The Support Spike Thread!

[TeepP12]

With kind permission

Hi All,

I've been gathering up various ideas from over the weekend and recent e-mails and these are a few of the ideas that have been tossed out there so far. Please feel free to discuss and add more ideas of your own.

1) I plan on making a major change to the Buy Stuff page on the website to promote all of the official merchandise and novels. Not sure if everyone is aware but a few items are in danger of being discontinued and I hope everyone will help support keeping everything around a bit longer. The better everything sells, the more likely they will eventually start making what we want. The Buy Stuff page will include links to the novels, trading cards, comic books, magazines, DVD's, etc along with addresses you can write requesting more and requesting Spike! Right now the item in the most immediate danger is the Angel line of novels. The contract for the novels ends in December with the publication of the second volume of the Angel Casefiles which ends at Season Four because Simon & Schuster proceeded before knowing it would be the final season. Fox needs to be convinced to either renew their current contract with Simon & Schuster or to get a new contract. The second item to be concerned about was cancelled. However, due to an increase in sales, the publisher decided to change their mind. A few weeks ago, it was announced that Titan publishing was discontinuing the Buffy magazine. Since then, there is now a new notice on the website advising that the magazine will continue. I will include a link to subscribe to the magazine on the website once it's ready.

2) I think in addition to Fox, we should start sending postcards to Sky. If they truly are in a ratings slump primarily due to the loss of Buffy and Angel, they may be willing to co-finance movies or spin-offs. Cost of a postcard from the US to England is $.70

Dawn Airey
BSkyB
Grant Way, Isleworth
Middlesex TW7 5QD, England
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

Also e-mail - viewerr @ bskyb.com

3) We need to seriously start preordering the Season 7 Buffy DVD to show that the fanbase is still massive and to support Fox's decision to include Spike and Buffy on the cover.

www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B0002XVKMC/qid=1094514491/sr=8-2/ref=pd_ka_2/103-1181914-3627806?v=glance&s=dvd&n=507846

video.barnesandnoble.com/search/product.asp?userid=bh2wGH0ACT&ean=24543119647&FRM=0

4) Please help spread the news and include some Support Spike Banners on your website. If you know of a site that might be interested as well, please contact them and let them know where to find.

Small Button
supportspike.com/supportspike.gif

Large Banner
supportspike.com/SupportSpikeBanner.GIF

5) Start recruiting some more members for the group. If you know of people who have been active in campaigns and would be interested in helping, please e-mail or pm them and invite them along. The more we have, the more successful we can be.

Future suggestions:
1) Simpson's Guest Voice - It has been suggested that we promote James to guest voice "Spike" on "The Simpsons." Since Fox Studios own Buffy and The Simpsons, we may have a real chance here. I need a volunteer to start tracking down contact information.

2) Hollywood Walk of Fame - This has been suggested several times but my personal opinion is it would be a big premature. James has only had one major role so may not feel he is ready for one of these little baby's yet. Long term, however, this might be a goal worth considering once James has a bit more in his Hollywood repertoire.

3) Spike Audio Book - We could start asking Fox licensing to consider asking James to voice a Buffyverse (hopefully, Spike-centric) novel.

Please post on other Spike sites where this information would be welcome.

[TeepP12]

Another project somebody mentioned is possibly having a fandom contest for Spike fans to create a "commercial" for a Spike movie along with cover art and then submitting it to WB/Joss/Fox. Any thoughts on that?

[PokerKitten]

Weeee! A lot to digest there! I'll be grabbing a button for the main site.

And can I say, a voice in the Simpsons! I would LOVE to see that happen! ;D

[Cyrus]

You might want to fix your urls for the DVDs though... they don't work...

[PokerKitten]

We already have all this product info, but Teep posted it in the James news thread just now as part of the Support Spike campaign so I am moving it here:

In case anyone is interested

Spike Merchandise & Promo Cards
www.supportspike.com/

New Spike Merchandise
Fox Licensing has authorized two new Spike centric items:
- A Spike Trading Card Set
and
- A Spike-centric Novel

Spike Trading Cards - Inkworks is releasing "Spike: The Complete Story" premium trading cards in February of 2005.
Inkworks has provided promo cards (Card P-1) to help us support the trading card set. The first 160 people to e-mail webmaster@ supportspike.com with their mailing address will receive a promo card.

Additionally, we've worked out a 10% discount with The Buffy Store (http://www.tvmerch.com) on the purchase of the Spike trading card set. The discount code will be posted on www.supportspike.com once the trading cards become available for purchase.


Spike-centric Novel - Simon & Schuster is releasing "Spark & Burn" in August of 2005.

The item is currently available for preorder. If you purchase through the below link, a small commission will go towards the upkeep of the Bloody Awful Poet Society website.

www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...56X/flytobatnet


One of the goals of Support Spike is to promote Spike related merchandise. In doing so, we hope to encourage 20th Century Fox to continue Spike's story and to provide additional Spike merchandise. As part of that goal, Support Spike will be collecting donations towards a bulk purchase of "Spark & Burn" to be distributed to interested libraries and hospitals. If you would like to donate towards this campaign, please send a donation via PayPal to donate@ supportspike.com and note “Spark & Burn Library Donation” in the purpose or comments.


Lastly, if you get in the giving mood anyway, please consider donating to the BAPS/ SupportSpike charity fundraiser for Pediatric AIDS research. It's a great cause and is James' designated charity.

www.bloodyawfulpoet.com/pedaids/
journals.aol.com/JamesJoss/ThankYou/

PLEASE REPOST TO ALL SPIKE AND JAMES FRIENDLY BOARDS.
__________________
www.supportspike.com
groups.yahoo.com/group/supportspike

[PokerKitten]

*Feel free to share with other groups/sites*

www.whedonverse.org/news/2005/08/want-more-spike.html

WANT MORE SPIKE?

Whedonverse is taking yet another opportunity to spotlight those fans
who refuse to fade away by showcasing their efforts to keep the verse
alive. Previously, we wrote about the efforts of fans to promote a
Faith spin-off and a Buffy/Angel movie. This time, we're highlighting
those fans who want more Spike.

SPIKE RAFFLE

For those of you who miss the striking blonde one, here's a chance to
take him home with you. From now until August 22, every $5 you donate
to the Whedonverse Multimedia Project will automatically enter you
into our drawing to win a 12" Sideshow Human-faced Spike action
figure. According to Sideshow Collectibles, this action figure is a
limited edition with only 7500 in circulation and is completely sold
out. With each entry, you will be assigned a raffle ticket number.
The winning number will be chosen at random on August 23rd.

Coincidently, a representative of the Whedonverse Multimedia Project
will be attending the Sci Fi Expo in Toronto to see James Marsters.
According to Steve Himber, fans will be given the opportunity to wish
James a belated happy birthday at the event - his birthday is August
20th. It would be an honor for the Project to be able to tell James
about love fans still have for him, the desire to see more Spike as
well as all the generous donations fans have provided to place Buffy,
Angel and Firefly DVDs into public libraries and other organizations.
A birthday card will be handed to him containing the names of all
those who donated during this raffle.

We are currently trying to complete the funding needed to provide the
Horicon Library in Wisconsin with a set of Buffy, Angel and Firefly.
In addition, we hope to begin fundraising to send care packages to
soldiers in Iraq and/or Afghanistan. The care packages would include
at least one dvd, plus other essential items as requested by the
soldier on AnySoldier.com. Our waiting list contains those
organizations who have contacted the project to request dvds.

INTERVIEW WITH SUPPORT SPIKE CAMPAIGN

Whedonverse.org corresponded with Teep from Support Spike to talk
about the efforts of Spike fans.

The campaign is called Support Spike, in what ways does the group
support the character?

Spike's story became important to so many of us that we wanted to do
what we could to see that his character was important to the story on
BtVS. Over the years, we have contacted the networks and those
responsible for licensing requesting more Spike merchandise as well
as just expressing that we would like to continue to see Spike as
often as possible.

Why do you think Spike is a good character for a future project?

Although Spike had a strong story on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, many
of us feel that the character has enough strength to support a story
of his own. In some circumstances, the character was there to serve
the story or to make a point about other characters or other
situations. We've seen glimpses of Spike's past and his potential and
it has left us wanting more.

Is the campaign open to other characters being included in the
project as well?

Support Spike has always supported other characters and any and all
characters from the Buffyverse are welcome. We've included postcards
showing Spike featured with Andrew, Xander, Illyria, Faith, and Buffy
but we have a multitude of preferences and wouldn't exclude any
character in the 'verse from being included.

Have you gotten any feedback from James Marsters, Joss Whedon or
others about the campaign?

Both James and Joss have been strong supporters of the campaigns over
the years. Joss made a point of mentioning the Support
Spike "Destiny" advertisements in Variety and Hollywood Reporter
during one of his interviews and has sent thank you letters to those
who participated in our Valentine's Charity Fundraiser for the
American Heart Association last year. Additionally, James expresses
his interest in continuing the character in interviews and at public
events as well as mentioning that his importance in the story, his
addition to Angel, and his interest in continuing the character can
be directly attributed to the fans and our support.

Has the campaign tied any of its work toward supporting charity?

Support Spike and The Bloody Awful Poet Society have co-coordinated
several charity projects. Over the last few years, we've actively
supported the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, James
Marsters charity of choice, through direct donations, charity
auctions, and other fundraising drives. Additionally, our 2004
Valentine Campaign last year included charity donations to the
American Heart Association in honor of our favorite couples and for
our 2005 Valentine campaign we commemorated the anniversary of the
cancellation of Angel by sending a Lily bouquet to Joss Whedon and
the WB where one dollar from every flower purchased was donated
directly to the AHA as well.

This year, in addition to our usual charity drive, SS and BAPS are
also supporting a charity project that has a Traveling Spike doll
visiting various locations around the world. Pictures of his travels
and stories about his adventures will be collected into a scrap book
that will be auctioned for charity. More information can be found at Traveling Spike's blog:

travelingspike.blogspot.com/

How can fans participate in the campaign?

Campaign information can be found at www.SupportSpike.com or
by joining the Support Spike Yahoo!Group at
.groups.yahoo.com/group/SupportSpike/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">.groups.yahoo.com/group/SupportSpike/