"Babylon 5" scripts - the post script

Just dropping a line to mention I was one of those devotees who shelled out wads of cash for the full volume set of Babylon 5 scripts penned by creator J Michael Straczynski. This includes the bonus book given as a free gift to those of us who bought the full set of scripts. Joe has already stated he'll produce a similar set of books for Crusade and the subsequent B5 spinoff attempts, but there is a nicety to the completeness of this set of scriptbooks. The revelations and commentaries JMS wrote at the top of each volume go a long way towards explaining the process of writing, selling, and producing a television show (though all accounts are obviously written from Joe's personal bias). And the memorial testimonies offered at the passing of Andreas Katsulas and Richard Biggs were touching, personal eulogies that left me feeling like I actually knew those who had passed. In short, the books might not appreciate in financial value, but they still seem a worthwhile purchase to me.

Cafe Press (the online printer and distributor of the books) seems an ideal outlet for books of this type, so much so that I'm shocked other writers aren't self-publishing their own work in a like manner (a set of books containing the handful of B5 scripts NOT written by JMS has already begun releasing volumes, but my budget is stretched too thin to continue the buying frenzy). Surely writers who consider what is on the page to be at least as important as what is on the stage (Aaron Sorkin, David Milch, and Glenn Caron's names leap immediately to mind) would want the words to be seen and experienced as they were written, along with tales of the process. I know Sorkin released a few West Wing scripts in book form, but this particular company (and the format JMS seems to have created) makes it possible for entire seasons of scripts to be released with little to no effort or expense (Cafe Press prints only as many books as are sold, so there is no minimum run and no set-up fee).

It is also worth mentioning JMS currently has at least nine film scripts in production with major producers, directors, and actors in Hollywood, and these books are a unique look at how a guy goes from writing goofy scripts for He-Man cartoons to being what Variety recently called one of the top 10 screenwriters in Hollywood.

Hopefully folks took my advice back in October of 2005 when I first made mention of the scripts becoming formally public for sale. If not, then I guess this is my chance to gloat... I finally got one right.

Thanks Joe.