Harlan Ellison, the acclaimed writer who also served as the Conceptual Consultant for Babylon 5, has begun releasing a series of books containing his scripts, stories, and essays in a format similar to that of J. Michael Straczynski’s Babylon 5 script books. Volume 1 will be released in the Fall, but today, Friday 22 July 2011, Brain Movies: The Original Teleplays of Harlan Ellison, Volume One – Limited Babylonian Edition was released. This edition contains the same material as the unlimited edition plus a few bonus extras related to Babylon 5.
The scripts published in this volume are:
- “Memos from Purgatory” from The Alfred Hitchcock Hour
- “Soldier” from The Outer Limits
- “Demon with a Glass Hand” from The Outer Limits
- “Paladin of the Lost Hour” from the 1985 Twilight Zone
- “Crazy as Soup Sandwich” from the 1985 Twilight Zone
- “The Face of Helene Bournouw” from The Hunger
The scripts are all scanned originals complete with handwritten annotations and changes by Ellison.
The above materials will also be available in the unlimited edition in the Fall for $39.95. The Limited Babylonian Edition will contain seventeen additional pages containing:
- Ellison’s detailed manifesto – commissioned by Straczynski at the start of Babylon 5 – explaining to potential writers for the series what not to do in science fiction television
- The unabridged version of the opening narration for Babylon 5 Season One
- Thirteen humorous voice overs written but never used over the Warner Bros. logo at the end of each episode
- An introduction written by J. Michael Straczynski titled “Touching Magic”
In addition, the Limited Babylonian Edition will be signed by both Harlan Ellison and J. Michael Straczynski – only the second time they have ever signed something together.
Brain Movies: The Original Teleplays of Harlan Ellison, Volume One – Limited Babylonian Edition is priced at $75.00 but will be on sale for $55.00 through 31 July 2011. It can be ordered through HarlanBooks.com.