UPDATED WITH MORE STUFF
This is it! This weekend “Serenity” returns to the big screen once again to raise money for “Equality Now” (and to provide one hell of an excuse for shindigs around the world). Give to a worthy charity, make Joss proud, break out the leather vests and Jayne t-shirts, and party with a few thousand friends. Several of the showings have guest stars (Portland got Dark Horse editor Scott Allie, Dallas got Jane “Shindig” Espenson, Vancouver even got Jewel Staite) and you’ll be able to meet plenty of like-minded Browncoats and finally put faces to screen names.
And you can get stuff. Most every CSTS showing will have prizes to auction or raffle off, like mail-in vouchers for the Serenity: Special Edition DVD from Universal Home Entertainment, an autographed copy of Finding Serenity from BenBella Books, an autographed CD from the Bedlam Bards, props, prints, autographed pictures, cards, whatever they can get. Check with your local showing to see what’s going to be offered.
Even if you can’t go, you can still help out and still get stuff. Check with the participating cities if you want to preorder one of the fantastic Can’t Stop the Serenity T-shirts or posters designed by Black Market Beagles’ Adam Levermore-Rich. Whatever’s left after the events will be available from cantstoptheserenity.com . If you’re in Second Life, you can also buy virtual versions of both, with all proceeds going to Equality Now.
The SoCal Browncoats have it going on at the LA screening with chances for a CSTS poster and an uncut sheet of CSTS tickets signed by Adam Baldwin, a cabin for two on the Browncoat Cruise, autographed copies of the “Serenity: Those Left Behind” comics and trade paperback, an uncut money sheet and a special Serenity Blueprints set from QMx, and a LOT more. Get your tickets quick, it’s happening tonight and you can buy extra chances to win once you get there.
One of the CSTS groups has put one of the coveted and damn-near-impossible-to-find Firefly promotional crates from FOX on eBay, with proceeds going to Equality Now. Contents of the crate include Alliance Freeze Dried Food Items, a “Joss Whedon’s Firefly” hat, a Firefly t-shirt (large), a Firefly engraved Flask, a leather wallet with Firefly on the front, 2 promotional cast photo postcards, a large promotional ‘verse map, a letter from Cap’n Mal, ship blueprints, an invitation to the Premiere of Firefly, and the crate itself, which is pretty cool. Pictures are at the eBay page or on the Austin CSTS folks’ website and MySpace page. Not many of these pop up, ever (believe me, I’ve looked) and this is a complete set, so don’t miss out.
Then there’s the custom-made River action figure from Sasha’s Creations.
Patterned after River’s look in “The Train Job,” this figure is 6″ tall and at least half hand-sculpted. Sasha makes wonderful custom figures and you gotta see her topless Simon…
She was made by Sasha (MsBigPileofDust) by overlaying sculpey clay on to plastic parts from Diamond Select Toys and SOTA Toys, then hand-painted. The paint and pen detail (on her top) is sealed but you should avoid handling her too much. Best to hold her carefully by the shorts! For display purposes, you should put her well back on a shelf. If she falls over onto the shelf, she won’t be harmed. If she falls off the shelf, the clay might chip.
River comes with a stand and a small photo of the figure, signed by the artist; this is the Certificate of Authenticity.
And if you want to donate to Equality Now but are unable to make it to a CSTS event site, you can do so by going to http://www.equalitynow.org and donating online. On the side navigation of the main page, Select Take Action > Donate to Equality Now, then in the “How did you hear about Equality Now” field, select “Other” and type CSTS-(city). This way, EN knows which CSTS screening site your donation comes from. (If you don’t live in / near a CSTS screening area, just put CSTS in the field.)
Get out and help this weekend, and take in a damn fine movie when you do. I’ll be at the Tampa showing wandering around, feel free to say hi and sing your Saffron song at me.
I can’t promise to sing, but I’ll be the one at the Beach Theatre walking around in a Fighting Elves T-shirt and there will be a woman a few steps behind me that may not admit to being my wife – hope to see ya there!