todays important news, sorta

Despite the fact adam schiller hates the robotech fandom, he does understand where we are coming from and has offered some advice.

First he says we should start competing with HG... here's what he told me in email.

Quote :

In light of where my ideas were going in the earlier message I sent
you, I did some research as to how publishing a professional-quality
Robotech-related book would be feasible and legal even with Harmony
Gold's potential threats of copyright infringement. The key, of course,
lays under the American doctrine of "fair use," which a lot of
loser-fanboys try to abuse but few seem to truly understand.

~How could The Lost Universe be brought to life with such a plan?~
--I'll tell you what I found.

"Fair use" covers "the various purposes for which the reproduction of a particular work
may be considered fair, such as criticism, comment, news reporting,
teaching, scholarship, and research."--I have long been interested in a certain Star Trek book
which I have which basically covers every single episode of every
single series ever made, the production of each series, comments from
actors/writers/directors et al., and despite all of this, has no
affiliation with the owners of Star Trek.--How is it possible that such
a great book for all fans of the series could exist without permission?
Simple--"fair use."

What "The Lost Universe" could do would be
to take individual pieces of the Robotech universe and enact fair use
through "criticism," "comment," "scholarship," or "research" and attach
"independently written" works by your staff through commentary placed
before each one. Essentially, an article in an issue of "The Lost
Universe" would look like this:

- - - - - - - - - -
PREFACE:
In Robotech episode #44, "Metal Fire," the Robotech Masters
show how truly ruthless they can be by sending their bioroids to the
streets of Monument City and stealing people from the ground to use in
their own laboratories. The horror felt by these people and their
families is something which truly brings the terrifying possibilities
of the Second Robotech War to the fore of the Armies of the Southern Cross.
The military response, however, is suddenly complicated, as soldiers
must suddenly choose between the assured safety of fellow humans and
the destruction of an increasingly sadistic enemy.

THE LOST UNIVERSE:
In James Unicron's Lost Universe tale, "I Yearn For My Return," the soldiers of Earth are called to a crash site outside of Philadelphia
and quickly find that the alien race they've been fighting has not
killed the crew of a downed military transport jet. In fact, no bodies
remain at all, and when Sergeant Johnathan Fields is given new orders
to attack fighters diving at the World Command Center, the face he sees
is more frightening than any alien.
- - - - - - - - - -

The difference, of course,
is clear: Without a holding of the copyright of Robotech, your authors
cannot legally write and distribute stories about Robotech.
Nevertheless, your stories, artwork, and other creations can use
"comment" and "reporting" to talk about Robotech and juxtapose it with
works which are, in the simplest form, unrelated to Robotech.
Nevertheless, when someone picks up such a book, the feeling will be
awesome--new stories and creations and they're better than what Harmony
Gold turns-out! Best of all, they're coming-out four or five times a
year, and it looks awesome in my hands!

Of course, the decision
to do such a thing is not mine, but just a suggestion. I honestly wish
someone would have the guts to take their fandom this seriously. I know
I'd buy it, and why not?--It's good science fiction and it clearly
takes its cues from a legendary series which has fallen into disrepair.
That's a recipe for success if you and your comrades are truly
interested in making a difference.

Sincerely,
Adam Schiller

Let me know what you guys think about this.

Is he saying that DLD COULD be published?