lurkers-guide/comic/005

<h2><a name="OV">Overview</a></h2>

<blockquote><cite>
Security Chief Garibaldi and hotshot pilot Warren Keffer plunge into
deep space, following a cryptic clue that may explain why an alien
outpost was wiped out.  Ambushed and forced to crash land on a remote
planet, Garibaldi recalls his first meeting with Babylon 5's former
commander, Jeffrey Sinclair.
</cite></blockquote>

Issue 5 (June 1995, released April 4)

<p>
Setting: Before
<a href="/lurk/guide/031.html">"The Coming of Shadows"</a>

<pre>    Writer: Tim DeHaas
   Premise: J. Michael Straczynski
    Artist: John Ridgway
  Colorist: Robbie Busch</pre>

<p>
<hr>
<p>

<h2><a name="SY">Synopsis</a></h2>

<p>
Garibaldi finds Londo and Vir in the Zocalo and tells Londo he knows that
the Narn outpost in Quadrant 37 (destroyed in
<a href="/lurk/guide/022.html">"Chrysalis"</a>)
has been the subject of many of Londo's transmissions.  Londo, taken aback
that Garibaldi has been listening in on him, says he's just staying informed.
G'Kar, arriving on the scene, notes, "It seems every time you are informed
of something, others pay with their lives," pointing to the destruction of
the Narn cruiser in
<a href="/lurk/guide/024.html">"Revelations."</a>  Londo and G'Kar nearly
come to blows before Vir drags Londo away for a scheduled meeting with
Delenn.

<p>
But it's not Delenn waiting for Londo; it's Morden, who tells Londo to be
more careful in his off-station communications, and asks that Londo tell him
if Garibaldi should decide to investigate further.

<p>
Garibaldi is in a security office.  He's sifting through ambassadorial
communications, looking for something suspicious, something he's apparently
authorized to do randomly.  Shortly after Ivanova arrives, Garibaldi finds
Londo using a comm channel, though without tipping Londo off to the tap,
Garibaldi can't see who's on the other side.  It turns out to be Refa;
the two discuss the Emperor's health (poor.)  Londo wants to meet with Refa
in person to discuss misgivings about the "source" who helped him with
Quadrant 37; they agree to meet in two hours at some predetermined place.

<p>
Garibaldi decides that Londo's source is definitely something Earth needs
to know more about.  He rushes off to beat Londo to the meeting place,
whose location he learned from previous transmissions.  As he's trying to
sneak out with a flyer, Keffer catches up to him and invites himself
along.  "Somebody has to bring you back alive," he says.  Garibaldi
reluctantly agrees.

<p>
Londo is on his way to his ship when he runs into Morden.  Morden tells
Londo to cancel his meeting with Refa and instead pay a routine diplomatic
visit to a Centauri colony.  He demands that Londo tell him where the meeting
was going to take place.

<p>
Keffer and Garibaldi emerge from a jumpgate near a planet.  Asked why he
went along, Keffer says, "You needed help.  You don't have many friends on
the station."  Garibaldi agrees that Sinclair was the only one he knew
he could trust.

<p>
While they wait for Londo and Refa to arrive, Garibaldi explains why he trusts
Sinclair in a way that he can never trust Sheridan.  It was years earlier,
back on Mars Colony.  Garibaldi had started a shuttle transport service,
mostly transporting people who didn't like being asked questions.  He was
sitting in his office, nursing a bottle, when Lieutenant Commander Sinclair
came in with two junior officers and enlists Garibaldi's services for a
flight.  He's a little apprehensive about Garibaldi's drunkenness, but
Garibaldi accepts the job.

<p>
The story is interrupted by the abrupt appearance of a Shadow fighter.
Keffer heads at breakneck speed for the planet, dodging shots left and
right, but their ship is hit and goes spinning half out of control.  Keffer
manages to stabilize the ship somewhat, but it's still headed for the
ground.  "Hope the foam-protect still works," says Garibaldi, as the ship
disappears behind a small mountain range...

<H2><A NAME="BP">Backplot</A></H2>

<H2><A NAME="UQ">Unanswered Questions</A></H2>

<H2><A NAME="AN">Analysis</A></H2>

<H2><A NAME="NO">Notes</A></H2>
<ul>

   <li> Beginning this issue, BABYLON 5 is upgraded
	to DC's Fracote Format, featuring a coated paper stock.  Painted cover
	by Scott Hampton.

</ul>

<H2><A NAME="JMS">jms speaks</A></H2>
<ul>

   <li> I have to say I'm very pleased with issue #5.  It came out very well,
	and nicely captures both the look, feel and dialogue of the show.  There
	were some bumps along the way in issues 2-4, so I didn't say much, but
	THIS one I can highly recommend.

   <li> About the new paper and price...I did the first issue, and while the
	pencils were quite good, and the inks okay, when they put the coloring
	in the paper just absorbed the hell out of it and it looked like crap,
	from my POV.  (And I'm not speaking out of school; I said much the
	same to DC.) Parts were nice, but other parts...yikes.  I felt,
	strongly, that we needed a better quality of paper, otherwise a lot of
	the good work that was being done was going to be lost.  It would cost
	more, but finally DC -- which, to be fair, has only been VASTLY
	supportive of B5, and the comic and their only intention is to make it
	as good as possible -- decided to go with the better quality paper.
	The main question was whether or not there was enough of a reader base
	to warrant it; there was, and they did.

</ul>


<pre>

</pre>