Not only do you get the Serenity CE DVD out today, you also get a brand new QMx website with plenty of cool new products and services, as well as some welcome changes.

First up, the Blue Sun Travel Posters are now on sale. 5 full-color prints of the best vacation destinations in the ‘verse, with art by BlackMarketBeagles.com maven and new QMx Artisan Adam Levermore-Rich. This officially licensed set contains 5 full-color, 17″ x 22″ prints on 100-pound, satin-finish paper, suitable for framing. Included are posters inviting you to travel to historic Serenity Valley, tranquil Miranda, exciting Persephone, beautiful Sihnon and inspiring Londinium. $29.95.
And, if you’re more the postcard type, they’re also selling packs of WaveCards! 25 in a pack, complete with descriptions of the locations in question, perfect for spreading the word to your friends and family. $19.95.

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In the new Serenity CE DVD there’s an insert for QMx, advertising their new stuff (Blueprints reference pack, Blue Sun Travel Posters, Serenity Ship Papers, go here for more details), which is well worth checking out. But don’t ignore the Bank Heist Money ad at the bottom! You’ll get an address and a code to use to order a money pack for just $12.95! And nope, you ain’t getting the address from me. Go buy the DVD.

If you buy your Serenity CE DVD at Best Buy, you’ll get a comic! At least for a while, I don’t know how many they’re releasing. It’s a small, DVD-sized reprint of the first issue of “Those Left Behind,” the 3-issue Serenity mini-series from Dark Horse, with a cover by Sean Phillips (from what I understand it’s the original cover for the first comic, which was replaced when they got the idea to do the cast covers; it was later used on the back cover of the trade paperback).

Inside you get the complete first issue, with promos for more Serenity items from Dark Horse and for Buffy Season 8. It’s a great little handout and I hope it’ll get the comics some more attention. 4 7/8″ x 7 1/2″, full color.

Just mentioned at ICV2, Margaret Weis Productions has announced three more Serenity RPG releases to complement their award-winning, best-selling Serenity role-playing game.

Margaret Weis Productions has expanded its Serenity license, and will release three Serenity RPG products next year.  Early in 2008, it will release a collection of short adventures; late spring brings Six-shooters and Spaceships, a ship and technology sourcebook; and the Big Damn Heroes Handbook is slated for next summer, probably as a GenCon release.

If you haven’t tried the Serenity RPG yet, you’re missing out. Even if you’re not a gamer the books are chock full of cool artwork by 11th Hour, character bios, ‘verse information, ship designs, and much more. And if you are a gamer, you might want to cancel any long appointments.

More info on the game and available accessories here.

And it’s jumped from #8 to #7 since I’ve been watching this morning. Where will it stop? #1, maybe?

Be sure to get your copy at Amazon, or TFAW.com, or your favorite online seller, or the Universal page, or SerenityMovie.com, or your local retailer. And if you’re near a Best Buy, don’t forget that they’ll have limited numbers of Serenity comics from Dark Horse available with every Serenity CE purchase.

Go!

Out of the many people who spread the word about the Serenity CE Dvd (and then let me know about it), a random drawing brought up Deborah Lipp for the mention in her blog here. She’ll be getting a DVD from Amazon in the next few days, assuming you guys haven’t bought them all.

Which is a possibility, since as of right now the Serenity CE DVD is #8 at Amazon. This is probably not solely due to your admirable efforts. I’m sure others did their part too, nearly as well you did. And we need to keep going.

Be sure to get your copy at Amazon, or TFAW.com, or your favorite online seller, or the Universal page, or SerenityMovie.com, or your local retailer. Thank includes you too, Deborah! Don’t get caught slacking just ‘cuz you get a freebie…

According to QMx, anyway. They just announced his hiring today — a little late, since fans of his Can’t Stop the Serenity posters and BlackMarketBeagles.com designs immediately recognized his talented hand behind the new QMx Blue Sun Travel Poster Set, but hey. It’s good to see that they recognize excellence the same way we do.

Here’s the press release:

August 19, 2007, Collegeville, PA - Quantum Mechanix Inc. (QMx), a privately held developer of licensed, high-quality entertainment replicas, today announced that Adam Levermore-Rich has joined the QMx Artisan team.

A graphic artist with more than 10 years’ experience, Levermore-Rich spent many years working at Adobe Systems and draws much of his inspiration from genre designers. He is best known for his artistic contributions to Firefly fan groups and charitable events like Can’t Stop the Serenity. He is also the creative force behind Black Market Beagles’ Firefly- and Serenity-inspired t-shirt and poster designs, a favorite among Browncoats.

“My involvement with the Browncoats has been life-changing, especially when it comes to my design work,” said Levermore-Rich. “My design was selected as the official poster and shirt for the 2007 global Can’t Stop The Serenity screenings. I’ve also designed publicity materials for the Browncoat Ball, the San Francisco and Silicon Gulch Browncoat groups, and a Browncoat panel at WonderCon 2007.”

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Guess what’s out…

The Serenity PVC Set from Dark Horse Deluxe, featuring River, Mal, and Jayne, is out on the shelves now. And you know what? They look pretty good.

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So what do people think about the new Serenity Collector’s Edition DVD? Let’s find out.

Blogcritics.com: DVD Pick of the Week. I remember when I first saw this on the big screen I was floored. This was a movie that will never compete for the greatest film of all time, but it delivered on all levels. It made me even more mad at how FOX mistreated it during its short run. We should still be enjoying the ongoing adventures of the Serenity crew.”

CinemaBlend.com: Pick of the Week. “Typically we try not to promote double-dip DVD releases, but this is one I can kind of get behind.”

Cinematical: Pick of the Week. “I was surprised to like a genre film quite so much, and I championed it as such … that is, until six months later, when I found a new genre fave in Slither, which also starred Nathan Fillion. Coincidence? I don’t think so.”

DigitallyObsessed.com: Highly recommended. “New material on Disc 1 includes a brand new commentary (which is also subtitled) from Whedon, this time teamed up with Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin, Summer Glau, and Ron Glass. Lots of jokes being cracked, with Whedon—who admits to being ‘full of me’—mockingly comparing his own voluminous writing ability to that of Stephen King and Dostyevsky. The tone throughout this track is on the light side, and more fan-based than techie.”

DVD in My Pants: “If you’re a fan of Firefly or Serenity, this is a DVD that you need to get, regardless of whether you already own the original release. It’s a great presentation, it’s packed with tons of features worthy of your time, and the film simply deserves to be in every genre fan’s collection.”

DVD Talk: “If you don’t own the first version of this DVD, then my recommendation is a no-brainer, as I enjoyed this every bit as much as the first time I saw it. If you’re wondering whether to purchase another one, however, I’d suggest that the DTS track, the cast commentary, and the “Filmmaker’s Journey” featurette are all worth owning, and the price point is reasonable enough to once again rate this title as Highly Recommended.”

E-Gear: “Trust me when I tell you I wouldn’t blog about a DVD packaging for just any movie. Serenity is just that special and I know there are others out there who are eager to see it.”

IGN: 9 out of 10. “This is a great, wildly entertaining film - accessible to old and new fans alike, to sci-fi fans and western fans and movie fans, in general - represented on a beautifully packaged Special Edition DVD, sporting a top-notch transfer, some strong audio work and a boatload of worthwhile extras. So, the real question is this: What are you waiting for?”

Monsters and Critics: “However, this reviewer notes that Firefly/Serenity seemed to have their major success on DVD and if other studios can bankroll Lake Placid 2, etc. then why not a series of direct-to-DVD movies for our space travelers gorramit!”

Pop Syndicate: “It doesn’t go without saying, so I won’t: this is not just science fiction at its best; this is entertainment in the best sense of the word.”

UGO.com: “Sure, we all remember the original 2005 release of Serenity on DVD, but it was only a matter of time before a pumped up version came our way.  Now, my fellow Browncoats, the Serenity Two-disc Collector’s Edition has finally arrived.” Straight As.

WFDVDReport.com: Two reviews, both happy ones. “I’m making this DVD as a Must Own, but don’t let my being a fan of the series blind the rating I just gave—there’s a reason there’s so many Browncoats, after all.” “Serenity: Collector’s Edition comes Highly Recommended. Not only is it a great tribute to both the ‘verse and the fans of Firefly/Serenity, but it is also a great sci-fi movie, too.”

If you know of more, please post in the comments and I’ll add ‘em.

I expect this to be the lowest it gets till after next week. Do your part, go to Amazon and place your order.