Category: Science Fiction

JMS Warns Folkses of Hoaxes

This is not a hoax!

Amid controversies regarding forged memos and forged Batmans, Babylon 5 creator and Amazing Spiderman author Joe Michael Straczynski has felt the need to warn people against forged signatures of his name on various pieces of memorabilia. In a message recorded over at JMS News, he writes:

Folkses —

Several usenet folks — foremost among them Jan — have alerted me to a number
of forgeries on Ebay…comics, posters or photos that have the worst fake
signatures I’ve ever seen, supposedly from me.

If you’re out there buying anything that’s allegedly signed by me…compare it
with what’s been out there before. And be careful…a number of JMS-fake
signatures look exactly the same, which leads me to conclude that a bunch of
them are being pumped out by the same guy.

Sometimes it’s good to have a signature that looks like elvish script written
while drunk…harder to counterfeit.

jms

Beyond its posing on JMS News, no evidence that this post actually came from JMS was offered.

Is a phony JMS warning of phony autographs?

(It reminds me of when JMS first showed up on AOL and people questioned whether he was really him. His response was to the effect that: “I am not myself and resent the suggestion that I am.”)

Richard Biggs (Dr. Stephen Franklin) Dead At 43

RichardBiggsBabylon 5 series creator/writer J. Michael Straczynski posted this note Saturday regarding the passing of actor Richard Biggs, who played Dr. Stephen Franklin on the B5 series. He added a lot to the show, and I know that fans will miss him as much as cast and crew.

From: jmsatb5@aol.com (jms at b5)

Subject: today we lost richard biggs

To: rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated

Date: 5/22/2004 4:43:05 PM

I was awakened today with several phone calls from cast members and Doug to
pass along the terrible news that this morning, Richard Biggs passed away.

We’re still gathering information, so take none of this as firm word, but what
seems to have happened, happened quickly. He woke up, got up out of bed…and
went down. The paramedics who showed up suggested it was either an aneurysm or
a massive stroke.

His family members have been informed, and all of the the cast have, as far as
we can determine, also been informed.

This is a terrible loss for all of us. Richard was a consummate professional
but more than that he was an honorable, stand-up guy. If he gave you his word
on something, you never had to wonder about it afterward. He was always
helpful and supportive of all the cast, even those who only came in for one
episode, always with a ready smile and determined to do whatever it took to
make the scene work. He was, quite simply, a terrific guy, and everyone here
is just devastated at the news.

More word as this develops. We may try to have some kind of fund raiser to
help give whatever assistance may be helpful for his kids.

We all miss him terribly.

jms

For the repose of his soul.