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Babylon 5 at Twenty: A Visual Celebration

I have been waiting a long time for them do something like this for Babylon 5. This will most likely be the only time a book like this will be available so if ever you where a B5 fan I would start saving your pennies. I am.

 

Babylon 5 at Twenty: A Visual Celebration

Releasing June 24th, 2013*

* except for Phoenix Comicon Attendees


PROVENANCE

Foreword by J. Michael Straczynski written 20 years to the day after The Gathering aired.

LIKE TOURING THE SET DURING THE RUN OF THE SHOW

B5-20 goes deep in detail but wide in scope. What you saw in each episode was what the directors wanted you to see, and how they wanted you to see it. When they used smoke, dim lighting and close-ups to set the mood and move the story forward, it didn’t allow for the full visual panorama of the series. Now you get to see it all: G’Kars quarters, Medlab, President Clark’s office, the Edgars Compound, Franklin’s quarters, the Observation Dome (and much, more). We also included photos of the 3D-set models from the pilot.

AS CLOSE AS YOU’LL GET TO BLU-RAYS

The 12 inch by 12 inch size of this book is the highest resolution in which you will ever see Babylon 5. The show cannot be remastered in high definition or released on Blu-Ray because of the CGI. Remember that Babylon 5 was one of the first shows to use CGI and it was created for the standard-definition televisions of the 1990s. At an average of 6,000 frames per episode, re-creating it from scratch is prohibitively expensive.

EXAMINE DETAILS THAT COULD NEVER REALLY BE SEEN ON SCREEN

Study the nuances of the Starfury flight suits, the control consoles on the White Star, the faces of the Telepath embryos in the Vorlon genetic engineering tanks, the progress mural in the casino, the "flags" of the League races in the Council Chamber, the stanchions supporting the underground tunnels on Mars and the etchings on Galen’s staff...every page delivers a moment of wonder.

ACTUAL SIZE...AND BIGGER

We chose the biggest book size possible but still practical. One foot by one foot (about 31cm by 31cm) opening to a full two feet wide. This footprint shows most of the concept art at actual size and let us enlarge smaller details like costume fabric swatches, character’s jewelry, and key props—like the Keeper and the Night Watch Pamphlet—to bigger than life size.

LINGER IN SPACES SEEN FOR ONLY SECONDS ON SCREEN

Remember Earthdome Medical, the Planetside Bar and the Grey 8 Passageway? No? Nor did we...at first. Explore these sets, seen for less than a minute on screen. Step inside them and literally read the writing on the wall.

FULL-CIRCLE DOCUMENTATION

B5-20 showcases the evolution of makeup and costumes and features comparisons of concept art, photos from the shoot and what was actually seen on screen.

CAPTIONS THAT CONNECT THE DOTS

We made sure that the captions layer facts upon facts. For example:

"Two views of a bunk room aboard a White Star. The Minbari beds are propped at a forty-five-degree angle so as not to tempt death. The illuminated panels on the wall reflect a standard Minbari design element seen throughout the series while the mottled fixtures between beds—reminiscent of Kosh’s encounter suit—recall the White Star’s use of Vorlon technology."

WHAT REALLY WENT ON BEHIND THE SCENES

From seeing aliens on a break to a look inside both the prop and costume closets, from lunchtime on the set to a backstage pass for the last day of shooting, and even imtimate glimpses of J. Michael Straczynski directing "Sleeping in Light," this section turns the cameras around and shows the cast and crew in unguarded moments.

IT’S A CELEBRATION OF WHAT YOU SAW AND WHAT YOU DIDN’T SEE

B5-20 is a gateway to the visual aesthetic of Babylon 5. When you see the sets they walked, the props they handled, the garments they wore—the detail of the show—your understanding of the craftsmanship harnessed to support JMS’s vision will be enhanced.

MIT declared Babylon 5 (along with Star Trek and The Twilight Zone) to be the greatest science fiction tv shows of all time for a reason...and B5-20 punctuates that point.

FIRST EVER BABYLON 5 BOOK PRINTED EXCLUSIVELY IN COLOR

Not just full color, but the actual colors of the sets, costumes and props. Extensive care was taken to ensure that the final pages precisely matched the color qualities of the original photographs, which were taken on set during production. B5-20 covers everything from the pilot through The Lost Tales.

DETAILS ABOUT THE PHYSICAL BOOK

256 pages. 753 images. 150gsm heavy-weight paper designed for high-resolution, full-color printing. Matte finish. Extra durable WIBALIN® cloth cover. WIBALIN® slipcase. Title and B5-20 logo embossed with foil stamping. Ribbon bookmark.

A NOTE ABOUT THE BINDING

We used the highest quality Smyth-sewn binding. This means the book lays flat for every page. More importantly, the pages will not pull away from the binding (nor will the spine crack) because the pages are NOT glued.

HOW THIS OVERSIZED BOOK IS BEING SHIPPED

We had a custom shipping box made to the exact specs of the book. It is a padded, double-walled bumper box that will withstand the weight of this book during shipping. The book itself is shrink-wrapped for authenticity and additional protection. Your B5-20 is guaranteed to arrive in perfect condition and if not, we will pay all expenses to get you one in pristine condition (including return shipping, and this does include international orders.) There is zero risk to you.

ABOUT THE PRICE

The retail price—the final price the book will be sold for—is $134.

HOWEVER, during the debut discount period (the first 7 days the book is released) the price will be $88. This $46 savings will only be available once, when we release the book on June 24. Exception: Books being picked up at the Phoenix Comicon will also be $88.

We are still negotiating the shipping prices and will have that information closer to the June 24 on-sale date.

RELEASE SCHEDULE

The official release date is Monday, June 24. Pre-orders will be available closer to the ship date.

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Posted 16 May, 2013 - 14:07 by Atom

Comments

1 comment posted
20th anniversary!? Man, I

20th anniversary!? Man, I feel old... and I need to sit down someday and actually watch the show.

EVA_Unit_4A's picture
Posted by EVA_Unit_4A on 16 May, 2013 - 15:38