Andrew Swallow  wrote:
> Wendy of NJ wrote:
>
> > It's an investment. There are few things more lucrative than starting
> > a successful franchise. Maybe Howard *wants* something that's
> > episodic, so that there is room for a series of decent sequels (as
> > opposed to slathering on crap to a completed story. *cough* Disney
> > *cough*).
>
> The Lensman books have franchise written all over it.

Absolutely.  I've got friends who think the battle scenes during the
Shadow War were the pay-off for having all that plot stuff before.
It does make very good sense to call B5 a grown up vision of
the Lensmen series.  Heck, Androme-duh is Lensmen with a one
ship fleet in some sense.

> Since the
> books basically cover 3 generations of Lensmen three tv
> series can be spun off. =A0Five if both ladies are given their own
> series.
>
> Instead of tv series there could be "lost tales" sequel films based
> in the each of the generations.
>
> Done correctly there is a lot of employment and a lot of money here.

Consider which movies are at the top of the list of all time money
producers.  Numbers one and two are "Gone with the Wind" and
"Titanic".  After that it's entry after entry of space opera and/or
horror.  You have to go quite a ways down the list before any other
non-horror-sf even appear.  And movies are all about money unless
you're specifically shooting for an Oscar.

The Lensmen series has all of the plot sophistication of the Star
Wars movies and just as much action.  I agree with Andrew that
it's franchise central.

JMS has already done Spiderman so he can do action.  Imagine if
he gets a chance to polish Lensmen without changing it from space
opera.  I remember this show called Star Trek that was space opera
on the surface and yet had all sorts of social issues kint into each
episode, and it defined the franchise concept for the field until Star
Wars came along and defined franchise to include mass marketed
toys.  Hmmm, I think there were Star Trek mass marketed toys
along the way.

But if I had my druthers I'd want Skylark of Space.  Nobody
expects the Fenachrome!  Since it's less well known and just as
epic, it would have room for all sorts of material.  Besides, I
love the Chloroforms as a name as much as the Fenchrome as
characters.
--- SBBSecho 2.12-Win32