My Firefly Dream

Gorrammit! I had a dream about Firefly and I woke up before it ended!

What's that? You want to know what I dreamed? Well, all right...

Cue plaintive guitar riff...

It opened with shot of one of the scrubby towns that populate the Firefly 'verse, with a subtitle that this world was called Ozark.

The camera panned to a bunch of townfolk shouting "They're back! The strangers are back! They must have returned for the gold they buried!" and then hustling off out of town in the direction of what was, presumably, the location of the gold.

As they scuttle off, we see that there was a little redheaded girl in pigtails, no older than 13, listening intently to the group of men. After they leave, she looks around to make sure no one is watching her, and she gets on her bicycle and goes the other way.

(What's cool about this bicycle is that there's a second chain from the rear tire to a spinning rod -- basically a horizontally-mounted drop spindle -- that is spinning or winding yarn out of a collection of fiber located in a basket over the rear wheel. My thought in the dream was literally "Oh, cool! As the kids ride their bikes, they're spinning wool into yarn! What a neat and totally Firefly-esque way of doing things!")

So the little girl -- who wasn't named in my dream but who I'm calling Jessie because she reminded me of the Toy Story character -- pedals to a warehouse-like building at the edge of town and sneaks inside. She makes her way through a collection of rusting farm equipment, and it's obvious she's looking for something... or someone. Her eyes widen as she sees (but we don't) what she's looking for, and there's the sound of activity ahead. She creeps towards one of the pieces of heavy equipment which is now sputtering into life and trying to idle, like it hasn't been run in a long time.

As Jessie gets next to this thing -- which looks like some kind of backhoe-forklift thing -- it begins shuddering violently before breaking down in a violent self-disassembly. She screams, covers her face with her arms, and everything goes black as the working arm falls toward her.

(This is probably where the title sequence would go.)

Can you believe that the opening credits for Firefly cannot be found on YouTube? 

I blame Fox. Anyway, this is the best I could do -- and it's nifty besides. 

Jessie wakes up with Simon tending her and saying things like "She'll be all right. It's just a mild concussion, I'd like to keep an eye on her for a few days, though," to a very agitated and rather guilty-looking Wash. Based on the state of his clothes and the grease stains, it's apparent he was trying to fix the fork-hoe and didn't do a good job. Mal, Jayne, and Kaylee come back from somewhere (I get the idea they were scouting -- Mal as brains, Jayne as backup and Kaylee as "You're the engineer, what kind of tools are we gonna need to do this?" -- and see Jessie waking up. Kaylee immediately goes to fuss over her, Mal has an expression of "WTF is she doing here?", and in proper style, Jayne goes over to the makeshift kitchen and starting making a sandwich for himself.

Then there's some dialog that I couldn't quite follow. I got the impression that this was either a sequel to an earlier episode, or this was referencing events that happened to the crew before the TV series. Anyway, what I pieced together was that the crew had been to Ozark before, and that they'd stolen a shipment of gold ore from the local mine, and that they'd used Jessie in their heist as "local kid who knows what's going on and can be our eyes and ears", and that something had gone wrong during the heist and that they'd ditched the train car full of gold in some really bad location (like, off a cliff and into a river-filled ravine bad) before leaving.

When Jessie comes to her senses, she is pissed -- at the fact that the crew left without saying goodbye! (And without giving her her share of the take.) Still rattled, she reaches into her overalls and pulls out a small lunch to eat on the counter. River helpfully points out Jayne's fixings and says "These potatoes are rust-flavored." Jayne replies, with a mouth full of sandwich, "Hey now, let's respect our guest's bad decisions." Obviously he didn't want to share his potato chips.

There's more discussion as Mal asks Jessie what's happened to her in the years since he'd seen her. She mentions that times are even harder for her folks since the last time the crew was on Ozark, and that she'd had to take a job at the local horsehouse.

"Whorehouse?" Mal asks, with murderous intensity in his eyes. "A little [Chinese word] like you? I'll kill whoever put you there." Jessie rolls her eyes. 

"No, no. HORSE house. It's like a hotel for horses. I'm the stable girl there." 

Mal has a kind of "Oh. Well. My bad" expression on his face, there's kind of a musical "womp-wooomp" as Kaylee and Simon look at him whimsically like "Oh look, we caught the big bad captain acting human for a moment and now he's embarrassed"...

... and then I woke up. 青蛙操的流氓!

Me as 3 Fictional Characters

I'm probably a week or two past the "this is still cool" date of this meme, but what the heck:

Fruit Oaty Girls Auction eBay Link

Due to circumstances beyond my control, the auction did not begin last night. However, it is live as of this moment.

Also due to circumstances beyond my control, the auction will end this Sunday, rather than next Wednesday. Oh well! Just make sure you aren't hung over two days in a row and everything will be shiny.

Remember, this is a once-in-a-lifetime level of rarity, so bid big and bid often!

Big Damn Auction: Fruity Oaty Girls

Now that Christmas is over and my brother & his girlfriend have gone back home, I can resume blogging. Hooray!

First off:  Big Damn Thanks are in order for the winner of the last auction, Marian Call's personalized "Bootleg" CD. The winning bid came in at five hundred and ten dollars. That is huge. That is amazing. I'd thank the winner personally but eBay keeps the auction winners anonymous and I want to respect his privacy. I don't know if the guy just wanted the CD that bad, or if he was looking for an excuse to give to charity, but either way... rock on, dude. Can I get a "Hell yeah!" ?

Now it is time for the next auction, and all of you guys who were willing to bid $100+ for the CD are going to be glad you still have your money, because this next item is very, very shiny.

The next item in our Big Damn Auction is a set of Fruit Oaty Girls bobblehead maquettes. Produced by Quantum Mechanix (visit their website for more details on this product), these maquettes are limited to 1500 numbered sets, but only THIS set has been signed by its creator Geoff Mandel -- the graphic designer behind Serenity (as well as many other movies and TV shows).

In addition, not only is the box itself signed, but the sub-boxes within it -- containing the maquettes of Jadem Cinnamon, and Sage, as well as the display stand which comes in the shape of a Fruity Oaty Bar -- are also signed. That's not one but FIVE signed pieces of merchandise!

(Note: the display stand and maquettes themselves are not signed, only their boxes. This was done to keep them in their original packaging, and therefore in mint condition.)
 
This is a once-in-a-lifetime level of rarity and no true Browncoat can bear to be without it.

Bidding starts tonight, 12/28, at 10 pm Eastern time, and will run for a week. The bidding will begin at $69.95 but I don't think it will stay there for long!




All the proceeds for this auction will go to help Jean Bauhaus, whose mother-in-law, Gina, died unexpectedly earlier this month without a will or insurance to cover the burial, and whose father-in law needs long-term medical care (diabetes, emphysema, schizophrenia). In addition to the funeral and medical bills, Jean and her husband Matt also have to clean up Gina & Rob's old apartment, moving furniture and making it ready for new tenants. There are also legal matters to attend to and creditors to satisfy.

We all know how hard it is to lose a loved one, and we all know how tough it is financially in this recession. Can you imagine what it must be like to be struggling to get along, only to have to bury your mother and find a nursing home for your father at your own expense? Now add to that the awful timing of this tragedy happening near Christmastime, and you know what Jean and Matt are going through. Fortunately, they are both Browncoats, and we take care of our own.

Product Details

(from the Quantum Mechanix website)

Created by Serenity Designer Geoffrey Mandel, the Fruity Oaty Girls Bobblehead Maquette Set includes the cheery trio of Fruity Oaty girls, display base and special Verse packaging. These hefty bobbleheads are cast in solid polystone resin and hand painted, with neck joints mounted on springs so they can move to the beat. Even the base – shaped and labeled just like a real Fruity Oaty Bar – is solid resin and color keyed, so girls can easily find their designated slots.

Sage, Cinnamon and Lavender will bring the shiny to anyone's day. Each girl stands 4.5 inches tall, not including the base, and comes in her own individually branded full-color box. The Fruity Oaty Bar base has its own unique box. All four boxes are nestled in a full-color master carton that's been designed to look like a standard shipping crate from The Verse.

Bootleg Auction eBay Link

Just to be doubly sure, here is the link to the eBay auction.

Bidding is now open and will continue until 10pm Eastern time on Saturday, 25 December.

Oh yeah, just to be clear: the person actually eBaying it, wyrrd, isn't me. It's C.A. Bridges, fellow Daytonian and friend of mine.

Big Damn Auction: Bootleg

It feels like it's taken forever for me to get this thing in motion, but it can't be helped. This is the holiday season, after all, and most folks are either on their way to visit family, friends and loved ones, or have already arrived and are away from/too busy to check their email.

So what I've decided to do is stagger the auction in chunks as pieces become available I already have 3 pieces lined up, with the possibility of more to follow. That way, instead of there being a whole bunch of neat stuff that people want but can only bid on one, it's arranged so that if you don't get what you want there's the possibility that you can get the next nifty thing on down the line. 

The first item up for our Big Damn Auction is the rare and out of print Bootleg CD by none other than Marian Call, the Geek Goddess of Song and sultry chanteuse of fandom. This is her own archival copy, donated in the spirit of Christmas charity and generosity.





To make this CD even more valuable and desirable, Marian will:

• Dedicate the CD to the winner
• Autograph the cover
• Smooch it with lipstick

So not only is this CD rare, it will be personalized and, if you're into biological sciences, you might be able to clone your own Marian Call from the DNA left behind by her lip-print.


This is the link to eBay auction.


This is a once-in-a-lifetime level of rarity and no true fan can bear to be without one. Bidding will start at $12.99 US (its original price). The auction begins tonight at 10 pm Eastern time, and will run until 10 pm Saturday, December 25. Can you think of a better Christmas present for a hard-core fan?

All the proceeds for this auction will go to help my friend (and fellow Browncoat) Jean Bauhaus, whose mother-in-law, Gina, died unexpectedly last week without a will or insurance to cover the burial, and whose father-in law needs long-term medical care (diabetes, emphysema, schizophrenia) but whose applications to nursing homes have been rejected due to lack of money or his age (he's 57). In addition to the funeral and medical bills, Jean and her husband Matt also have to clean up Gina & Rob's old apartment, moving furniture and making it ready for new tenants.

We all know how hard it is to lose a loved one, and we all know how tough it is financially in this recession. Can you imagine what it must be like to be struggling to get along, only to have to bury your mother and find a nursing home for your father at your own expense? Now add to that the awful timing of this tragedy happening near Christmastime, and you know what Jean and Matt are going through.

CD Details 

(information taken from Marian's blog with permission)

This CD includes live cuts that have had a limited or private release, live cuts never before released, and a couple of preview tracks from the upcoming album (live cuts, not studio recordings, which will probably not be released in the future). The audio is not perfectly mixed and mastered; the songs are mostly live bootlegs.  This is homebaked music — as in, burned on my laptop.  This is INDIE MUSIC IN ACTION.  The CD’s come with Marian’s homeburn guarantee — if the disc doesn’t work, I’ll make and ship you a new one from home, cuz I actually care about you since you’re ordering something weird like this.

Track List:

1. Got to Fly (live at the Snow Goose) — the world premiere; first time ever in public
2. Sugar Sugar Sugar (the gift shop of Wild Horse Rescue Ranch in Arizona) — preview from Something Fierce
3. Vera Flew the Coop (Live at Whole Wheat Radio)
4. I Wish I Were a Real Alaskan Girl (Snow Goose)
5. Flying Feels Like (Lestat’s)
6. Whistle While You Wait (Snow Goose)
7. Good Old Girl (Live at Whole Wheat Radio)
8. Dark Dark Eyes (live at Lestat’s)
9. I’ll Still Be a Geek After Nobody Thinks It’s Chic (The Nerd Anthem) (Snow Goose)
10. Fall Love (Whole Wheat Radio) — about bats. Bats aren’t bugs. Not scheduled for studio release, though I like it
11. Highway Five (My Dad’s Living Room) — preview from Something Fierce, my next album
12. Vanilla (with Commentary by Marian Call) — since I know you were wondering why I’m not sexy
13. The Volvo Song (Lestat’s) — in which I forget the words; one of two times in over 300 performances
14. I Think We’re Good (My Dad’s Living Room) — about springtime in Alaska. Not scheduled for studio release
15. Never Did Catch Her Name (But She’s My Wife) (Basement Recording) — about Yo-Saff-Bridge of Firefly. Not scheduled for release.

For folks interested in hearing a sample of her music, I suggest this YouTube playlist.

The Atlas of the 'Verse

It is with great pride that I announce the release of Quantum Mechanix' Atlas of the 'Verse, Volume1. I say "pride" because, for the past two years, I was part of the Brain Trust that helped develop this beast.

Of course, I don't want to overstate my contribution here. Most of the work was done by Ben "Whitefall" Mund, he of the amazing graphical skills, and J. Chris Bourdier helped with providing crunchy planetary dynamics. My job, in addition to the typical proofreading and error-spotting duties we all had, was to be That Person.

We all know that person is. The person who cues up the DVD of the docking sequence at Beaumonde just to see if the starport pit is drawn correctly, because for some reason her Browncoat senses were tingling. (It wasn't.)

Or the person who analyzes a cut-away of Mal's pistol (which, to be fair, is a prop and doesn't at all work the way the movie wants you to think it does) and compares it to the actual workings of pistols, drawing upon her real-life knowledge of guns and bullets and ballistics, and then argues for a month with folks about how no, the bullets won't feed properly if you put them there, you have to do this other way, I don't care how much work it is for you because, well, she's a fan and it's important for her that this product be as "right" as possible.

Yes, I was the rabid, screaming fangirl of the Brain Trust, and there were more than a few times I felt really shitty about arguing minutiae with people. But I was told, again and again, that no, my contributions were important, and that if I hadn't caught it then another fan would have, and by then it would be too late to correct the problem.

So, um, yeah. That's what I contributed, such as it was, and in return, my name is in the credits right next to Tim Minear. Go me!

From the product page, in case you didn't click on the link above:

The Verse at Your Fingertips

With hundreds of terraformed planets and moons, the worlds of Firefly/Serenity are vast, varied and ever-changing. And a smart captain – a captain who expects to carve a living out of the black – needs to know a lot about those worlds. Which planets sell low? Which pay high? What are the local customs, cultures and laws? And what’s the best path to maximize profit, minimize risk and keep flying.

That's why the Trader's Guild Association has issued this comprehensive guide to the New Canaan run: The Atlas of The Verse, Volume One.

The New Canaan run is favored by captains flying light- and mid-bulk transports for its diverse markets and exports. And for those who must occasionally live on the raggedy edge, its varied levels of law enforcement are a plus, as well. The route described in the 26 full-color pages of the Atlas spans 11 planetary systems, crossing from The Core through The Border to The Rim and back.

More than just a collection of facts and maps, The Atlas of The Verse gives you the measure of a place, with a bonus page of content for each system.

Here's just some of the shiny info you get:

• Introduction by Tim Minear, Executive Producer of Firefly.
• Planetary maps, historical profiles, industries, satellites and exports for:
• Londinium
• Persephone
• Beaumonde
• Silverhold
• Harvest (and Higgins’ Moon)
• New Canaan (and Lilac)
• Hera
• Shadow
• Ariel
• Osiris
• Sihnon
• Currency and coinage used throughout The Verse.
• Satellite maps of the Eavesdown Docks and Atoll City, Beaumonde.
• Cutaway diagram of the FlashKill grenade favored by freelance security everywhere.
• Higgins Industrial brochure on the best ceramics available in The Verse.
• A copy of the Independents' tactical map used in the Battle of Serenity Valley.
• The complete history of the Firefly Ship Works and its development timeline.
• And much more!

The Atlas of The Verse comes in the same format as the Serenity Blueprints Reference Pack: printed on 100-pound 12"x16" stock and spiral-bound. It's loaded with beautiful art, incredible renderings and detailed diagrams that really help bring The Verse to life. It's also fully compatible with the best-selling Map of The Verse (and makes a great companion piece!)

The Altas of The Verse: 26 pages of awesome for just $39.95.

Order it, because it is awesome.

Also, if you visit their webpage, you get a free PDF of Independent Scrip (Browncoat money) which you can download and print out to your grubby little heart's desire.

What are you waiting for? BUY IT!

WNW: Space Cowboy

Nathan Fillion is a big ol' nerd, and GOD I love him for that! :D



Link.

Since we're talking about Nathan Fillion anyway...



Link.

WNW: Morena Baccarin's many hidden attributes

I have no idea where this clip came from. Can anyone identify it for me?

What I've been up to lately

Shut up. It is too Monday if I say it is.

At any rate, I am pleased to announce that I am a member of the Quantum Mechanix Brain Trust. Which is a fancy way of saying "Whitefall makes awesome stuff and I, along with a bunch of other people, nitpick it to pieces in the name of accuracy." Thankfully, he's a good sport about it.

Now, I'd love to tell you all about what I'm working on for QMx -- and believe me, it's gao guhn shiny -- but gorramit, those pesky Alliance types brought along some lawyers and had me sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement. So less'n I want to get strung up, I can't tells ya nothin'.

Yet.

However....

How'd you like to earn a million bucks?


Okay, so it's a million in Alliance Credits. Still, wouldn't it be fun to roll around in naked?

Also as prizes: A Mal stunt pistol autographed by Captain Tightpants himself; a Kaylee statuette signed by Jewel Staite; and an original set of Serenity blueprints, signed by the graphic designers of the movie, Geoff Mandel and Tim Earls.

Whole lotta signin' going on, there.

Oh, yes. One more thing: Be sure to check out the Firefly Ship Works blog, where every two days or so you can get an update on not just the forthcoming Serenity model, but other geeky starships such as the NX-01 Enterprise, the Death Star, and... oh yes, wallpapers for the Cerberus, a military gunship variant of the Series 3 Firefly that was used in the War for Independence:


So yeah. Go, look, drool, and join the growing ranks of the Core-Techs.

And now, a word from our sponsor.

I meant to talk about this last week, but as you may remember, stuff got in the way.

Anyhoo.

If you're into Firefly stuff, go buy this:



It's handier(book sized, not poster sized), cheaper ($30), and packed with more stuff than the Serenity Blueprints. If you play the Serenity RPG, this is an excellent reference manual for your game.

I even had a very small degree of involvement with this project, so if you're just interested in supporting me, please buy it. A good Christmas Season for Quantum Mechanix means a happy Palette.

Also, if you've purchased the Mal Stunt Pistol, or plan to get the metal Hero Pistol, and you'd like a high-quality, screen accurate holster for it, please let your voice be heard. The greater the interest there is for such an item, the greater the chance it will be sold AND the cheaper it will be for everyone.

Thank you for your time.

Now, back to our irregularly scheduled lunacy.

RAC: Shiny new swag

Thought I'd share this with you...

As a "thank you" for the hard work I did for them, QMx was nice enough to send me a personalized Battlestar Galactica-style dogtag!

Inside this neat little metal box, suitable for holding Space Altoids...



... is a neat little bag (I wonder how many cubits it can hold?)...


... with this really shiny dogtag!


Yes, my serial number is "Elite" in l33tsp34k. I'm sure I'm going to Hell for that, but I'd be going there anyway, so why not have a bit of fun in the process?

Anyway, I'm told that this dogtag is unique. Whereas most personalized tags have random serial numbers, I was able to pick mine (because I'm special!) and I seriously doubt that combination will come up again. So, if you ever meet someone at a convention claiming to be Erin Palette, ask to see her dogtags! Because if they don't look like this, then she isn't me!

My tags also came with an "Induction Order," which is a fancy way of saying I've been drafted into the ranks of the Colonial Forces. (I hope I can qualify for flight status... I want to be a Raptor pilot!)



And that's really neat, because it wasn't long ago that I was discharged from the Independent Forces:



This came with my Ships' Papers and was a special deal restricted to those people who ordered within the first 24 hours (Thank you again, Nathan!) If you haven't bought one of these, you really need to... they only made 1500 of these, and 900 have already been sold.

Yes, I do believe I have sold my soul for geek swag.


----------------
Now playing: Bear McCreary - Passacaglia
via FoxyTunes

Pimp my Firefly

Thanks go out to regular reader and Palette fanboy Johnny Velocity, who kindly pointed out to me that the Firefly box set can be bought for $19.95 at Amazon.com.

Seriously, if you don't own it there is now no reason for you not to.

I'm looking specifically at you, Hickman.

RAC: Update on the Ship's Papers

Sources deep within my Radion Accelerator Corps tell me that the Ship's Papers will have a release date of August 25.

You heard it here first.

RAC: Ship's Papers

Pay attention, Browncoats! This is important.

Remember when I leaked the Official Press Release by Quantum Mechanix and I said that while I knew what Whitefall was making, I didn't yet have proof?

I have proof now.

And, as promised, this is at the very least as shiny as the Serenity Blueprints, and probably moreso, since this is something you can touch/hold/play with/use as a prop.

Fellow Flans, I present to you... the Official Serenity Ship Papers:


As I mentioned before, Whitefall has a reputation within the Flan community as a quality maker of props and replicas. One of his top sellers was, you guessed it, Firefly Ship's Papers, so when I heard that he'd been hired by QMx my initial guess was that either the Ship's Papers or the Map of Serenity Valley would be his first official product. I didn't say anything about the papers, because they seemed too complex to make compared to a map and, quite frankly, I didn't want to say anything for fear of jinxing it.

"But Palette," I hear you say, "how is this new product any niftier than Whitefall's old stuff?" I'm very glad you asked me that, Voice in my Head, because here is why:

Old Stuff:

• Only 5 pages.
• Made one at a time... each packet took months to make.
  
• Cost between $200 - $300 when they were put on eBay.

New Stuff:

• No less than thirteen pages, plus an Alliance bribe and a designer's certification of authenticity.
• All sheets were made under the supervision of Geoff Mandel, the graphic designer of the Serenity movie, to ensure that each piece is as authoritative and accurate as possible.
  
• Access to studio archives means movie source art is included, so that the entire package has the look and feel of the Serenity 'Verse.
• One of the sheets is a "Crew Roster" with signature spaces. That's right, if by some chance you should happen to meet our Big Damn Heroes at a convention, you not only have a gao guhn place for them to put their autograph, but doing so only increases the value of your Ship's Papers!
• Of course, there's also the fact that since this is an official licensed product, buying this means that there will be more shinies being made by QMx for Browncoat consumption, and of course you don't have to get on a waiting list as each unit is made.

So as you can see, it's not so much an expansion of the original as it is a completely new and much better re-imagining.

Keeping in mind that such things are subject to change, here are the specifics as I know them:

• 13 full-color sheets, up to 8.5 x 14" in size.
  
• Certificates are hand-stamped with official Alliance seals, and hand-signed in both English and Chinese.
  
• They come in a fashion-grade leather wallet with brass snap fittings (for the cover) and a screw-down plate (to keep the papers in place).
  
• Limited to 1,500 pieces.
  
• Price: between $120 and $130. So for essentially half the price, you get twice the goods. Where in the 'Verse will you get a better deal than that?

Eris willing, my Bothan spies will be able to get me a review piece and then I'll be able to tell you in graphic detail why this product is so incredibly awesome, you'll want to sell a kidney for it.

But then, I suspect you're all rabid fans anyway, so I'm preaching to the choir. Still, I promied you bowel-looseningly cool, didn't I? And I delivered!

Edit: new information here.

RAC: Blue Sun Travel Posters

Remember the sneak preview of the Miranda Poster? My Bothan spy within the RAC broke a fingernail to bring me this information:

Just keeping you in the loop on developments. We're doing a pre-launch sale of the Series 1 Blue Sun Travel Posters exclusively through the California Browncoats, to help them with their Comic-Con fund-raising. This is *not* the official launch; that'll happen in a few weeks. They've only gotten 300 sets (done as a special run) and there won't be any more until the launch happens in August.

Hmm. Blue Sun Travel Posters.

Oh, I wonder what they might look like! Will you tell me, Mister Browncoat PDF?


Oh, goody! *claps hands merrily*

EXPLORE THE ‘VERSE – WITH BLUE SUN TRAVEL!

The Blue Sun Travel Company encourages citizens of the Alliance to explore the many amazing vistas that comprise our proud republic. It’s a great big ‘Verse full of fabulous sights to see and exotic cultures to experience. Whether you partake in the ancient and noble tea ceremony at the Companion Guild House on Sihnon, behold the awesome canyons of glass and steel on Londinum, enjoy the many distractions of the Gateway District on Persephone, shed a tear for our fallen Alliance heroes at the Monument at Serenity Valley, or be among the first to experience the pure tranquility of Miranda, a multitude of star systems full of unparalleled adventure await you.

And Blue Sun Travel is ready to take you there.

In an effort to help inspire future honored guests, Blue Sun Travel is publishing several art print sets showcasing some of the many locations that we can take you to. In the past you would have only seen prints of this quality adorning the walls of your local Blue Sun Travel office, or proudly displayed in high-traffic areas like Persephone’s Eavesdown Docks or along the bustling streets of Beaumonde. But now, thanks to our partnership with fellow Blue Sun subsidiary, Quantum Mechanix Inc., you too can own a set of Blue Sun Travel Posters.

This officially licensed set contains 5 full-color, 17” x 22” prints on 100-pound, satin-finish paper. Suitable for framing and all for just $29.95. Included in the set are posters inviting you to travel to historic Serenity Valley, tranquil Miranda, exciting Persephone, beautiful Sihnon and awe-inspiring Londinum. For more information, go to www.quantummechanix.com, or sign up for the QMx Insider newsletter at insider.quantummechanix.com.

Blue Sun Travel – We Bring the ‘Verse to You

SERENITY VALLEY: There is perhaps no place of greater significance in the ‘Verse than Serenity Valley, located on the planet Hera. It was here that all the worlds of the Alliance were finally united, ushering in an era of lasting peace and prosperity.

MIRANDA: Seeking rest and relaxation? Then beautiful Miranda is the place for you. Just a few days’ flight from the core, Miranda offers Alliance citizens the opportunity to truly get away from it all.

PERSEPHONE: Persephone is a planet like no other! It’s a one-stop shop for anyone wishing to experience all the wonders the ‘Verse has to offer. You can shop the vast array of exotic wares in Ginza, play all day and night in Gateway, or find transport to any place your traveling heart desires at the Eavesdown Docks.

LONDINUM: Londinum is the very heart of the United Alliance of Planets. Yet beyond simply being the center of the greatest government humanity has yet known, it is also a masterpiece of classical and modern architecture, recalling the former glory of Earth That Was while pointing a clear beacon skyward to our future of limitless potential.

SIHNON: Words don’t do justice to the beauty and mystery that awaits you on Sihnon. Home to the famous Companion Guild House, Sihnon is a beacon of civilization and a true wonder to behold.

Wow! Thank you, Mr Browncoat PDF! Why, that's a steal at only $29.95! And there are just 300 sets in the pre-release sale? I'd better get down to Comic-Con!

RAC: Official Whitefall Press Release

For those of you gorram no-good Yi Dwei Da Buen Chuo Roh who thought I was lying when I said that Whitefall had been acquired by QMx , I present you with this:


Yes, I know what he's working on for QMx.

No, I don't have any proof.... yet.

But I can tell you this much: you know how jaw-droppingly shiny the Serenity blueprints were?

This new project is better.

Bowel-looseningly better.

Hand to God.


Also, you can bid for a dinner with Joss on eBay.

RAC: Visit Tranquil Miranda, Marry Saffron, Don't Get Killed

Valiant members of my Radion Accelerator Corps brought me this information. (Fortunately, none of them are Bothans, and as such none of them died. Hmm, that gives me an idea...)

Not a joke! Not a hoax! Not prototype pieces you'll never get to own! This is real, folks!

This lovely poster, done in a style reminiscent of Chinese and Soviet Propaganda Art, was created by Adam Levermore-Rich (of Black Market Beagles fame) and is the second fan artist to be acquired by QMx! Hmmm... Blue Sun? Travel? I wonder if this could be the first of many...



Rumor has it that a prototype of one of Adam's first efforts on behalf of QMx will be quietly auctioned off at Saturday's Can't Stop The Serenity screening in San Francisco to raise money for Equality Now (Joss's favorite charity). And even if you can't make it to SF on Saturday, there are other Can't Stop the Serenity screenings in other parts of the world! Go here to find out if there's one near you. If so... GO!

Also, in related Firefly news, Chris Bridges from SerenityStuff.com has told me about his Sing a Song of Saffron contest that runs through the end of the month. If you're a Browncoat who's musically inclined, enter now for a chance win some nifty prizes! (Details and contest rules can be found at the website.)

Radion Accelerator Corps: the Evidence

It would appear that some of you doubt my credentials regarding my inside leaks at Quantum Mechanix, aka my Radion Accelerator Corps. Shame on you!

Normally, I'd just compose a vulgar sestina to mock you, but since Jericho has been renewed I'm feeling generous. Thus, I will show you doubting Thomases and Thomasinas photographic evidence of my credulity.

This is an uncut printer's sheet of the Serenity Money Pack. It's freaking HUGE.



EXTREME CLOSE-UP!!!! You can see the color-correction bars and the "money band".


I also have some other nice things as well, including some stuff I'm not allowed to talk about. But I can show you the following stuff.

Important: These are prototypes, not production design. I do not know when, or even if, these will become commercially available.

I now own stock in Tyrell Corp! (From Blade Runner)


Blade Runner money! (Note the date on the front:2017. Proof these aren't copies of real money from somewhere! They're authentically fake, folks!) Again, these are not slated for release.

Front:

Back:

And finally, this little beauty. It's made out of some kind of pressed tin or aluminum. If you think it looks familiar, you're right: Book, Jayne and Simon were using them as gambling tokens in Shindig. My source tells me this is a prayer card/ good luck amulet depicting Quan Yin, the Chinese Bodhisattva of Compassion. Once more, for the hat trick: as of yet there are no plans to produce this commercially.

Front:

Back:

There, now you have proof. Go forth in geekery, and sin no more.

(and no, you can't buy them off me. They're myyy precioussssssssssssssss.........)