News Roundup: Browse the Starlog Catalog, Enter the Best Buy Sweepstakes, RIP Real-Life Porthos, and More!

by Mariel Keeran

For the week of April 5-11, 2013

Starlog Magazine now available through Internet Archive

Source: Subspace Communique

Image credit: Subspace CommuniqueBack in the days before the Internet, Trek fans had to get their fix through traditional media, better known as magazines. One of the best places to get the latest sci-fi updates was Starlog Magazine and, if you’re feeling nostalgic, you can now browse through 20 years of issues on The Internet Archive. The archive spans the years 1976-1996 and is a veritable treasure trove of sci-fi history. Although the magazine covered all sci-fi content, Starlog Magazine did more than its fair share of covering Star Trek news and happenings. In fact, it was in Starlog Magazine that Dan Madsen placed an ad to start a Star Trek fan club — a fan club that eventually evolved into the officially licensed Star Trek fan club. Starlog ceased operations in April 2009.

Rare Star Trek prop sold at auction 

Source: The Hollywood Reporter

Photo credit: The Hollywood ReporterDo you remember the phaser rifle William Shatner used in Where No Man Has Gone Before? Now, do you remember ever seeing it used again? That’s because you didn’t. This prop, which was recently sold at an auction for $231,000, was created by toy designer Reuben Klamer and used by Shatner only once in the series. There are publicity photos of Shatner as Kirk which feature the rifle, as well as an early lunchbox, but the rifle was returned to Klamer after the episode was completed. Where No Man Has Gone Before was filmed as a second pilot but then used as the third episode of the show.

Into Darkness advance ticket sales crash website 

Source: Total Film

Photo credit: London-attractions.comOn Wednesday, UK Trek fans looking to purchase advance tickets to see Into Darkness at BFI IMAX in London crashed the website booking system. BFI and ODEON both tweeted reassurances that the system would be back up and running quickly, while Paramount’s tweet provided a phone number to call and buy tickets. The only other movie to generate more traffic than the site could handle (in the case of Into Darkness, ten times more traffic) was The Dark Knight Rises.

Best Buy offers Into Darkness sweepstakes

Source: Best Buy

Best Buy is offering their own Into Darkness sweepstakes for Reward Zone members. Three grand prize winners will receive two tickets to the L.A. premiere of Star Trek Into Darkness. The prize also includes airfare, hotel, and transportation for the winner and one guest.

Ten first prize winners will receive an Into Darkness fan pack, and three second prize winners will receive an Into Darkness movie poster signed by J.J. Abrams. Members can enter to win under their Reward Zone ID and can enter once per day during the entry period, which ends on April 21. Entrants must be 21 years of age and older to enter.

Second book announced for Rise of the Federation series 

Source: The Trek Collective

Image credit: “Federation: First 150 Years”Although the Enterprise novel Rise of the Federation: A Choice of Futures is still months from release, author Christopher L. Bennett has announced that he has already started the next novel in the series, Rise of the Federation: Tower of Babel. According to Bennett, the next book will move forward to the year 2164 and start laying the groundwork for the world of The Original Series. Tower of Babel has no release date yet, but look for the first book, A Choice of Futures, to hit shelves June 25.

Cumberbatch cast in Crimson Peak 

Source: Geeks of Doom

Photo credit: Paramount Pictures

If Star Trek Into Darkness and the hit series Sherlock on BBC aren’t enough to quench your need for Benedict Cumberbatch, stay tuned for Crimson Peak, a “haunted-house movie” directed by Guillermo Del Toros. Said to be a “Gothic horror about a woman whose husband may not be who he appears to be,” the movie will also star Emma Stone and Charlie Hunnam. Production is set to begin in February 2014, although no release date is set.

Real-life Porthos passes away 

Source: StarTrek.com

The real Porthos, who inspired Brannon Braga to give the same name to Captain Archer’s prized beagle, has passed away. Braga tweeted the news on Tuesday night. “The real life Porthos — my nephew’s dog — passed away last week.” We here at Trek.fm extend our condolences to Braga’s nephew and his family for their loss.

News Roundup: Peter David Recovers at Home, Green Girl Documentary Needs Funding, and More

by Mariel Keeran

For the week of February 8-14, 2013

Peter David now recovering at home

Source: StarTrek.com

Photo: StarTrek.com

Peter David, a popular Star Trek author, is home after suffering a stroke at the end of December. He and his family were vacationing in Florida at the time and, once he was stabilized, he spent his recovery in a Jacksonville rehab facility.

The stroke affected the right side of his body, which impaired his ability to write. However, David used the Dragon Dictate speech recognition program to continue updating his blog, PeterDavid.net, to keep fans appraised of his situation.

If you would like to help David and his family with any medical expenses, you can go directly to this page on his blog for instructions on how to help by purchasing his books or donating directly. If you’re a fan of art, consider going here to bid on artwork by J.K. Woodward, featuring characters and scenes from Peter David’s works. All proceeds will go directly to David.

Amazon adds Star Trek to Prime streaming library

Source: PCMag.com

If you have Amazon Prime Instant Video streaming service, you’re in luck. Amazon struck an agreement on Wednesday with CBS that made the complete Star Trek franchise available to their users. With Prime accounts priced at $79 a year (averaging out to less than $7 a month), Amazon’s rate is cheaper than other streaming services that also offer the Star Trek franchise. Before dropping everything and signing up, however, do keep in mind that such contracts can be temporary; the contract could expire and not be renewed a year or two down the road. The safest bet for unlimited access to your favorite Trek is — and always will be — purchasing it on DVD or Blu-ray.

Kickstarter documentary features the life of Star Trek’s original Green Girl

Source: EW.com

Photo: Everett Collection via EW.comAn independent filmmaker, George Pappy, is raising money on Kickstarter to complete a documentary on the life of Susan Oliver. Oliver played Vina in the TOS pilot The Cage. Although the episode never aired during the show’s run, pieces were recycled into a subsequent episode, The Menagerie, and Oliver’s performance as an Orion slave girl went down in history.

Pappy, however, believes that Oliver should be remembered for more than her ability to make green skin look sexy. Not only was she a pioneer female director, but she was a record-setting pilot. Oliver was a woman ahead of her time and we think a documentary of her life would be downright inspiring. Let’s help Pappy reach his goal before March 3, shall we?

Pine and Saldana host the Academy’s SciTech awards

Source: TrekMovie.com

Photo: TrekMovie.comOn Saturday, Chris Pine and Zoe Saldana hosted the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences Annual Technical Awards Presentation. The event, held at the Beverly Hills Hotel, honors achievements which “demonstrate a proven record of contributing significant value to the process of making motion pictures. Honorees are those who have invented such things as “Wavelet Turbulence Software” and the “CINE VCLX Portable Power System.”

During the presentation, the crowd was given a look at an exclusive clip from the upcoming Star Trek Into Darkness, courtesy of J.J. Abrams. However, no images of this clip have been made public.

John Cho and wife welcome daughter

Source: US Weekly

John Cho and his wife, Kerri Higuchi, recently welcomed a daughter into the family, making their four-year-old son a big brother. No other details have been released about the newborn, but we here at Trek.fm extend our congratulations to the couple.

New Star Trek collectibles coming soon

Source: StarTrek.com Article 1 | Article 2

Qpop image from StarTrek.comWith the latest Star Trek movie coming out in May, it’s no surprise to see a rise in the amount of Trek collectibles set for release. First up is Hasbro, featuring a variety of space vehicles from Star Trek Into Darkness as well as KREON figures based on characters. Expect these to hit shelves in spring.

Or, maybe you want to indulge in some TOS love. QMx will be introducing plushies, PVC figures, and other novelties based on TOS characters, ships and props. The first round of collectibles are Q-pop figures of Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, and Lt. Uhura. Each figure has a stand that includes a white board speech bubble for you to write your favorite character’s catchphrase. Regardless of the stand, however, these figures look worth their $19.95 price tag based on cuteness alone. Purchase them directly from the QMx website.

CraveOnline and La La Land Records Give a Glimpse “Behind the Score” of TOS

La-La Land Records has treated Star Trek fans to a steady stream of soundtrack restorations and special editions over the past year. But fans of The Original Series have yet to receive anything as satisfying as what the Burbank music company now has planned. For the first time ever, all of the music written and recorded for TOS will be available to fans in a special 15-disc CD collection.

This incredible set includes compositions by Alexander Courage, George Durning, Jerry Fielding, Gerald Fried, Sol Kaplan, Samuel Matlovsky, Joseph Mullendore and Fred Steiner. In addition, a 100-page booklet with in-depth notes has been prepared by Star Trek historian and film music journalist Jeff Bond.

Pricing and release date has not been set, and La-La Land Records is gauging consumer interest on their website. If you’d like to show your support for the Star Trek: The Original Series Soundtrack Collection and get more information as it becomes available, visit LaLaLandRecords.com.

Digital FanEdits Recuts "Where No Man Has Gone Before"

Star Trek fan Jon Witchell has begun a project that re-cuts the second TOS pilot “Where No Man Has Gone Before.”

Combining footage from that episode with additional elements from “Court Martial” and “The Menagerie,” Witchell presents the struggle between Captain Kirk and Gary Mitchell as a flashback at Kirk’s trial.

Witchell explains that he’s pondered for a while the idea of creating a courtroom-style episode complete with video evidence playback. Building off the way Pike’s experiences in “The Cage” were recounted in “The Menagerie,” Witchell has created an interesting cut that brings a new angle to a classic story.

The project is still in progress, but you can see a first video below and follow the project in more detail on Digital FanEdits.com.