The Serenity blueprints from QMx were stunning, no question. Insanely detailed, carefully thought out, presented as beautiful art prints suitable for framing.

Only… they’re kinda big to play with. And kinda pricey to pass around the gaming table, especially when Cheetos are involved (and they always are). Also, they’re sold out.

So QMx produced a smaller version for reference and general fun. And, QMx being QMx, they added 23 more pages of material on top of that, everything you ever wanted to know – details, history, markings, marketing – Firefly-class transport Serenity. I can’t wait for you guys to flip through the new stuff in here.

And so I won’t, I’ll tell you about them instead. Let’s go page by page. First you get an intro by science fiction author Orson Scott Card – um, sorry. From curator Orison Scard, Aries Commonwealth, Ezra — on what a ship like Serenity means to us.

Next is a copy of Serenity’s dedication plaque, sort of. Each page has detailed descriptions of the contents, including some backstory here and there, and the provenance of this plaque is a bit dodgy.

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QMx has just announced that their new Serenity Blueprints Reference Pack will be going on sale at 10 p.m. EST, Nov. 16. You’re gonna love this.

You say you want to look at your Serenity blueprints but they’re too pretty to take off the wall and pass around? You say you want a copy you can use for role-playing, researching your fanfic, or just gazing at?

QMx has you covered, my friend, with this new Serenity Blueprints Reference pack. This 12″x16″ full color set includes all 10 of the original blueprint pages, plus 23 more pages besides. You get full-page blueprints of the mule, Inara’s shuttle, the signs and labels around the ship, the computer screens from the bridge, documentation on the creation and marketing of the ship itself, along with some flyers and a repair invoice — I’m guessing these were in the glove compartment — and even a look at the Firefly series 1, 2, and 4, and the military design. This is more information on our beloved ship than you’ve ever seen before, and it’s all gorgeous and highly portable.

Plus you get an introduction by noted browncoat and science fiction great Orson Scott Card.

Just $29.95. Check here for more information and pictures, and then stop back tonight, I’ll post a review and let you look at my copy.

Did you see the QMx stuff at the Creation or Starfury cons the last two weeks? If not, you missed getting a close up look at their Serenity stuff, including some cool things yet to come. But one of the best moments came when their Mal stunt pistol replica underwent the most authoritative scrutiny yet, as described in the QMx newsletter:

Perhaps the Mal pistol’s finest moment came during Creation Entertainment’s Salute to Firefly & Serenity Convention two weeks ago, when we were privileged to present Captain Tightpants himself with his very own stunt pistol.

He evaluated it carefully, looking it over with great care, checking the finish and balance and, finally, twirling it on his trigger finger. Then, with a great, big trademark Nathan Fillion smile, he told us, “Excellent job!”

Conventioner goers also got a peek at the upcoming metal Mal pistol. The newsletter has a photo of it. Shouldn’t you be getting the newsletter?

The newly-Nathan-approved stunt pistol is still on sale at QMx. And you can weigh in on their first poll: Should they offer a custom-made leather holster for it?

New at Stylin Online, a T-shirt with the movie poster design on it.

First time I’ve seen this look, and I have to admit it works better for me as a shirt than it did as a poster. What do you think? Also has the European Serenity logo for a bit of added distinction.

Heavyweight, preshrunk, 6oz. cotton tee in M, L, and XL, $16.98.

And don’t forget the rest of their stuff, probably the most complete collection of licensed Firefly/Serenity shirts and hoodies available anywhere.

Kids Need to Read is holding its 11th auction, and it’s for a Kaylee cap!

Specifically it’s for a Serenity movie cap, signed by Jewel Staite (”Stay Shiny (heart) Jewel Staite”). Just post your bid in the comments section of the auction page before 10 pm EST Wednesday, November 14th. 

100% of the money raised will be used to purchase books for school libraries through Kids Need to Read, the charity project begun by author PJ Haarsma and his good friend, actor Nathan Fillion. 

Target’s in-store ads include the Firefly DVD set for $14.88 this week only (Nov. 11-17). I don’t think I’ve ever seen it that cheap before, and just in time for holiday shopping.

You must have some friends or coworkers somewhere who have yet to experience the best science fiction show ever made. If not, go find some. And then buy them Firefly.

You may have noticed there’s a slight altercation going on between the writers of TV shows and movies (the Writers) and the association of motion picture and television producers who run the entertainment companies (the AMPTP). It’s a simple misunderstanding, easily corrected: the writers feel that they should continue to receive a small percentage of the shows and movies they created as the industry moves towards putting everything online. This percentage, called a residual, is part of the deal made for each script and is the second part of the promised payment. The reasoning follows that if the show/movie is popular and gets shown a bunch of times, the studios and the writers (and the actors and directors) all benefit since their contributions all resulted in something of proven value.

The AMPTP’s position is even more simply stated: No.

Since the Writers literally cannot give in on this — imagine finding out that your boss found a way to not only weasel out of paying you half of your promised income but gradually reduce your remaining income as well – they may be in for a long strike indeed.

For the AMPTP this must seem like a win-win. They have enough scripts and whomped up reality shows to fill the airtime for a while, they got to cancel a lot of development deals, they essentially get a do-over for an overall disappointing TV season, and since they own most of the big media they can make sure that their side is the one that gets presented to the viewers. Case in point: the LAPD estimated that 5,500 people showed up for the strike at FOX studios Friday. Jesse Jackson was there. Seth McFarlane was there. Rage Against the Machine played live. And celebrities and writers filled the streets. Big news for LA, yes?

Small blurb in the paper. Not mentioned until the very end of the local news, and then briefly. Most news coverage has been about how the viewers will suffer, how the other workers in the industry will suffer, and not a lot about how the writers are plain and simply being ripped off and blocked from any revenue from this new invention, the Internet.

Only you know? Funny thing. The fans are already on the Web. We’ve been here for years, talking and arguing and sharing. And, at times, mobilizing. Which brings me to Fans4Writers.com.

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Did you miss out on QMx’s Official Serenity Blueprint set? There are three of them up for grabs on eBay.

These blueprints represent the only official and complete documentation on Serenity’s design, layout and systems, revealing details not seen in the movie or TV show or in any other previously published source material (official or fanmade.)

The blueprints are limited to a run of 750 copies and each set is signed by their creators, Geoff Mandel (graphic designer, Serenity) and Tim Earls (illustrator, Firefly; set designer, Serenity).

The set contains ten 18″ x 24″, full-color, heavyweight matte-finish sheets documenting the design, systems and layout of our favorite Firefly-Class Transport, Serenity. This blueprint set is the definitive resource for any Browncoat interested in the design and function of Serenity, including the shuttles and mule.

Each sheet is printed in full color and suitable for framing. These blueprints encompass months of work, detailing and verifying every aspect of Serenity, distilled from literally hundreds of set photos, architectural drawings, CGI files, and volumes of background material used to produce Serenity, the movie.

Adam Baldwin and the California Browncoats are cleaning out Jayne’s closet and you can help!

Adam Baldwin is auctioning off 13 shirts that he wore during the filming of Firefly and Serenity to benefit the Marine Corps - Law Enforcement Foundation. These shirts were all highly recognizable to Browncoats; each one was worn during a key scene in “Firefly” or “Serenity.” (Of course, all scenes with Jayne were key scenes…)

The auctions will begin Nov. 14 and will continue until all the shirts are sold. You can see ‘em all, including descriptions of when they appeared, at the California Browncoats site. 

The Marine Corps Law Enforcement Foundation uses donated funds to provide assistance “to children of Marines or Federal law enforcement personnel who were killed on duty or died under extraordinary circumstances while serving our country at home or abroad. These funds enable us to provide these children with scholarships for their higher education.”

Help kids and help yourself to the contents of Jayne’s laundry sack.

OK, before if you preordered the full set of 10 Serenity portraits (all the crewmembers plus Serenity) you’d get the exclusive Operative portrait. A cool deal, and well worth it. But now Jason Palmer is offering a second free print (and he ain’t telling what it is).

He’s finished his Wash pictured, as, you know,  pictured, and he’s off to finish the rest. The new estimated time of completion is by the end of 2007, so don’t dawdle.

If you’d prefe to buy individual ones, “Wash” will be added to the store soon as a Giclee print and on canvas.