So, zumindest zu den ersten Comics gibt es nun neue Informationen. So hat sich der (voraussichtliche) Autor Tony Lee zu Wort gemeldet. Das erste ist eine Info von seiner Homepage, der Rest entstammt einer laufenden Diskussion im newsarama-Forum, wo er sich den (leicht besorgten) Fans der Serie gestellt und versucht hat, die Befürchtungen zu entkräften.

Vorerst mal nur die direkten Zitate - eine kurze Übersetzung des Inhalts folgt dann gegebenenfalls morgen.

Well, since an internet journalist managed to put two and two together from my comments and also the Mongoose webpage, after speaking to my publisher I can tell you what the uber secret project is that I'm working on with Artist extraordinaire Sam Hart -

BABYLON 5.

That's right - Unfortunately I can't confirm what it's going to be about, or even what format it's going to be in, as there's talk of either releasing each story as a stand alone trade paperback - or putting it out as a 5 part monthly comic from Quarter 4 2005, and then collecting it as a trade. There's a meeting at Mongoose at the end of April to decide this and all PR announcements will follow.

All I can say is:

1) Sam Hart will be definitely be the artist on Story 1 - which will be based around an aspect of the Babylon 5 universe that's only been hinted at before, and involves a character that changed the lives of billions.

2) There's a possibility that's been discussed in passing of a second story to run slightly staggered, also by myself but with a different art team which will be more up to date and concentrate of a different area of the Babylon 5 universe.

3) JMS knows about this, yes. I emailed him yesterday and I hope to have him involved in this - after all, it is his baby.

More news will come out at the end of the month - and expect it to be a large part of the Mongoose Panel announcements at the Bristol Expo.

Thanks to the deal with Warner, Mongoose will be releasing both Novels AND Graphic novels in the BABYLON 5 universe over the coming months.
Quelle
I can't say what the deal with Mongoose, Warner and JMS is. As I said to Newsarama I can't comment past what I said on my own blog, which was mainly so Sam Hart could at least announce it. PR and news will come out after the end of the month.

I contacted JMS as soon as I got the greenlight from Warner/Mongoose because it's common courtesy to check in with him. It's his world. It's his dream. He's a god damned hero of mine.

Also, theres a lot of things that we'll need final sign off from plotwise, so it makes sense to ensure I have a dialogue open from the start.

And as for a feeling of dread at JMS being 'ousted'?

Bristol Expo. I'm there. Mongoose is there. JMS is there.

You don't think there's going to be a meeting or two?.... ;-)
Yet again guys - hows about waiting for the OFFICIAL press releases before you shoot it down in flames?

JMS has a very good relationship with Mongoose, and their Babylon 5 games have created new parts of the Bab 5 universe with his blessing and assistance.

As I said before - I have NO IDEA how much input he'll have. Personally, I'd rather it was like Peter David had with his novels. This isn't a case of me going 'I'm doing this. Help or f*ck off.'

And as for 'fan fic' - as already mentioned there were good books and bad books - but there were good books not written by JMS. And although he knew the arc and the overal series plan, he actually only worte about a third of the scripts.

Just wait until May when more information is given, yeah?
One last thing I'll say to ease any concerns -

This isn't a case of a company just 'buying the license'.

Mongoose and JMS have been working together for a few years now on the games, and to my knowledge JMS has had a very hands on approach to the developments that have been made in the gameworld. To get the GN license, they would have had to have proved themselves.

I can't see JMS's involvement changing. It's his baby and I'm happy for that to stay like that. Everything has to stay canon.
And as I've said, I've already made contact with him.

In a couple of weeks a release will come out with more information. Be patient. It's all good.
One last thing.

There are no pre-written stories. There were and are areas of the Babylon 5 universe that Mongoose have concentrated in, that they've suggested might be areas that would work as stories.

Suggested. IMHO If JMS goes 'hmm - not sure about that one - hey what about THIS area', then thats where it goes.

If JMS has a graphic novel he wants to write, if he hasn't already been talking to Mongoose about it (as believe it or not, they DO talk to each other) email him - suggest to him to write it. I really can't see Mongoose/Warner turning THAT baby down, can you? ;-)

I might not be the BIGGEST BABYLON 5 FAN EVER. But I know my Vorlons from my Centauri. I know the relevance of Green or Purple. I liked Sinclair, wept for Marcus at the end of Season 5, I've had the War without End conversations that many of you have had, cheered when Vir waved to Morden and I sat there with all the others in Pages sci fi bar in London with the TV on, screaming at the end of season three when the cliffhanger hit the UK.

I'm (in my own opinion) a good writer. You want proof? Buy STARSHIP TROOPERS - BLAZE OF GLORY, out now. Buy THE GLOOM out next month.

I can't give you the facts as I don't know them all - this came out before the t's were crossed and the i's were dotted when mongoose's little news bit on their website was picked up by an Internet gossip hack (and it wasn't Rich Johnson, THE PULSE or NEWSARAMA) who threatened to spill. I pre-empted it to stop the story being twisted - but the full answers will be given sometime in the next month.

But on a personal basis? As far as I am concerned, JMS IS Babylon 5.

JMS has to and WILL be involved in any Babylon 5 story I write - and I don't mean 'gets a copy of the final draft as a courtesy' by involvement -

or I won't write it. I'll walk off the project.

Simple as that.
Quelle

Zusätzlich hat sich Tony Lee auch im B5TV-Forum zu Wort gemeldet. Da sein dortiger Eintrag aber im Prinzip nur eine Zusammenfassung seiner Beiträge im Newsarama-Forum war, sehe ich mal von einem weiteren genauen Zitat ab.

Nun Leute, lasst die Spekulation beginnen: Hat jemand genauere Infos, welchen Themengebieten sich Mongoose bisher angenommen hat? Nachdem ich die Ankündigung auf seiner HP gelesen habe, hätte ich ja schon mit einem Comic über die weitere Geschichte von Babylon 4 und Valen als ominöse "Story 1" gerechnet (auch wenn das teilweise schon in "In Valen's Name" behandelt wurde) - aber ich wüsste jetzt nicht, dass sich Mongoose Publishing schon mal mit diesem Zeitraum beschäftigt hätte - oder täusche ich mich da jetzt?!?!