Originally published June 13, 1995

Does Michael Jackson have another "Thriller" on his hands? Or is he HIStory? And will you embrace him anew or scream "Beat It!" at the mere mention of his name?

In the next few weeks, Jackson's pasty face will be popping up all over the place - on magazine covers and TV shows, on billboards and in huge store displays - to tout "HIStory," a double-disc set of new and refurbished hits that's his first release since 1991's 32 million-selling "Dangerous. " The new album hits stores next Tuesday.

Tonight at 10, MTV hosts the world premiere of a spacey Jackson video for the single "Scream," co-starring sister Janet. Costing $7 million, this has to be the most extravagant video treatment ever undertaken.

Tomorrow night at 10, Michael and his wife Lisa Marie Presley sit still for an hour-long "ABC Prime Time Live" interview with Diane Sawyer. And that's just a hint of what's to come.

With visions of a $.5 billion victory party if they can put a positive spin on the controversial bad boy, Jackson's management and record label are mounting a resurrection that'd put presidential campaign strategists to shame.

"We're in the midst of a great Michael Jackson redemption," says Jackson biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli. "And as usual, Michael is the prime architect. "

"We've spent literally months setting up this record like no other record has been set up in this industry," allows Epic group chairman David Glew, who predicts it will be "one of the biggest albums of all time," producing nine hit singles and selling well through the next two Christmas seasons.

Almost brought down two years ago by accusations of child molestation, Jackson has been working on his comeback strategy since mid-'94, when the sticky case was settled out of court (for a reported $20 million) and criminal charges were dropped for lack of testimony.

In May of '94 Jackson married Presley in the Dominican Republic - ostensibly underscoring his masculinity and right to the "King of Pop" throne once held by Lisa Marie's late daddy, Elvis.

The couple immediately took up residence in New York so Michael could begin recording new material that would tell his side of the story, on tracks like the anguished "Scream" and the lushly orchestrated, Streisand-like ballad confessional "Childhood," which explains that he likes to play with little kids now because he never could when he was young. "Before you judge me, try hard to love me," he begs/sobs.

Originally intended to be bonus tracks on a greatest hits package, the new songs kept coming until the album became a lavish, two-disc/cassette (or three-LP) affair - 15 remastered oldies on the first, 15 fresh tracks on the second - costing $10 million to make and commanding as much as $33 at retail.

* In April, Jackson and Lisa Marie threw the doors open to his Neverland Ranch for several hundred kids and the media - a positive photo opportunity and first clue a new album set was nigh.

* On May 5, copies of "HIStory" mysteriously fell into the hands of three influential urban pop radio programmers, including Dave Allan, operations director for Philadelphia's POWER 99 and WIOQ. The stations had a single weekend to bang the album hard - focusing mostly on "Scream" and "This Time Around" (which features hot rapper Notorious B.I.G.) - before a "cease and desist" order was slapped on them by Epic attorneys. Allan doesn't believe the album leak was authorized by the label's top executives, but admits it ''heightened the listener anticipation for the record, because they got a little taste and now they're ready for the whole meal."

* Two weeks ago, radio, retailers and the press in the top 11 markets were invited to preview "HIStory" at private parties - including a bash at the Franklin Institute, where the material was enhanced with good food, good drink and a lavish laser light show. "It really worked," says WYXR (STAR 104.5) program director Chuck Knight. "My reaction was, the music is good, but the marketing plan is awesome. This thing is going to be the biggest event of the year. I heard two retailers in the bathroom talking about doubling their orders."

* Over the Memorial Day weekend, a four-minute, multimillion-dollar ''teaser" film for Jackson made its debut at 1,000 movie theaters (mostly owned by Epic parent Sony. ) As awesome and freaky as that futuristic ad which ushered in the Apple Macintosh computer, this shot-in-Budapest fantasy presents Jackson as an omnipotent leader marching at the head of a huge army. And he literally looms over the population, as a (computer-generated) statue so large that helicopters can fly between his legs. The same propagandistic piece began showing on MTV and VH1 last weekend.

* Officially released two weeks ago, Jackson's double A-sided single of ''Scream"/"Childhood (Theme from 'Free Willy 2')" debuted at No. 5 on the Billboard Hot 100, the highest debut in the chart's history. Helping matters along, Jackson actually released five different versions of the ''Scream" song - with street-smart outlets like POWER 99 opting for a funky remix by Naughty by Nature and urban pop stations like STAR 104.5 and Q- 102 picking up on the danceable David Morales mix.

According to Tower Records' South Street store manager Bill Duffy, "When we report to Billboard, we lump the sales figures of both the conventional single and the CD with all the remixes."

* Tonight's reiteration of Jackson's greatness, the $7 million "Scream" video, follows His Majesty and sister Janet roaming through the corridors of an enormous spaceship. We first meet him levitating over a pool, later watch him dance on the ceiling and bring statues to life with the mere pointing of a finger. All hail the all-powerful King of Pop!

And that's just the beginning. MTV plans a full week of Jackson specials next week. A 10-song "Michael Jackson: Video Greatest Hits HIStory" of older material will be released the same day as the album. A music video for ''Childhood," featuring footage from the July film release "Free Willy 2," is ready. An HBO special has been contracted for December. And Michael plans to hit the road next spring, starting outside the United States.

While Epic execs think there's a hit for every taste on the Jackson album, there are some naysayers. WPLY (Y-100) 30-year-old program director Garett Michaels says he and his friends haven't been into Jackson personally since the "Thriller" days, and he hasn't heard anything on the new set that's appropriate for his popular modern rock format. Not even the snarly track featuring Guns N' Roses' guitarist Slash?

"If Michael wanted to tap our audience, he should have collaborated with Pearl Jam."

While Tower Records has kept its doors open past midnight on a few occasions to celebrate first-day sales of a red-hot new release, they have no plans to do so this Monday night for Jackson, says Bill Duffy. "On a scale of 1-10, I'd give the album an eight in sales potential. At the price, it's kind of iffy."