The Famous B5 Jumpgate Pin

The design of the Pin first originated in the public domain among Internetted B5 fans as the symbol of the B5 fan community.

During B5's first season the ASCII symbol <*> became adopted by many B5 fans online as their very own symbol of the international B5 fan community. They discovered that with three simple keystrokes, you can create an instant, stylized graphic of a jumpgate as easily as you can create a sideways smiley! :-)

If you saw a <*> in an email from someone, it was like a secret handshake among fans.

The symbol is still used in .signature files and as decoration on the various B5 newsgroups, majordomo lists online newsletters and web pages. This symbol is also used as a way for these fans to recognize each other at science fiction gatherings and conventions.

A few years ago, I (Elana) realized that I should check out the idea of making a lovely special Pin out of this special symbol. Since it originated within the Babylon 5 fan community, I emailed B5 producer J. Michael Straczynski, pointing out to him:

The lack of legal merchandise available at that time, ESPECIALLY Pins or badges for B5 fans to wear.
The original difficulty about anyone getting licensing to create a B5-related product with a B5-copyrighted image.
A new possibility: A creative way to offer the fans a quality Pin, the design of which originated among themselves, rather than the show, thus not needing to mess with complicated licensing or copyright problems.

JMS replied that there was absolutely nothing wrong with the idea I proposed, and gave his blessing saying, "Go with Kosh."

Since I care as much about good workmanship as JMS does, I decided I did not want the <*> Pin to be available for sale unless it passed HIS strict quality standards. So I went ahead, made the Pin as you see on this Web page and then shipped the first of the series to him to see if he approved of the workmanship. JMS liked my handiwork, saying in email on October 29, 1995 that, "...it's quite nice. By all means, good luck, looks terrific." It is great to know that this Pin had passed THE most difficult quality test possible within the B5 fan world.

Since that first pin (pictured above) I have branched out into different types of pins to offer. After the Original (large) pin came the "Junior Jumpgate" lapel-pin version, limited also to 1000.

The tie tacks, limited to 200, came later. The Rarities Series large color pins came next, which are limited to as few as 20 per pin color. There are still a few of each kind left.

Life went on, the years went by. Lots of pins sold until companies got a clue that B5-related merchandise was hot, and we got everything from action figures to comic books to t-shirts. Sales on the pins slowed, predicably enough, once that got going. I let this pin page go fallow for awhile, for even as I had pins to sell, I had other projects to distract me at the time.

That sometimes disruptive condition called "life" then proceeded to intervene, and I ended up having to sell my pin-making equipment. Fortunately I was smart enough to build up a good inventory before that happened. This means, however, that I can no longer do custom pin work. But I have many proud <*> pins left.

Now the other companies have discontinued their flurry of B5 merchandise offerings, I find that my humble, beautiful little art-pins are getting popular again. That is a good thing! Time to update the website, make it somewhat more professional and easy to use, and eventually add Paypal.

I also have decided that I would like to have my pins support a good cause. Five percent of my net profits go to a charity for abused and neglected children. It's a cause that is dear to me and dear to ol' Joe too as well.

Thank you for your interest in the pins! I hope that you will order some, so I can say thanks on behalf of your local needy kids as well... it is good to contribute something better to the world.

-Elana :)