Robert E. Howard’s CONAN vs. CPI’s Conan

SFFaudio News

Queen Of The Black Coast by Robert E. HowardBroken Sea Audio Productions has received another letter from the law firm employed by Conan Properties International. This time, there appears to be some acknowledgment that the stories starring Robert E. Howard’s Conan aren’t the sole property of CPI.

Unfortunately, the remainder of the letter still shows that the lawyer for CPI don’t read their correspondence very closely. CPI’s lawyers still think that BSAP is selling something (they aren’t), and that by selling that product BSAP would be harming the market for the CPI’s own audio product (which doesn’t exist).

Here’s a |PDF| of the letter.

I’m hip deep into the audio drama version of Queen Of The black Coast, having just finished listening to episode 4, in which CONAN, Belit, and crew of the Tigress finally start up that poisoned river. It’s got a stereo soundscape that is so rich and full as to be unrivaled in podcast audio drama. Check it out for yourselves HERE.

To read the first letter check out our first post about this subject HERE.

Posted by Jesse Willis

The SFFaudio Podcast #001 – NEW RELEASES / RECENT ARRIVALS

Podcast

The SFFaudio PodcastHey look! We’ve got our own podcast. This is the very first one, which includes SFFaudio founders Scott D. Danielson and Jesse Willis talking about audiobooks, audio drama, and cease and desist orders. We won’t desist podcasting if you won’t cease downloading them – whatever that means.

This week we talked about the most recent of Recent Arrivals, the newest of the New Releases, and the breaking news about the attempt to break Broken Sea Audio Productions‘ productions.

Topics under discussion include:

Ubik, Philip K. Dick, Joss Whedon, Dollhouse, Babylon Babies, Audible.com, audio drama, The Grist Mill, F. Paul Wilson, Charles de Lint, Robert A. Heinlein, Starman Jones, Mort Castle, Dr. Bloodmoney, Frederik Pohl, Lester del Rey, Arthur C. Clarke, 2000x, Star Wars: The Force Unleashed, Star Trek, Audible Frontiers, Wonder Audio, The Last Theorem, Preferred Risk, Alfred Bester, Fondly Fahrenheit, The Stars My Destination, Robert E. Howard, L. Sprague de Camp, Audio Realms, Conan and Mickey Mouse.

Subscribe to the feed:

http://www.sffaudio.com/?feed=podcast

Posted by Jesse Willis

Just Added to our AUTHOR PAGES: Robert E. Howard

SFFaudio News

SFFaudio MetaSpeaking of CONAN, and his creator Robert E. Howard. I’ve just now added an entry on our We’ve been adding to our AUTHOR PAGES for the inventor of Sword & Sorcery. It lists all the commercial releases that we know about, too few (and none by Conan Properties International so far), all of the public domain audiobooks released through LibriVox, a few other podcast releases (woo hoo) and a couple of old audio dramas released on LP. There are a few holes in the listing – but we’re gonna be filling them. In the meantime, go visit our nearly complete ROBERT E. HOWARD author page, which will list everything audio related to the man’s writings.

Posted by Jesse Willis

BSAP’s CONAN audio dramas and audiobooks threatened by a big corporate monster

SFFaudio News

The Queen Of The Black Coast by Robert E. HowardOn the 22nd August 2008 Broken Sea Audio Productions, and its chief bottle-washer Paul Mannering, received a cease and desist letter from a law firm representing Conan Properties International LLC (aka Paradox Entertainment).

Sez Paul:

The letter claims that BSAP is selling audio books of Robert E. Howard’s work. BrokenSea have responded by confirming that we do not sell any material, and no income is received by us for making these audio files available to the public. Our production of both audio books and audio drama’s of Robert E. Howard’s work is based entirely on work that is in the public domain (www.gutenberg.org.au)

Out of respect for tangible brands, such as the “Conan” title we are changing the title and logo of our Conan audio drama to “Robert E. Howard’s Hyborian Sagas.” We expect this change to be in place by Thursday 28th August.

Here is the |PDF| of Conan Properties International’s CEASE AND DESIST letter sent to Broken Sea.

Here are my $0.02…

For a man who killed himself 72 years ago, with no children and no spouse to inherit his estate (nearly all of which is in the public domain) it’s amazing how spurious vigorous Robert E. Howard’s defense of his lapsed copyright is.

I chalk it up to either the nefarious forces of Stygian evil, or the Black Seers of Yimsha. Either way, R.E.H. has been zombified, and forced to say things – or rather has had his lawyers say things that aren’t true. Time for some barbarians to overthrow the forces of civilization (by ignoring the intended effects of cease and desist chill).

SFFaudio will still be calling spades shovels and Conan stories Conan stories. Long live Broken Sea Audio Productions, long live BSAP’s CONAN!

UPDATE: The ever vigilant Quasar Dragon has a posted a post on this issue check it out HERE.

Posted by Jesse Willis

Broken Sea: The Queen Of The Black Coast episode 3

SFFaudio Online Audio

By Ishtar’s eyes! It’s the third episode of The Queen Of The Black Coast audio drama! And in this one we finally meet Belit!

Queen Of The Black Coast by Robert E. Howard AUDIO DRAMAQueen Of The Black Coast
Adapted from the story by Robert E. Howard
Performed by a full cast
Podcast – [AUDIO DRAMA]
Podcaster: Broken Sea Audio Productions
Podcast: June 2008 – ????

Part 1 |MP3| Part 2 |MP3| Part 3 |MP3|

Having survived the Sirens of Set in the dark waters of Stygia, CONAN, TITO and the crew of the ARGUS head still farther south into the waters of KUSH… And finally come into bloody conflict with the Queen of the Black Coast and her savage crew of corsairs.

Subscribe to the feed you dogs!

http://brokensea.com/conan/?feed=podcast

And, be sure to listen to the end, there’s a little preview of an upcoming BSAP audio drama based on the Mad Max and The Road Warrior series!

Posted by Jesse Willis

AUDIO REALMS: Dagon by H.P. Lovecraft

SFFaudio Online Audio

Audio RealmsBy all the demons of the sea, I have stupendously wondrous news!

Audio Realms has begun its long awaited podcast!

I don’t think there has ever been a podcast I’ve been more excited about. Each week the AR podcast will present tales from their truly awesome audiobook catalogue. Future releases, all in unabridged form, will also include “interviews, related news and preview clips of upcoming productions.” Expect to hear short stories and “full length productions in serialized segments.” Authors in the Audio Realms catalog include: H.P. Lovecraft, Robert E. Howard, Michael Moorcock, Edgar Rice Burroughs, Andre Norton and Lin Carter! Check out the first podcast, taken from The Dark Worlds Of H. P. Lovecraft, Volume 2. I’m of the opinion that it will forever be the DEFINITIVE reading of…

The Dark Worlds Of H.P. Lovecraft Volume 2Dagon
By H.P. Lovecraft; Read by Wayne June
1 |MP3| – Approx. 16 Minutes [UNABRIDGED]
Podcaster: Audio Realms Podcast
Podcast: August 12th 2008
The testament of a tortured, morphine-addicted man who plans to commit suicide over an incident that occurred early on in World War I when he was a merchant marine officer.

Subscribe to the podcast feed:

http://www.audiorealms.com/audiorealmspodcast.rss

Posted by Jesse Willis