JMSNews RSS Feed

Re: Attn JMS: Emerald City ComiCon and Cannes Film Festival

Wednesday, April 23, 2008 9:06 PM

From: "jmsatb5@aol.com" <jmsatb5@aol.com>
To: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated

I know I've been absent here for a long time, but it's been necessary
to getting out from under a number of deadlines and personal stuff
that's been going on which basically put me into (or undre) the bunker
to focus on getting things done. There was a two week period where I
didn't leave the house other than to get mail. At all.

But with so much going on at the moment, I felt obliged to come in and
put out some information, with the note that there will be more to
come in the next week or so.

To the question of Emerald City Con, yes, I will still be attending,
though I don't yet know the schedule. I imagine they'll mainly have
me doing stuff on Saturday just because that's the main day for the
con, but that's conjecture on my part.

Yes, I will be attending the Cannes Film Festival with Changeling
along with the rest of those involved in making it. The announcement
was just flat-out stunning.

On the work side, in the post-strike environment, I've 1) sold two
original screenplays, 2) was hired to rewrite/basically write a new
script for a project for the Wachowskis, 3) have just finished a deal
to work on a project with Wolfgang Peterson, 4) have another spec
script going to auction around the end of May, 5) just closed the deal
on another assignment which is based on a very influential series of
SF books, 6) have one more deal to write a remake of a nearly
legendary SF movie that will close in a few days, 7) there's a deal on
the table for both Dream Police and Rising Stars which I'm considering
right now...all this in addition to writing The Twelve and Thor (which
remains in the top 5 of best-selling comics) and getting the script
books out the door.

Which explains why nobody's heard a peep from me in ages.

Now I need to take a nap.

jms

Re: ATTN: JMS - International Writers

Monday, February 11, 2008 8:35 PM

From: "jmsatb5@aol.com" <jmsatb5@aol.com>
To: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated

On Jan 30, 6:35=A0am, Neeklus <StrayRo...@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi there,
>
> I won't bore you with the details of how I've just graduated from X or
> how I've been watching films and TV for Y years. Instead I'll get
> right to the meat of the problem/quandary: I want to a script writer.
> Well I am a script writer. I've written some scripts. But what I want
> to do with them now is sell them.
>
> Now the Complete Book of Scriptwriting is an excellent bible for the
> naive youngsters like myself. However it doesn't answer all the
> niggling little questions that keep floating around my mind. First and
> foremost I live in the UK. Bearing in mind that Hollywood is the place
> to be if you want to be in the business, is there anyway an unknown
> international wannabe can actually make a sale without having to jet
> over to the US at the drop of a hat?
>
> I guess my main concern is that I have this script that I'm pretty
> proud of. It is for a niche show, something I think I'm in tune with.
> But when I send the producer my nice polite letter inquiring if they'd
> be interested in this wonderful script, will he or she look at my
> address and instantly think "way too much hassle"?
>
> This brings me on to my next question - We live in the age of
> technology and super-fast internet connections (or at least some of us
> do). Is email hoping to replace snail mail?
>
> Another pertinent issue is the WGA strike. I want to make it clear I
> don't want to step on any toes or in any graves. I don't want to be a
> "scab" - I completely sympathise with the raw deal that writers get,
> and I do believe the WGA are fighting for a noble cause. Should I
> mention any of this in my letter?
>
> I shall close by hoping someone, anyone can help me.
>
> Good luck, and thanks for reading.
>
> Nick Thorburn

The answer is...if by "show" you mean trying to sell a TV show, it
doesn't matter where you live because you can't sell a show unless
you've worked in the TV industry for x-number of years. Just not
gonna happen. Networks only buy from people they know and have a
working relationship with.

jms

(PS, for those who played the "what's that?" google earth game last
time, here's a new one to check out:

30 30 38 24s S
115 22 51 37 E

This one should generate some discussion.)

Re: A quote by JMS

Thursday, January 31, 2008 3:41 PM

From: "jmsatb5@aol.com" <jmsatb5@aol.com>
To: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated

On Jan 30, 10:13=A0am, diyan55 <diannabut...@msn.com> wrote:
> I'm trying to remember the quote where JMS starts with, 'The more
> important the emotion is, the fewer words required to express it.' I
> cannot recall the rest.
>
> Can anyone finish this?
>
> Thankx.

Will you go out with me?
I think I like you.
I care for you.
I love you.
Marry me.
Goodbye.

jms

Re: Volume 13 Photos - No stinky food

Wednesday, January 30, 2008 11:07 PM

From: "jmsatb5@aol.com" <jmsatb5@aol.com>
To: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated

On Jan 30, 9:46=A0am, "Dupa T. Parrot" <dupa_t_par...@dupanet.com>
wrote:
> In Joe's Photos in volume 13 is a shot of JMS in front of the Welcome to
> Babylon 5 sign board from season 1.
>
> In the upper left sign under "Forbidden on Babylon 5" I see...
> No Dust, No Weapons, No Fighting and No Durians.
>
> So stinky fruit products from Earth are prohibited?
>
> Just in case you don't know wha durian is, see this link:http://en.wikiped=
ia.org/wiki/Durian
> (Scroll down to find the section on odor)
>

Actually, it's No Durlans, for all the comics fans...B5 had had enough
problems with shape-shifters over the years....

jms

Re: Attn JMS: WorldCon Appearance?

Wednesday, January 30, 2008 11:04 PM

From: "jmsatb5@aol.com" <jmsatb5@aol.com>
To: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated

On Jan 30, 3:02=A0pm, "Dan B." <fencer_...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Wondering if by chance you will be appearing at WorldCon in Denver
> this Summer?
>

Negative.

jms

Re: Attn JMS: WonderCon event schedule

Wednesday, January 30, 2008 2:38 AM

From: "jmsatb5@aol.com" <jmsatb5@aol.com>
To: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated

On Jan 27, 1:00=A0am, li...@larryr.com wrote:
> Joe,
>
> Do you know yet what events you will be participating in at WonderCon
> in San Francisco and when they are scheduled?
>
> --Larry

On Friday and Saturday I'm signingn from 2-3, and I have a writing
seminar/talk on Friday at 4, and my spotlight is at 4 on Saturday.
More things may be added along the way but those are the key events.

jms

Re: ATTN JMS: Wasp?

Sunday, January 13, 2008 3:49 PM

From: "jmsatb5@aol.com" <jmsatb5@aol.com>
To: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated

On Jan 11, 6:39=A0pm, "Nicole Massey" <ny...@gypsyheir.com> wrote:
> I'd like to get your industry insider perspective on this.
>
> Your professed appreciation of Eric Frank Russell's work also figures into=

> this. (I remember mention that you'd like to make Men, Martians, and
> Machines if given the chance)
>
> Wasp is a wonderful work, one that as even more timely now than ever. It's=
a
> compact story, requiring minimal actors and only one major lead, and it's
> extremely well written. I know it was optioned fairly soon after its first=

> publication, but for some reason has never hit the screen.
>
> Why is that? It seems like a perfect thing to see released now, with the
> focus on terrorism and infiltration, and also resonates with oppressive
> society issues. I've always wanted to see it, along with others by Russell=
,
> (Especially And then There Were None, Nuisance Value, =A0and the afore
> mentioned Men, Martians and Machines) made into films, and it still
> surprises me that such wonderful work hasn't seen the light of day.
>
> So, in your opinion, why is that?

It's a matter of making it work for the screen. It's probably gone in
and out of option many times. Adapting SF for the screen is difficult
for a lot of folks, and anything published back then is suspect now,
it seems. There have been over a dozen different writers, good ones,
who have tackled Heinlein's Stranger in a Strange Land and nobody's
managed to crack that one for the screen.

Re: Ron Howard: Lensman?

Sunday, January 13, 2008 3:47 PM

From: "jmsatb5@aol.com" <jmsatb5@aol.com>
To: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated

On Jan 11, 8:34=A0am, Jon Schild <j...@xmission.com> wrote:
> Just idle speculation, but do you suppose this could be related to one
> of the JMS big secrets that he can't talk about yet?

Who can say...?

jms

Re: JMS supports Ron Paul?

Tuesday, January 01, 2008 1:18 AM

From: "jmsatb5@aol.com" <jmsatb5@aol.com>
To: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated

On Dec 31 2007, 11:19=A0pm, Amy Guskin <aisl...@fjordstone.com> wrote:
> >> On Mon, 31 Dec 2007 02:14:38 -0500, cmulder wrote
>
> (in article
> <c663e5f5-e25f-4e31-836b-45300fc40...@l6g2000prm.googlegroups.com>):
>
> > According to Wikipedia JMS has endorsed Ron Paul for President.
>
> > When did this happen? =A0Did he give the reasons he is supporting Ron
> > Paul?
>
> > Ron Paul isn't my first choice (nor my last), but it still sounds a
> > little strange to me. <<
>
> Since when can anything on Wikipedia be trusted as being accurate?
>
> Amy

The entry is accurate. I donated $2K to his campaign, in order to
encourage a more moderate voice on the Iraq war.

Then I discovered that he wanted to overturn Roe vs. Wade and a lot of
hard-won civil rights legislation.

So much for that.

jms

Re: Strange things in strange places.

Saturday, December 08, 2007 2:48 PM

From: "jmsatb5@aol.com" <jmsatb5@aol.com>
To: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated

On Dec 8, 9:12 am, diyan55 <diannabut...@msn.com> wrote:
> As I was dressing the other morning, donning a pair of jeans I've had
> since the stone age, light glinted off the button closure, catching my
> eye. In raised letters I saw:
> JMS
>
> No kidding.The letters stand for 'Just My Size', a brand of bluejeans
> created in the 70's, I think.
>
> Insert "Twilight Zone' music here.

Sadly, any time you do a google search on Straczynski you also get
some for jms, including that company.

When the Brits say I'm pants, I guess they're right.

jms

Re: JMS: Fugiting Tempus

Saturday, December 08, 2007 2:47 PM

From: "jmsatb5@aol.com" <jmsatb5@aol.com>
To: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated

On Dec 7, 8:47 pm, "Jeffrey O. Gustafson" <PsicopJe...@hotmail.com>
wrote:
> > First, it's important to emphasize that I suppport the strike
> > wholeheartedly, it's necessary and a decade overdue. I wish it
> > could've come at a different time, but everyone wishes that whenever
> > it does come.
>
> All the reactions I have seen online about this strike note how
> *different* it is, both in terms of the widespread blogging and use of
> online videos, the overwhelming public support of the strike, and the
> overall positive mood of the picketers. Joe, what have your
> observations and experiences been over the past month, and how does it
> differ from the '88 strike, in your opinion?

It differs in every way, which is what the studios haven't yet fully
grasped.

During the shooting on TLT, I had dinner with several folks including
an exec from Warner Bros. when the subject of the coming contract
expiration came up. And the fellow from WB, whose name I'll omit for
now, was practically cackling about it...saying that they already had
their positions in place, and that they were looking to the WGA
fracturing and falling apart as it always had in the past during these
negotiations, splitting into factions and internal argumentrs and
dissension, while they just sit there and wait for the implosion to
tell us what the terms will be, and which we would then accept.

And I remember thinking, pal, you have NO idea the full extent and
nature of the wood chipper you're about to walk into face-first.

See, the thing of it is, on one level, he was right, that's how things
WERE. But things had changed. There is a tendency, in military
strategy, for the generals to fight each new war using the techniques
and tactics that had worked in the last war, often without
understanding that the shape of the battlefield had changed. We saw
it in the Revolutionary War, where British soldiers marched in strict
formation into the birth of guerilla warfare; in the Civil War, where
generals still had troops firing at each other from nearly point-blank
range without grasping that this wasn't necessary because the accuracy
of the weapons had improved by orders of magnitude leading to huge
slaughters, and in Vietnam, where we ended up playing the British to
the VC guerillas.

The shape of the battlefield had changed. In the past, yes, the
producers were able to divide the guild along set lines, pitting TV
drama writers against sitcom writers against feature writers against
unemployed writers against working writers.

But now we had a) more determined leadership and b) every writer in
each of those groups had sat back and watched as the DVD sales of
their work in every arena flew out of stores and made billions for the
studios while they saw nothing. It united the hell out of everybody.
So there ARE no fault lines this time for the producers to exploit.
But they're still running the same playbook as last time. And the
more it doesn't work, the more pissed off they become.

One side-effect of this...after the sales on B5:TLT came in, way
exceeding WB's projections, they initiated talks about what to do
next, including commissioning more DVDs. Looking at the calendar, I
suggested that they might want to hurry the bureaucratic process
because we were going to be in a strike situation soon, so if they
wanted to move, they'd better commision a script fast.

And they said in response, and I quote verbatim, "We don't want to be
pressured in the process because we know there's not going to be a
strike this year, we can handle the Guild."

Face, wood-chipper. Wood-chipper, face.

>Do
> you have any other non-TV/Movie/Comic projects that you are working on
> to fill the time, like that play you mentioned a few years ago?
>

The play is still ongoing, believe it or not. I keep trying to decide
if it's as good as I think it *might* be, or if it's too smart for its
own good and simply crap. At present it's about three-fourths done
and has been that way for over a year while I debate. So what I might
do during the break is to hire some actors, get a small space, and
just have a staged reading of what's there. Once I hear it, I can
decide what to do with the damned thing.

jms

Re: JMS: Fugiting Tempus

Friday, December 07, 2007 5:40 PM

From: "jmsatb5@aol.com" <jmsatb5@aol.com>
To: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated

On Dec 7, 3:40 pm, Jan <janmschroe...@aol.com> wrote:
> In article <76613250-69d2-41bf-8c6c-c817d87a3...@v4g2000hsf.googlegroups.com>,
> jmsa...@aol.com says...
>
>
>
> >Because I've known without question for over a year that we'd go on
> >strike, and that the strike had the potential to last at least six
> >months, I've been able to arrange my finances so that I should be able
> >to get by reasonably well for the duration of the unpleasantness.
> >Others, who kept telling themselves it wasn't going to happen, are
> >going to have a harder time of it.
>
> >But this...this was inevitable.
>
> Glad to hear that. From the sound of things the timing of the strike could
> really mess things up for those on-the-brink projects. Fingers crossed for a
> speedy and fair resolution (yeah, yeah...so I'm an optimist).
>
> Follow-up question: Is it because you've already submitted the TV project to
> various studios that your Group can't write the next 7 scripts during the stike
> even though you didn't have any firm takers?
>
> Thanks for the update.
>
> Jan

In theory, yes, we could, and there are plans for the three of us to
meet later this month and January to at minimum break out what the
rest of the episodes would be. How quickly we can turn the scripts
around is up to their film schedule, and we need to confirm that it
would be okay to do so with the guild, since again this is for
ourselves, not a studio or network. If not, then we'll have to wait
until post-strike to do any more work on them.

In terms of Changeling...we have about two more weeks of shooting and
that'll be in the can. I've seen some assembled scenes, and it looks
truly amazing. Everybody's doing an outstanding job on this, and I
think we've got a real winner on our hands.

jms

Re: JMS: Fugiting Tempus

Friday, December 07, 2007 1:38 PM

From: "jmsatb5@aol.com" <jmsatb5@aol.com>
To: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated

On Dec 6, 5:28 am, Jan <janmschroe...@aol.com> wrote:
> As the exclamations of "I can't believe it's already/almost
> winter/Christmas/Chanukah/Solstice/Kwanzaa/Hogmanay/Festivus/2008 etc." grow
> daily louder, that means it must be just about time for the Annual JMS Year-End
> State of the Straczynskiverse Post.*
>
> So what can you tell us about what you're doing now, your thoughts on the strike
> (and what it's left hanging), any gossip from the 'Changeling' set and the usual
> laundry list of comics, plays, novels, audio drama, songs, fairy tales, spec.
> scripts or other stuff you might have in process?
>
> No pressure or anything but since Babylon 5 sprang fully formed from your
> forehead during the '88 strike, there's a lot of interest in what's got your
> attention during this one.
>
> Thanks,
> Jan
>

First, it's important to emphasize that I suppport the strike
wholeheartedly, it's necessary and a decade overdue. I wish it
could've come at a different time, but everyone wishes that whenever
it does come.

On the TV project I co-wrote and would produce with the two mega-film
makers (henceforth just "the group"), we took the first three scripts
out to auction in the weeks leading up to the strike. Everybody
wanted to be in business with the group given the massive reps of the
film-makers (and me, I suppose).

The up-side of the project was that everyone agreed that they had
never seen anything like it before. The down-side was that they had
never seen anything like it before. This is a business where people
are comfortable with what they've seen. Some found it too
controversial/weird. Some wanted it and made offers, but only on the
condition that we tone it down a bit and make it more conventional.
At the eleventh hour, one that had passed turned around to say
yes...but by then it was too late and everyone stopped buying things
with the strike about to happen.

So the group conferred, and what we'll probably end up doing is
financing the project ourselves, first as a ten hour miniseries, and
take it from there. There's no question, given the names involved,
that we can turn around and get financing from a studio and/or DVD
distributer and from worldwide television pre-sales. So when the
strike is over, we'll pick up that thread again, write the next 7
episodes, shoot the thing, then sell it to whichever network wants it
the most.

This means we won't have to compromise anything creatively, it'll be
exactly what we want it to be.

On the film front...there are two dream projects I've always wanted to
write (I'm omitting Trek here to eliminate the rumors that might
follow), two things I've wanted to do my whole life. Both of them
fell into my lap right before the strike. But the underlying rights
had to be obtained by the studios in writing, and it took time to do
that...to the point that they finished their negotiations to obtain
the rights the day before the strike, and the day before they could
start negotiations with me.

So again, this is something that, with luck, we can pick up again
after the strike, assuming that their interests don't cool in the
intervening months, which is always a risk on any project.

Paramount is still looking for an a-list director for World War Z, and
the moment they find one who says yes, that will go into production.
These are solid production offers.

Surfer and Sunlight were both turned in long before the strike, so for
now it's a matter of writing comics, catching up on the B5 script
books (we're targeting January for the next one), and writing specs
for myself. (Under the strike you cannot write for, or turn anything
in to, the studios, but you can write for yourself as much as you
want.) I'm writing one spec based on a true story from about 60 years
ago, as well as some others more in line with fictional work.

Because I've known without question for over a year that we'd go on
strike, and that the strike had the potential to last at least six
months, I've been able to arrange my finances so that I should be able
to get by reasonably well for the duration of the unpleasantness.
Others, who kept telling themselves it wasn't going to happen, are
going to have a harder time of it.

But this...this was inevitable.

jms

Re: OMD Irony

Tuesday, December 04, 2007 12:37 AM

From: "jmsatb5@aol.com" <jmsatb5@aol.com>
To: rec.arts.comics.marvel.universe

On Dec 3, 9:32=C2=A0pm, Hand-of-Omega <handofom...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> On Dec 3, 2:28 pm, Tony <TonyJ1...@aol.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > On Dec 2, 8:38=EF=BF=BDpm, "ozandy" <nos...@myprovider.com> wrote:
>
> > > "grinningdemon" <grinningde...@austin.rr.com> ha scritto nel messaggio=
news:1er4l3lurpseu0n0ejult4fabhc2906d4j@4ax.com...
>
> > > > On Sat, 01 Dec 2007 19:31:34 -0800, Michael <thissp...@for.rent>
> > > > wrote:
>
> > > >>badbad wrote:
>
> > > >>> Tony wrote:
>
> > > >>>> Back during the Clone Saga, when Marvel was trying to figure a wa=
y to
> > > >>>> backpeddle and put Peter back in the suit, there were many scenar=
ios
> > > >>>> writers and editors came up with. =EF=BF=BDA couple of them featu=
red cosmic/
> > > >>>> supernatural outs, but the editors wisely realized that using Jud=
as
> > > >>>> Traveller or Mephisto to under/mastermind the Clone Saga was too =
far
> > > >>>> away from the world of Spider-Man. =EF=BF=BD It's a shame the cur=
rent
> > > >>>> editorial regime doesn't realize that.
>
> > > >>>> Tony
>
> > > >>> Why couldn't they have used Dr. Bong instead of Mephisto? =EF=BF=
=BD Dr. Bong
> > > >>> hits Spidey on the head. Then the clones, neo Gwen Stacy, Civil Wa=
r and
> > > >>> everything after is a delirious concussion.
>
> > > >>> Why couldn't they have said that everything after issue 280 was al=
l fake
> > > >>> because J. Jonah Jameson used the cosmic cube because Peter used N=
air on
> > > >>> =EF=BF=BDMan-Wolf?
>
> > > >>> Why couldn't they have said that everything after issue 320 was a
> > > >>> nightmare caused by indigestion when Peter eats Mary Janes first
> > > >>> home-cooked meal?
>
> > > >>> Why make a re-boot with a supernatural creature when it isn't even=
one
> > > >>> of Spidey's traditional villains?
>
> > > >>> Why don't they hire editors?
>
> > > >>> Why?
>
> > > >>> Why? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy?
>
> > > >>> Why? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=
=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BD=
Why? =EF=BF=BDWhy?
> > > >>> Why? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=
=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BD=
Why? =EF=BF=BDWhy?
> > > >>> Why? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=
=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BD=
Why? =EF=BF=BDWhy?
> > > >>> Why? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=
=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BDWhy? =EF=BF=BD=
Why? =EF=BF=BDWhy?
> > > >>> \
>
> > > >>> badbad
>
> > > >>They DO hire editors!
>
> > > >>WHAT those editors DO these days is a mystery to me.
>
> > > >>Play Jarts I guess.
>
> > > >>Michael
>
> > > > Actually, this whole storyline...and Civil War...and Sins Past
> > > > (basically all of the most hated Marvel stories of recent years) hav=
e
> > > > been chiefly shaped by editorial decisions (Quesada in
> > > > particular)...they question is not "what they do?" so much as "why
> > > > haven't they been fired yet?" =EF=BF=BDI say bring in the monkeys wi=
th
> > > > typewriters...it's bound to be an improvement.
>
> > > Actually, I don't know what you guys are crapping on about. One more d=
ay was
> > > getting a bit boring until Mephisto appeared in this issue. I'm actual=
ly
> > > interested in the next issue of SSM for once. Although I must admit th=
e Dr
> > > Bong idea isn't bad :-}
>
> > > Andy- Hide quoted text -
>
> > > - Show quoted text -
>
> > --largely the fact that Mephisto has no place in Spider-Man stories,
> > and MORE IMPORTANTLY, he's being used as the vehicle to UNmarry Peter
> > and MJ. =C2=A0Which is an idea that sucks so much it's in the annals of
> > suckiest ideas ever.
>
> I know I said I feel for JMS, but the more I think about it, the
> angrier I get at him for this. Is he REALLY onboard for this? Does he
> actually think this is a good idea? Or is he just following orders,
> like with the Gwen's kids story?
>
> I admit to not following ALL of his work, but what I have read and
> watched seemed touched with uncommon wisdom. The issue where Dr.
> Strange is explaining to Peter that he must let go of May and
> why...THAT seemed like the authentic voice of JMS. I honestly believe
> that, if he actually owned this property and was his own boss, then
> Peter would of course be tempted, very much so...But he would
> ultimately refuse. Because, while painful and hard, it is the Right
> thing to do.
>
> Can someone who has read most or all of JMS' work tell me if I am
> wrong here? Is that not a story he would tell?
>
> If not, then I guess he wasn't the writer I thought he was. If so,
> then what the hell is he doing writing this?
>
> I mean, if your boss tells you to write a story that you honestly
> think is a bad idea, then wouldn't it be the right thing to do to
> stand up and say so? Sure you might lose your job, but the truth is
> where it needs to be. PAD refused to dump on the Hulk when ordered to,
> and he still gets lots of work from Marvel. And it's not like JMS is
> some unknown company writer, surely he can get work at ANY comic
> company. Hell, he doesn't have to work for anyone!
>
> Is it just the fun of playing in Marvel's sandbox? Well, he's done
> that for awhile now, but if they keep forcing these kinds of decisions
> on him, then how much fun can that really be? I'm really trying not to
> think of him as a shill who just does whatever the boss demands, but
> it's getting more and more diffficult not to...
>
> As things now stand, there's only two possibilities that give me hope
> about this: One is that all the hype is just that, hype. That, at the
> last moment, on the final page, Parker really *does* do the right
> thing and tells Mephisto to go shove it. Comicdom breathes a longheld
> sigh of relief, Joey Q gets his immature little thrill at having
> ramped up reader tension, and JMS' integrity remains intact.
>
> Or (and much more likely) they do go thru with it...But it's not all
> cut and dried as we were led to believe. We're in for, say, a year of
> single Spidey stories, but he starts to realize something is wrong,
> and eventually a series of events occurs which restores the marriage.
> Which they had planned all along (altho many skeptical fans will of
> course claim that they simply reversed their disastrous course when
> sales plummeted). Same result as above? If it really is a long term
> plan, then...maaaybe.
>
> Sorry for the rambling rant. On with the newsgroup!^_^
>
> Dex- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Speak of the devil and he shall appear....

For whatever it's worth, the situation is not as clear cut as one
might hope. The reality of any writer workingfor any company, DC or
Marvel or Image, is that when you're handed a franchise character,
you're basically entrusted with something that the company owns, and
the company has final say in what happens to that character, because
as a writer, you're only there for a certain amount of time and then
the next guy has to come in. Spider-Man belongs to Marvel, not to me,
and at the end of the day, however much I may disagree with things,
and however much I may make it very CLEAR to all parties that I
disagree, I have to honor their position.

In the Gwen storyline, yes, I wanted it to be Peter's kids, Joe over-
rode that, which is his right as EIC. I got the flack for that
decision, but them's the breaks.

In the current storyline, there's a lot that I don't agree with, and I
made this very clear to everybody within shouting distance at Marvel,
especially Joe. I'll be honest: there was a point where I made the
decision, and told Joe, that I was going to take my name off the last
two issues of the OMD arc. Eventually Joe talked me out of that
decision because at the end of the day, I don't want to sabotage Joe
or Marvel, and I have a lot of respect for both of those. As an
executive producer as well as a writer, I've sometimes had to insist
that my writers make changes that they did not want to make, often
loudly so. They were sure I was wrong. Mostly I was right.
Sometimes I was wrong. But whoever sits in the editor's chair, or the
executive producer's chair, wears the pointy hat of authority, and as
Dave Sim once noted, you can't argue with a pointy hat.

So at the end of the day, all one can do is try to do the best one can
with the notes one is given, and try to execute them in a professional
way...because who knows, the other guy may be right. The only thing I
*can* tell you, with absolute certainty, is that what Joe does with
Spidey and all the rest of the Marvel characters, he does out of a
genuine love of the character. He's not looking to sabotage anything,
he's not looking to piss off the fans, he genuinely believes in the
rightness of his views not out of a sense of "I'm the boss" but
because he loves these characters and the Marvel universe.

And right or wrong, you have to respect that.

jms

Re: Non-strike news (for a change of pace!)

Tuesday, November 13, 2007 12:56 AM

From: "jmsatb5@aol.com" <jmsatb5@aol.com>
To: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated

Really stupid question.

Can someone with google earth go to coordinates 37o 37' 41.46 N and
116o 50' 54.82 W and tell me what the hell that thing is?

jms

Re: WGA/AMPTP talks break off

Saturday, November 03, 2007 11:01 PM

From: "jmsatb5@aol.com" <jmsatb5@aol.com>
To: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated

On Nov 2, 8:18 pm, Kay Shapero <k...@kayshapero.net> wrote:
> In article <1193984924.964670.205...@i38g2000prf.googlegroups.com>,

> What I'm wondering about is what do writer/producers do? Can they still
> produce even after covering the typewriter for the duration, or do they
> drop everything?

You can produce what's written, and make minor changes for purposes of
production (usually called A through H changes) meaning changing a
bedroom set to a living room set, that sort of thing, but no story
changes or dialogue changes unrelated to production.

jms

Re: WGA/AMPTP talks break off

Thursday, November 01, 2007 11:28 PM

From: "jmsatb5@aol.com" <jmsatb5@aol.com>
To: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated

On Nov 1, 10:32 pm, "David E. Powell" <David_Powell3...@msn.com>
wrote:
> On Nov 2, 1:29 am, "Vorlonagent" <nojts...@otfresno.com> >
> Strike's on.
>
> http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21570821/
>
> Hopefully it's short. There should be cash to go around to give the
> writers a boost.
>

In order to have any real impact, the strike will have to be at least
as long as the '88 strike, which lasted six months.

jms

Re: WGA Strike 90%+ vote to strike

Tuesday, October 23, 2007 4:21 PM

From: "jmsatb5@aol.com" <jmsatb5@aol.com>
To: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated

On Oct 22, 4:59 am, swp <Stephen.W.Pe...@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Oct 21, 7:43 pm, "jmsa...@aol.com" <jmsa...@aol.com> wrote:
>
> > System keeps glitching mid-send...trying one last time.
> > jms
>
> > ------------
>
> > Let me jump in here for a second to try and turn the discussion a bit,
>
> I am curious why this strike was not voted for 100% across the board.
> What were the dissenting opinions? I have read and understand your
> side of the discussion, and the studios side seems rather clear, but I
> have not heard from the less than 10% who voted against having a
> strike. What are their reasons?
>
> I am not against the reasons you outline for this strike. I just like
> knowing all sides of an issue before making any claim to an informed
> opinion on it. (Remember Harlan's admonition about opinions.)
>
> Good luck with negotiating a fair and equitable solution with the
> studios.

There are always some who just don't want to go out on strike, who
have work they're doing, who are on a show they've tried for years to
sell, and they hate the idea of it...which is understandable. What's
significant is that this is not only the highest number of votes we've
ever had on a strike authorization, it's the highest percentage of Yes
votes, ever. You can't get the Guild to agree on anydamnthing. Last
time I think it was about 70 percent or so...90 is amazing.

jms