About the writer:
Okay, what HASN'T this man done? He's hosted a science fiction radio show, written books,
comic books and wrote and produced one of the seminal science fiction television series and its
various tv movies and a spinoff series. He most recently was showrunning the second season of his
Showtime science fiction series Jeremiah and working on various comic book series
including Spider-Man and Rising Stars.
Personal:
Oh, boy, where to begin? How about back in 1989 or so? The WriterGroupie went (twice) to see a
play called The Boys of Autumn starring Star Trek's Walter Koenig and Mark Lenard. After
the play, the actors came out to sign autographs. When the WriterGroupie mentioned something about
having previously been to a signing where she had one of Koenig's books signed, he lit up and said, "Oh,
do you go to book-signings often? There's a signing you really should go to next week! It's at
Dangerous Visions." At the time, that was THE science fiction
bookstore in the area. He continued, "There's a WONDERFUL writer, he's really amazing, who's doing
a signing there for his new book. His name is Joe Straczynski. You really should go to the signing."
The WriterGroupie never did make it to that signing, but several years later when Koenig became
a recurring guest star on Babylon 5, she laughed, because she remembered that writer who
Koenig had praised so highly many years before!
Ironically, a few years later, the WriterGroupie realized she had a copy of one of Straczynski's
novels, Demon Night, sitting on her bookshelves all along! She later had Straczynski sign
it at a convention. Though the book is currently out of print, the WriterGroupie recommends that
readers go look for a copy online or at a local used bookstore. It's a great atmospheric horror
novel in the 'vein' of Stephen King's 'Salem's Lot.
Fast forward to the early 90's to a Los Angeles science fiction convention. A writer named Joe Straczynski
was premiering the pilot of his new TV series, called Babylon 5. He'd even brought some of
the actors with him. The WriterGroupie particularly noticed Jerry Doyle (because she has a weakness for actors
with dark hair and blue eyes). The pilot was screened and everyone in the room was in awe. Except
for the WriterGroupie. Oh, there were definitely things she liked, particularly the characters of
Londo and Garibaldi. But she wasn't hooked yet. It took until the second season before she became
a diehard Babylon 5 fan. But she saw the light. Oh yes. Though throughout the series, her
favorites would continue to be Londo and Garibaldi and the actors who played them.
Throughout the years of Babylon 5's production, Straczynski, or "JMS" as he's known in fannish
circles, continued to keep an open dialogue with the fans, appearing yearly at local conventions such
as Gallifrey. The WriterGroupie had the opportunity to
ask him questions at his panels, and get books signed. She even attended the roving exhibition,
"The Babylon 5 Experience" where JMS signed posters for the fans (including her).
The WriterGroupie's latest experience with JMS happened very recently. She went to a movie
theater to see Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers and who should wind up sitting in the same
row in the theater but JMS and his longtime friend, Harlan Ellison! The WriterGroupie was ecstatic
to be able to share (even peripherally) the movie-going experience with two writers she respected so immensely. It
was particularly surreal to her as she had loved all the Tolkien nods and references that JMS had
incorporated into Babylon 5. And she knew that JMS had recently hired Two Towers
actor Sean Astin for his series, Jeremiah. After the movie, she approached JMS to gush over
how much she loved his work. He was very warm and kind and she invited him to come see this page
on her new site that was dedicated to him. She hopes he enjoys it (and if he does, she'd like to
know if she can interview him for the site one day!)
Related Links:
J. Michael Straczynski does not appear to currently have an official website, however,
he is known to post regularly at rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated.
The Official Jeremiah website
