading cards and CCG cards available and no program to keep
track of them withm, I started writing my own. Here's the website for it.
Go half way down and click on the small screen shot for a full size screen
shot. I have the pic of Pat Tallman's card from the Profiles card set
feautured in the shot.
Oh, and I also have a lot of the card lists already saved as files so
people won't need to type in all the card names. Being written by a B5
fan, ALL the card lists have already been made and are downloadable. :)
Cult Times #99: Michael Shanks talks about his return to STARGATE SG-1 and his recent marriage to Lexa Doig from ANDROMEDA. Also in this issue: Connor Trinneer talks about 'Trip Tucker' of ENTERPRISE and Kevin Sorbo looks at the changes for the fourth season of ANDROMEDA.
TV Zone #170: DOCTOR WHO returns! A new TV series is getting closer to reality and the BBC has a new webcast "Scream of the Shalka starring Richard E. Grant as the good doctor. Also in this issue: David Greenwalk talks about JAKE 2.0 and we look back at HERCULES: THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS.
Starburst Special #60 Starburst takes a look at vampires -- on the big and little screen -- from Dracula to Angel. In addition to ANGEL and BUFFY features, you'll find production designer for LORD OF THE RINGS Grant Major talking about THE RETURN OF THE KING and UNDERWORLD's director Len Wiseman breathing life into vampires and werewolves.
Expose #81: Mercedes McNab talks about her roles on BUFFY and ANGEL. Gerard Butler talks about the transition from LARA CROFT
to TIMELINE. Mary Steenbergen reveals how she's developed a talent for motherhood and her transition from ELF to JOAN OF ARCADIA.
Starburst #304: MATRIX REVOLUTIONS - the final installment of this trilogy is discussed by producer Joel Silver. Also in this issue:
Dominic Monaghan talks about his role in LORD OF THE RINGS; Michael Crichton's TIMELINE comes to the big screen and director Richard
Donner talks about troubles with time travel and mediaeval fakery.
Dreamwatch: In stark contrast to what we know the future to hold, Lex and Clark have forged a close friendship on Smallville. This month we chat with archenemy in waiting, actor Michael Rosenbaum. Nicole deBoer, a.k.a. The Dead Zone’s Sarah Bannerman, discusses the taut psychological thriller and reveals visions of the show¹s future. Plus, new season news from Angel, Alias and Stargate SG-1. (Titan)
Magazine, 84pg,
TV Zone #53: This special issue looks at all the returning shows -- and some of the hotter new ones. Inside, Scott Bakula
looks at the coming second season of ENTERPRISE; Executive Producer Alfred Gough discusses the challenges of re-creating a
superhero on SMALLVILLE. Among new shows, they look at BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, JAKE 2.0, JOAN OF ARCADIA and TARZAN.
Cult Times #100: Celebrate a century of Cult Times with this issue. Read interviews with the stars, and
features on shows currently airing in the UK. A Classic Series is given a light-hearted but informative look in our
Instant Guide and the highlights of the previous month’s viewing are featured in Times Past. Cult Times is the
complementary magazine to TV Zone, and together they provide the ultimate guide to the many worlds of Cult
Television.
BABYLON 5 NOVEL - ON BOOK SHELVES NOW
DelRey is reprinting the original Babylon 5 novels. They started with
#7 - Jeanne Cavelos' THE SHADOW WITHIN. Here's one I've been waiting for -- Kathryn Drennan's TO DREAM IN THE CITY
OF SORROWS. The release date is scheduled for July 29, 2003. I love the new cover art! It can be pre-ordered from www.amazon.com.
For those of you who love Babylon 5, this one reads just like an episode from the series. You just can't put it down.
COMIC BOOKS
NEW CSI - MINI SERIES
IDW has announced its newest CSI: Crime Scene Investigation mini-series, entitled Demon House, which will launch in February. In Demon House, Gil Grissom and his team of Las Vegas CSIs already have their hands full with a gang of costumed robbers, when what looks like an accidental killing inside a charity-event "haunted house" may turn out to be murder. Demon House is written by award-winning crime writer Max Allan Collins, creator of the Nate Heller mystery novels and the original graphic novel Road to Perdition. Collins is also the writer of the CSI novels and video games. Art for the mini-series is by the same team as previous mini-series, with Gabriel Rodriguez on the main story and Ashley Wood on flashback and crime reenactment scenes, mirroring the visual styles of the TV series.
"Max Allan Collins has topped himself this time," IDW editor-in-chief Jeff Mariotte said. "In Demon House we have a visually fascinating location for a mystery that's as full of twists and turns as the best episodes of TV's most popular drama." Each issue of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation‹Demon House will be 32 pages and will cost $3.99. As before, IDW promises additional CSI-related matter in every issue.
SUPREME POWER
SUPREME POWER #7
Written by J. Michael Straczynski, cover and pencils by Gary Frank.
Jump on board one of the biggest hits of the year as it starts a new, second major story arc! Another new super power rises out of the "depths" of obscurity -- Amphibian! Plus: witness the first (and possibly last!) climactic meeting of Hyperion and Doctor Spectrum!
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Feb. 4.
* New story arc.
* Marvel's latest hit series.
* Coming next month: Supreme Power Vol. 1, collecing #1-6.
AMAZING SPIDERMAN
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #504
Written by Fiona Avery with J. Michael Straczynski, cover and pencils by John Romita Jr.
"Chasing a Dark Shadow," pt. 2 (of 2). In the aftermath of the inter-dimensional rift caused by Spider-Man and Doctor Strange's battle with Dormammu, a sorceress of limitless power is set free from years of captivity ... and sets forth on a quest through Manhattan to properly thank the one responsible for it: Spider-Man. And if that weren't bad enough, guess who's on her trail? Loki...
32 pages, $2.25, in stores on Feb. 25.
Amazing Spider-Man #501 will arrive in stores on Wednesday from Marvel Comics. The issue is written by J. Michael Straczynski, with art by John Romita Jr. and a cover by Tony Harris.
Here's how Marvel describes the issue:
"A brand new story arc starts following the historic issue #500. The drive to Amazing Spider-Man #1000 starts here."
Amazing Spider-Man #501 will be 32 pages and will cost $2.25.
STARGATE SG-1
STARGATE SG-1: P.O.W. #1
by James Anthony & Renato Guedes; cover by Matt Busch
The first issue of the new Stargate series is finally here! The greatest sci-fi show on television comes to comics for the first time in a full-length action-packed series! Reconnaissance has discovered an alien invasion force with plans of conquest for planet Earth. Caught in a firefight, the escaping team from Stargate Command unknowingly allows a mysterious serpent-headed Goa'uld Lord access into the SGC. The invaders lay waste to the debarkation chamber, while locking a naquadah-laced bomb onto the Stargate. In the resulting attack, Colonel Jack O'Neill finds himself on a distant world, face to face with a thousand Goa'uld warriors. With the SGC under lockdown and O'Neill already a prisoner of war, the SG1 team must find a way to remove a doomsday bomb from the gate and rescue him from a Goa'uld fortress. Join the SG1 team for a full force adventure as they fight for survival against a race bent on subjecting the universe to their rule as the gods of legend. Jack O'Neill, Daniel Jackson, Samantha Carter, and Teal'c begin a new chapter of Stargate adventures in the pages of Stargate SG1: P.O.W.! Regular cover by Matt Busch; wraparound cover by Renato Guedes. Also available with a photo cover, and as a special "Golden Armor" edition, featuring an all-new solid gold foil wraparound cover with the Serpent Head Goa'ulds illustrated by Jacen Burrows and limited to 2,000 copies.
RISING STARS UPDATE
Since many of us wonder when JMS will be able to finish the RISING STARS comic book, here is an update from JMS:
I've asked Top Cow for three things: for Dream Police back, since they've had
it now for 3 years and have done nothing with it...for confirmation that the
Joe's Comics title belongs to me, and for an apology for deliberately keeping
me out of the loop on my own project at the feature stage and misleading me
about drafts that had come in.
Once those three things have been attended to, I can finish the series.
TV SCHEDULE ON SCIFI CHANNEL
BABYLON 5
05-DEC-03 9:00 AM BABYLON 5 (LBX) THERE ALL THE HONOR LIES
08-DEC-03 9:00 AM BABYLON 5 (LBX) AND NOW FOR A WORD
09-DEC-03 9:00 AM BABYLON 5 (LBX) IN THE SANDOWS OF Z'HA'DUM
10-DEC-03 9:00 AM BABYLON 5 (LBX) KNIVES
11-DEC-03 9:00 AM BABYLON 5 (LBX) CONFESSIONS AND LAMENTATIONS
12-DEC-03 9:00 AM BABYLON 5 (LBX) DIVIDED LOYALTIES
15-DEC-03 9:00 AM BABYLON 5 (LBX) THE LONG, TWILIGHT STRUGGLE
15-DEC-03 11:00 PM SCI FI PICTURES BABYLON 5: THE LEGEND OF THE RANGERS (LBX)
16-DEC-03 9:00 AM BABYLON 5 (LBX) COME THE INQUISITOR
17-DEC-03 9:00 AM BABYLON 5 (LBX) THE FALL OF NIGHT
18-DEC-03 9:00 AM BABYLON 5 (LBX) MATTERS OF HONOR
19-DEC-03 9:00 AM BABYLON 5 (LBX) CONVICTIONS
22-DEC-03 9:00 AM BABYLON 5 (LBX) A DAY IN THE STIFE
23-DEC-03 9:00 AM BABYLON 5 (LBX) PASSING THROUGH GETHSEMANE
24-DEC-03 9:00 AM BABYLON 5 (LBX) VOICES OF AUTHORITY
29-DEC-03 9:00 AM BABYLON 5 (LBX) DUST TO DUST
30-DEC-03 9:00 AM BABYLON 5 (LBX) EXOGENESIS
CRUSADE:
07-DEC-03 2:00 AM CRUSADE APPEARANCES AND OTHER DECEITS
14-DEC-03 2:00 AM CRUSADE THE WELL OF FOREVER
21-DEC-03 2:00 AM CRUSADE EACH NIGHT I DREAM OF HOME
28-DEC-03 2:00 AM CRUSADE PATTERNS OF THE SOUL
07-DEC-03 12:00 AM FARSCAPE COUP BY CLAM
08-DEC-03 11:00 AM DAYTIME ROTATION - FARSCAPE LOOK AT THE PRINCESS PT 1: A KISS IS BUT A KISS
08-DEC-03 12:00 PM DAYTIME ROTATION - FARSCAPE LOOK AT THE PRINCESS PT 2: I DO, I THINK
08-DEC-03 1:00 PM DAYTIME ROTATION - FARSCAPE LOOK AT THE PRINCESS PT 3: THE MALTESE CRICHTON
08-DEC-03 2:00 PM DAYTIME ROTATION - FARSCAPE THE UGLY TRUTH
08-DEC-03 3:00 PM DAYTIME ROTATION - FARSCAPE A CLOCKWORK NEBARI
14-DEC-03 12:00 AM FARSCAPE UNREALIZED REALITY
16-DEC-03 11:00 AM DAYTIME ROTATION - FARSCAPE LIARS, GUNS, AND MONEY PT 1
16-DEC-03 12:00 PM DAYTIME ROTATION - FARSCAPE LIARS, GUNS, AND MONEY PT 2
16-DEC-03 1:00 PM DAYTIME ROTATION - FARSCAPE LIARS, GUNS, AND MONEY PT 3
16-DEC-03 2:00 PM DAYTIME ROTATION - FARSCAPE DIE ME, DICHOTOMY
16-DEC-03 3:00 PM DAYTIME ROTATION - FARSCAPE SEASON OF DEATH
21-DEC-03 12:00 AM FARSCAPE KANSAS
28-DEC-03 12:00 AM FARSCAPE TERRE FIRMA
EARTH: FINAL CONFLICT
05-DEC-03 5:00 AM EARTH: FINAL CONFLICT BOONE'S AWAKENING
12-DEC-03 11:00 AM DAYTIME ROTATION - EARTH: FINAL CONFLICT DECISION
12-DEC-03 12:00 PM DAYTIME ROTATION - EARTH: FINAL CONFLICT TRUTH
12-DEC-03 1:00 PM DAYTIME ROTATION - EARTH: FINAL CONFLICT MIRACLE
12-DEC-03 2:00 PM DAYTIME ROTATION - EARTH: FINAL CONFLICT THE JOURNEY
12-DEC-03 3:00 PM DAYTIME ROTATION - EARTH: FINAL CONFLICT FINAL CONFLICT
12-DEC-03 5:00 AM EARTH: FINAL CONFLICT TERMINATION
19-DEC-03 5:00 AM EARTH: FINAL CONFLICT GUILTY CONSCIENCE
BABYLON 5/CRUSADE PHOTOSHOP PHOTOS
Peter Woodward has sent along a new photo -- a rather dreadful one -- from his appearance on CHARMED. It will
be added to the collection of photos available from Peter, including additional copies of the Crusade poster in
photo format. Both are autographed by Peter.
You do NOT have to pay the prices asked for over at e-bay! Here are photos of B5 and Crusade cast members at
fantastic prices. Check out Photo Shop. Ordering is easy -- and you can't
beat the prices! Just let me know which photos you want and I'll check to make sure they are still in stock.
BABYLON 5 TOONS
John Cook has a wonderful collection of cartoons -- many are take-offs from Babylon 5. Here's just
one of them.
He has a cartoon caption contest going on as well. Try your hand at a punch line.
With the new Battlestar Galactica coming in December, Tye brings back old memories of Captain Apollo and the old series with
this new satire. Apollo Discovers Feng Shui.Enjoy Tye's other works at www.thelightersideofscifi.com.
BABYLON 5/CRUSADE CONVENTIONS
CONVENTION UPDATE
CONVENTION CALENDAR
GenCon
December 10-14, 2003
Location: Anaheim Convention Center
Place: Anaheim, CA
B5 Guests: Richard Biggs, Jason Carter, Jerry Doyle, Robin Atkin Downes
Other Guests: William Shatner, original Battlestar Galactica cast members
Creation Second Annual STAR TREK CONVENTION
January 9-11, 2004
Location: Hilton Metropole Hotel
Place: London, England
Guests: Robbie McNeil, Nana Visitor, Leonard Nimoy, Robert Beltran
For more information, visit their website at http://www.creationent.com/calendar.htm.
Creation Entertainment
February 6-8, 2004
Location: Doubletree Bellevue Hotel
Place: Seattle, Washington
Guests: Robert Beltran, Amanda Tapping, Tim Russ, Robert Picardo, Ethan Phillips, Peter Mayhew, Jeremy Bulloch
For more information, visit their website at http://www.creationent.com/calendar.htm.
Creation Entertainment
February 14, 2004
Location: Phoenix Hilton East/Mesa
Place: Phoenix, Arizona
Guest: William Shatner
For more information, visit their website at http://www.creationent.com/calendar.htm.
Creation Entertainment (Buffy & Angel)
February 15, 2004
Location: Phoenix Hilton East/Mesa
Place: Phoenix, Arizona
B5 Guest: Robin Atkin Downes
Guests: Stephanie Romanov, Julie Benz, Iyari Limon, John Kassir, Jacqueline Lichtenberg
For more information, visit their website at http://www.creationent.com/calendar.htm.
Farpoint
February 13-15, 2004
Location: Marriott's Hunt Valley Inn
Place: Baltimore, MD
B5 Guests: Bill Mumy, Brad Dourif
Other Guests: Peter David, Liliana Mumy
Marcon
March 5-7, 2004
Location: Hilton Mpls/St. Paul Airport Hotel
Place: Bloomington, Minneapolis
B5 Guest: Richard Biggs
Other Guests: Dr. Demento, John M. Ford, Davina, David E Romm, the Great Luke Ski, The Nick Atoms, Tri-Destiny
Best of Both Worlds
Date: March 13-14, 2004
Place: Canberra, Australia
Theme: Lord of the Rings
Guests: Dominic Monaghan - Meriadoc "Merry" Brandybuck (The Lord Of The Rings Movie Trilogy)
For more information, visit their website at " TARGET="_new">
http://johnvb.tripod.com/asn2.html.
Creation Entertainment GRAND SLAM: THE SCI-FI SUMMIT
March 26-28, 2004
Location: Pasadena Center
Place: Pasadena, CA
Guests: William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Brent Spiner, Sally Kellerman, Connor Trinneer, Alexander Siddig, Dominic Keating, Anthony Montgomery, Walter Koenig, Andrew Robinson, Armen Shimerman, Kren Auberjonois, Cirroc Lofton, John Rhys-Davies, Amanda Tapping, Michael Shanks, Corin Nemec, Michael Rosenbaum, Mark Verheiden, Anthony Michael Hall, Nicole de Boer, Chris Bruno, John L. Adams, Kristen Dalton, Andy Hallett, Mercedes McNab, Robia La Morte, Iyari Limon, Mark Lutz, James Leary, Julie Benz, Jeremy Bulloch, Kenny Baker, Rusty Goffe, Ken Colley, Peter Mayhew, Leni Parker, Gina Torres
Be sure to visit the referenced sites to see if there have been changes in dates/guests attending. Also visit our Convention Calendar for a full listing of upcoming conventions
featuring Babylon 5, Crusade and Legend of the Rangers cast members as guests.
CONVENTION HIGHLIGHTS
Ranger Brian had a blast with Rick, Jason and Jeffrey at the 2BeContinued Convention last week in Indiana. He sent along a picture for everyone to enjoy. Thanks Brian.
If you would like to share your convention experience with your other Zocalo readers, send along a convention report. I
will gladly post it for all to read. Got pictures? I'll post those as well.
ZOCALO TRADING POST
Do you have extra copies of B5, Amazing Spiderman, Midnight Nation or Rising Stars comics you'd like to trade? How about those
extra trading cards or B5 magazines? There are a lot of fans looking for these items -- and the Trading Post can help you buy or
sell them. To see what's available, just use this link to the Trading Post.
To have items included in The Trading Post, send a note to The Zocalo. Please put Trading Post
in the subject line.
PEN PALS
If you are looking for someone to talk about Babylon 5 and Crusade with, the Pen Pal section is for you!
Check it out! Drop a note to someone who is feeling B5 withdrawal -- BIG TIME!
People thought a Pen Pal page was a good idea. If you would like to meet people who you could chat with or share your opinions of the show with, send along your e-mail or snail-mail address The Zocalo.
It will be incorporated on the new Pen Page Page.
MAIL FOR CAST AND CREW
Here's a recent note from JMS on the subject:
Just an FYI to those who've been using the Ventura Blvd. mail drop for fan mail
to actors....
As mentioned before, we're phasing out the forwarding of fan mail because we a)
don't have the resources, complicated by b) the actors have scattered to the
four winds, and it makes it very difficult to get everything to everybody in a
timely fashion.
So, having provided prior notice...fan mail to actors coming to the Ventura
Blvd. mail drop will be sent back. Mail to actors should be sent via their
official fan clubs. I will still be taking mail there, since it's my mailbox,
but that's it.
Just so's y'all know and save a few bucks on postage and returns.
WARNER BROS:
Warner Bros. Address:
Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution
4000 Warner Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91522
Warner Home Video:
Mr. Douglas Wadleigh
VP for Marketing and Special Features
Warner Bros.
4000 Warner Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91522
SCIFI:
Bonnie Hammer, President
Sci-Fi Channel
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY. 10020-1513
Mr. Thomas Vitale
Senior VP of Acquisitions, Scheduling & Program-Planning
BACK ISSUES OF THE ZOCALO TODAY
The front page of the The Zocalo Today changes daily, so be sure to check the
back issues to make sure that you haven't missed anything IMPORTANT! I don't want the front page getting too
long so I shift information periodically into the archives. So if you aren't a regular visitor to The Zocalo Today, be sure
to check out the back issues. Just use the button above!
Take care and I look forward to hearing from you. Sandra Bruckner (sgbruckner@aol.com)
Editor/Publisher
The Zocalo Today
http://www.isnnews.net
Copyright - SBruckner, 1999-2003
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BABYLON 5: One thing you can say about folks following Babylon 5. They are plugged in. JMS puts a note out on the internet late on Sunday, and by Tuesday everyone is full of speculation and hope! This morning there are articles out on SCIFI.COM and CINESCAPE.COM coming from DARK HORIZONS.COM based on the internet message JMS sent (we had it out Sunday night though). The whole message sent from JMS is given below. It is very good news about the DVDs --the movies AND Crusade, awesome!
Over 100,000 fans lined the streets of Wellington, New Zealand as the stars and filmmakers of THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy attended a celebration parade marking the premiere of the film's final chapter, THE RETURN OF THE KING. Stars Viggo Mortensen, Ian McKellen, Liv Tyler, Orlando Bloom and Elijah Wood were greeted by the masses with claps and cheers as they were transported in cars flanked by horsemen decked out in the costumes used in the movies. "I'm feeling incredibly humbled by this wonderful reception," director Peter Jackson said at the movie's premiere. "You feel like you're the first people to land on the moon or something." Giant banners showcasing the film adorn skyrises while posters for the film are seemingly plastered on every street corner. Coverage of the event can be found at 
For a number of years, Pat Tallman (Lyta) has been heavily involved with Penny Lane, a family treatment center that cares for the most difficult to manage children with the highest quality care. These kids have been so sexually, emotionally and physically abused, they cannot be placed in regular foster care. Children come from all over California, Nevada and Arizona. This program focuses on kids who are the 104 in residence in the North Hills main facility and 9 satellite houses. Penny Lane also services over 700 young children in foster care.
Pat would like to focus this year on the 104 teens in residence and provide Target gift cards to the 40 young adults in Penny Lane’s revolutionary Transitional Living program.
To learn more about Pat's efforts at Penny Lane, go to the 
Warner Brothers have announced that January 6th, 2004 (Region 1) is the release date for Babylon 5: The Complete Fourth Season ("No Surrender, No Retreat"). There is no information at this time about when region 2 will be released.
DESCRIPTION:
Peter is considering cruising the Caribbean in early 2005 and wants to invite his fans to join the fun. He would like to see if
there is sufficient interest before going too far into planning, so if you would like to receive a brochure about Peter's upcoming
cruise once the details are finalized please advise of your:
Name:
Mary Woronov (Kka'Dath) - December 8
I received a wonderful note from Warner Bros. yesterday. It said:
The Babylon 5 Roleplaying Game and Fact Book
Cult Times #99: Michael Shanks talks about his return to STARGATE SG-1 and his recent marriage to Lexa Doig from ANDROMEDA. Also in this issue: Connor Trinneer talks about 'Trip Tucker' of ENTERPRISE and Kevin Sorbo looks at the changes for the fourth season of ANDROMEDA.
TV Zone #170: DOCTOR WHO returns! A new TV series is getting closer to reality and the BBC has a new webcast "Scream of the Shalka starring Richard E. Grant as the good doctor. Also in this issue: David Greenwalk talks about JAKE 2.0 and we look back at HERCULES: THE LEGENDARY JOURNEYS.
Starburst Special #60 Starburst takes a look at vampires -- on the big and little screen -- from Dracula to Angel. In addition to ANGEL and BUFFY features, you'll find production designer for LORD OF THE RINGS Grant Major talking about THE RETURN OF THE KING and UNDERWORLD's director Len Wiseman breathing life into vampires and werewolves.
Expose #81: Mercedes McNab talks about her roles on BUFFY and ANGEL. Gerard Butler talks about the transition from LARA CROFT
to TIMELINE. Mary Steenbergen reveals how she's developed a talent for motherhood and her transition from ELF to JOAN OF ARCADIA.
Starburst #304: MATRIX REVOLUTIONS - the final installment of this trilogy is discussed by producer Joel Silver. Also in this issue:
Dominic Monaghan talks about his role in LORD OF THE RINGS; Michael Crichton's TIMELINE comes to the big screen and director Richard
Donner talks about troubles with time travel and mediaeval fakery. 
Dreamwatch: In stark contrast to what we know the future to hold, Lex and Clark have forged a close friendship on Smallville. This month we chat with archenemy in waiting, actor Michael Rosenbaum. Nicole deBoer, a.k.a. The Dead Zone’s Sarah Bannerman, discusses the taut psychological thriller and reveals visions of the show¹s future. Plus, new season news from Angel, Alias and Stargate SG-1. (Titan)
Magazine, 84pg,
TV Zone #53: This special issue looks at all the returning shows -- and some of the hotter new ones. Inside, Scott Bakula
looks at the coming second season of ENTERPRISE; Executive Producer Alfred Gough discusses the challenges of re-creating a
superhero on SMALLVILLE. Among new shows, they look at BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, JAKE 2.0, JOAN OF ARCADIA and TARZAN.
Cult Times #100: Celebrate a century of Cult Times with this issue. Read interviews with the stars, and
features on shows currently airing in the UK. A Classic Series is given a light-hearted but informative look in our
Instant Guide and the highlights of the previous month’s viewing are featured in Times Past. Cult Times is the
complementary magazine to TV Zone, and together they provide the ultimate guide to the many worlds of Cult
Television.
IDW has announced its newest CSI: Crime Scene Investigation mini-series, entitled Demon House, which will launch in February. In Demon House, Gil Grissom and his team of Las Vegas CSIs already have their hands full with a gang of costumed robbers, when what looks like an accidental killing inside a charity-event "haunted house" may turn out to be murder. Demon House is written by award-winning crime writer Max Allan Collins, creator of the Nate Heller mystery novels and the original graphic novel Road to Perdition. Collins is also the writer of the CSI novels and video games. Art for the mini-series is by the same team as previous mini-series, with Gabriel Rodriguez on the main story and Ashley Wood on flashback and crime reenactment scenes, mirroring the visual styles of the TV series.
"Max Allan Collins has topped himself this time," IDW editor-in-chief Jeff Mariotte said. "In Demon House we have a visually fascinating location for a mystery that's as full of twists and turns as the best episodes of TV's most popular drama." Each issue of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation‹Demon House will be 32 pages and will cost $3.99. As before, IDW promises additional CSI-related matter in every issue.
Written by J. Michael Straczynski, cover and pencils by Gary Frank.
Jump on board one of the biggest hits of the year as it starts a new, second major story arc! Another new super power rises out of the "depths" of obscurity -- Amphibian! Plus: witness the first (and possibly last!) climactic meeting of Hyperion and Doctor Spectrum!
32 pages, $2.99, in stores on Feb. 4. 
AMAZING SPIDER-MAN #504
Amazing Spider-Man #501 will arrive in stores on Wednesday from Marvel Comics. The issue is written by J. Michael Straczynski, with art by John Romita Jr. and a cover by Tony Harris.
Here's how Marvel describes the issue: 
STARGATE SG-1: P.O.W. #1
With the new Battlestar Galactica coming in December, Tye brings back old memories of Captain Apollo and the old series with
this new satire. Apollo Discovers Feng Shui.Enjoy Tye's other works at www.thelightersideofscifi.com.
Ranger Brian had a blast with Rick, Jason and Jeffrey at the 2BeContinued Convention last week in Indiana. He sent along a picture for everyone to enjoy. Thanks Brian.
