J. Michael Straczynski

J. Michael Straczynski
J. Michael Straczynski, 2008
Born	July 17, 1954 (1954-07-17) (age 57) Paterson, New Jersey, United States
Occupation	Writer, producer, author
Height	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)[1]
Spouse	Kathryn M. Drennan (1983-2008; divorced)

Joseph Michael Straczynski (pronounced stra-ZIN-ski^[2], born July 17, 1954), known professionally as J. Michael Straczynski and informally as Joe Straczynski or JMS, is an American writer and television producer. He works in films, television series, novels, short stories, comic books, and radio dramas. He is a playwright, a former journalist, and author of The Complete Book of Scriptwriting. He was the creator and showrunner for the science fiction television series Babylon 5, and its spin-off Crusade, and of Jeremiah. Straczynski wrote 92 out of the 110 Babylon 5 episodes, notably including an unbroken 59-episode run through the third and fourth seasons, and all but one episode of the fifth season. He also wrote the four Babylon 5 TV movies produced alongside the series. From 2001 to 2007, he was the writer for the long-running Marvel comic book series The Amazing Spider-Man.

In 2009, Straczynski was nominated for the BAFTA Award for his screenplay for Changeling.^[3]

Straczynski is a long-time participant in Usenet and other early computer networks, interacting with fans through various online forums (including GEnie, CompuServe, and America Online) since 1984. He is credited as being the first TV producer ("showrunner" in Hollywood parlance) to directly engage with fans on the Internet,^[4][5] and allow their viewpoints to influence the look and feel of his show. (see Babylon 5's use of the Internet). Two prominent areas where he had a presence were GEnie and the newsgroup rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated.^[6] Recently JMS has started a new Facebook page to interact with his fans.^[7]

Straczynski is a graduate of San Diego State University (SDSU), having earned a BA with a double major in psychology and sociology (with minors in philosophy and literature). While at SDSU, he wrote for the student newspaper, The Daily Aztec, at times penning so many articles that the paper was jokingly referred to as the "Daily Joe". Straczynski resides in the Los Angeles area.

Early years

Straczynski is the son of Charles Straczynski, a manual laborer, and Evelyn Straczynski (née Pate).^[8] He was raised in Newark, New Jersey; Kankakee, Illinois; Dallas, Texas; Chula Vista, California, where he graduated from high school; and San Diego, California.^[9] Straczynski's family religion was Catholic and is of Polish ancestry.^[10] His grandparents lived in the area which today belongs to Belarus, and fled to America from the Russian Revolution; his father was born in the US, but lived in Germany, Poland and Russia.^[10]

Straczynski cut his teeth writing plays, having several produced at Southwestern College and San Diego State University before finally publishing his adaptation of "Snow White" with Performance Publishing.^[11] Several other plays were produced around San Diego, including "The Apprenticeship" for the Marquis Public Theater. During the late 1970s, Straczynski also became the on-air entertainment reviewer for KSDO-FM and wrote several radio plays before being hired as a scriptwriter for the radio drama Alien Worlds.^[12][13] He also produced his first television project in San Diego, "Marty Sprinkle" for KPBS-TV as well as worked on the XETV-TV project Disasterpiece Theatre.^[14] While in San Diego he became a journalist for the Los Angeles Times as a special San Diego correspondent and also worked for San Diego Magazine and The San Diego Reader. In 1981 he landed a contract with Writer's Digest to write a book about scriptwriting.

He and Kathryn M. Drennan (whom he met at San Diego State) moved to Los Angeles on April 1, 1981 (they would marry in 1983).^[15] He worked on his book while planning a transition to television. The book's first edition was published in 1982. In Los Angeles he worked for The Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, The Los Angeles Times, The Los Angeles Reader, TV-Cable Week, and People Magazine.^[13] He quit journalism after working for People, and in 1983, he wrote a spec script for the show He-Man and the Masters of the Universe and the producers of He-Man bought it as well as other scripts and then hired Straczynski as a staff writer.^[13]

According to the jacket bio for the first edition of his scriptwriting text (see Print below), Straczynski had a play produced when he was 17, a sitcom produced when he was 21, and sold his first movie script when he was 24. By 28, his credits included television and film scripts, radio scripts for Alien Worlds^[16] and the Mutual Broadcasting System, a dozen plays, and more than 150 newspaper and magazine articles. He taught his craft for years at lectures and seminars in California and elsewhere.

He spent five years from 1987 - 1992 co-hosting the Hour 25 radio talk show on KPFK-FM Los Angeles with Larry DiTillio.

Radio

Straczynski has written for radio drama, including the series Alien Worlds and scripts for Mutual Radio Theater. He wrote a script called Where No Shadows Fall for the company Airstage which was produced through KPBS in San Diego and aired on its radio series for the blind.^[17] The program was later aired on KPFK-FM in Los Angeles in 1982.^[14]

Straczynski has also been an on-air personality. He began by doing a weekly entertainment segment on KSDO News Radio in San Diego from 1978-1980. In Los Angeles, he put in five years as on-air host of the science fiction talk show Hour 25, which aired on KPFK 90.7 FM from 10 p.m. until midnight. During his tenure, he interviewed such luminaries as John Carpenter, Neil Gaiman, Ray Bradbury, Harlan Ellison and other writers, producers, actors and directors.

In 2000, Straczynski returned to radio drama with The City of Dreams for scifi.com and an original 20-part radio drama series entitled The Adventures of Apocalypse Al for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation that was to debut in 2007 but has not yet aired.

Television

Animation

Straczynski was a fan of the cartoon, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. He wrote a spec script in 1984 and sent it directly to Filmation.^[18] They purchased his script, bought several others, and hired him on staff. During this time he became friends with Larry DiTillio, and when Filmation produced the He-Man spinoff, She-Ra: Princess of Power, they both worked as story editors on the show.^[19][20] However, Filmation refused to give them credit on-screen and Straczynski and DiTillio both left and found work with DIC on Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors.

Straczynski and DiTillio also worked to create an animated version of Elfquest but that project soon fell through when CBS attempted to retool the show to appeal to younger audiences.^[21]

While working on Jayce, Straczynski was hired to come aboard the Len Janson and Chuck Menville project to adapt the movie Ghostbusters to an animated version called The Real Ghostbusters. When Janson and Menville learned that there was not only a 13-episode order but a 65-episode syndication order as well, they decided that the workload was too much and that they would only work on their own scripts.^[22] DIC head Jean Chalopin asked Straczynski to take on the task of story editing the entire 78-episode block as well as writing his own scripts.^[22] After the show's successful first season, consultants were brought in to make suggestions for the show, including changing Janine to a more maternal character, giving every character a particular "job" (Peter is the funny one, Egon is the smart one, and Winston, the only black character, was to be the driver), and to add kids into the show.^[22] Straczynski left at this point and Janson and Menville took on the story editing job for the second network season. Straczynski then developed a show called Spiral Zone but left after only one script when his concept for the show was drastically altered and took his name off the series,^[23] substituting the pseudonym "Fettes Grey" (derived from the names of the grave robbers in The Body Snatcher).

Straczynski also wrote for CBS Storybreak, writing an adaptation of Evelyn Sibley Lampman's The Shy Stegosaurus of Cricket Creek).

Live action and the 1988 Writer's Strike

After leaving animation, Straczynski freelanced for The Twilight Zone writing an episode entitled ("What Are Friends For"), and for Shelley Duvall's Nightmare Classics, adaptating The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, which was nominated for a Writer's Guild Award).

Straczynski was then offered the position of story editor on the syndicated live-action science fiction series Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future. Straczynski constructed a season long arc with lasting character changes and wrote a third of the scripts himself. After one season, the toy company Mattel demanded more input into the show, causing Straczynski to quit. He recommended DiTillio to take over the job as story editor for a second season, but the toy company financing fell through and that season was never produced.^[24]

Soon after, the 1988 Writers Guild of America strike began. Straczynski met Harlan Ellison during this time and would later become friends with him.^[25][26]

After the strike ended, the producers of the new Twilight Zone needed to create more episodes to be able to sell the series into syndication with a complete 65-episode package. They hired Straczynski as executive story editor to fill in the remaining number of needed episodes. Straczynski wrote many of the scripts himself, in addition to one from Ellison, "Crazy as a Soup Sandwich".

Network shows and Babylon 5

After leaving Twilight Zone, his agent of the time asked him to pitch for the show Jake and the Fatman.^[27] Initially wary, Straczynski finally did and was hired on as story editor under Jeri Taylor and David Moessinger. When Taylor and Moessinger left the show, Straczynski left as well in solidarity with them.^[28]

When Moessinger was hired as executive producer for Murder, She Wrote, he offered Straczynski a job as co-producer. Straczynski joined Murder for two seasons and wrote 7 produced episodes. Moessinger and Straczynski moved the protagonist, Jessica Fletcher, from the sleepy Maine town of Cabot Cove to New York City to revitalize the show. The move effectively brought the show back into the top ten from the mid-thirties where it had fallen. Straczynski made Jessica an instructor in writing and criminology, and he emphasized her role as a working writer, with all the deadlines and problems involved in that profession.

Straczynski also wrote one episode of Walker, Texas Ranger for Moessinger between the pilot and first season of B5.^[29]

In late 1991, Warner Bros. contracted with Doug Netter and Straczynski as partners to produce the show Babylon 5 as the flagship program for the new Prime Time Entertainment Network.^[30]

Straczynski and Netter hired many of the people from Captain Power, as well as hiring Ellison as a consultant and DiTillio as a story editor. Babylon 5 won two Emmy Awards, back-to-back Hugo Awards, and dozens of other awards. Straczynski wrote 92 of the 110 episodes, as well as the pilot and five television movies. The show concentrated on character-driven space opera, emphasis on realism, and it pioneered extensive use of CGI for its special effects. The show ran for its planned 5-season run but its sequel Crusade was the victim of TNT Network Executive interference, and only 13 episodes were commissioned, ending production even before the first episode had aired.

In 2005, Straczynski began publishing his Babylon 5 scripts.^[31] This process ended in June 2008, with the scripts no longer being available from the end of July of that year. His scripts for the television movies were published for a limited time in January 2009.^[32]

Recent Television Projects

Straczynski's most recent television series was Jeremiah, loosely based on the Belgian post-apocalyptic comic of the same name. Straczynski ran the series for two seasons but was frustrated with the conflicting directions that MGM and Showtime wanted from the show,^[33] and even used the pseudonym "Fettes Grey" for the first time since Spiral Zone on one of the scripts. In the second season, Straczynski decided to leave the show if things did not improve,^[34] and the show ended after 2 seasons.

In 2004, Straczynski was approached by Paramount Studios to become a producer of the Star Trek: Enterprise series. He declined, believing that he would not be allowed to take the show in the direction he felt it should go.^[35] He did write a treatment for a new Star Trek series with colleague Bryce Zabel.^[36]

Straczynski also wrote and produced the pilot Babylon 5: Legend of the Rangers, a pilot for the SciFi Network, and wrote, directed and produced Babylon 5: The Lost Tales as a two-hour direct-to-DVD movie.

Television bio

• He-Man and the Masters of the Universe - Staff Writer; wrote 9 episodes
• She-Ra: Princess of Power - Uncredited Co-Story Editor; wrote 9 episodes
• Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors - Staff Writer; wrote 11 episodes
• The Real Ghostbusters - Story Editor; wrote 21 episodes and Primetime Special
• Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future - Executive Story Editor; wrote 13 episodes
• The New Twilight Zone - Story Editor; wrote 11 episodes
• Jake and the Fatman - Executive Story Editor; wrote 5 episodes
• Murder, She Wrote - Co-Producer; wrote 7 episodes
• Walker Texas Ranger - Supervising Producer; wrote 1 episode
• Babylon 5 - Executive Producer; wrote 92 episodes
• Crusade - Executive Producer; wrote 10 episodes
• Jeremiah - Executive Producer; wrote 22 episodes

Film

Straczynski worked on feature film and television movies. He wrote the award-winning adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for the Showtime network and a Murder, She Wrote movie, Murder, She Wrote: A Story to Die For, which he produced.

In 2006, Straczynski was hired to write a feature film based on the story of King David for Universal by producers Erwin Stoff and Akiva Goldsman.^[37]

Straczynski announced on February 23, 2007 that he had been hired to write the feature film adaptation of Max Brooks's New York Times-bestselling novel World War Z for Paramount Pictures and Brad Pitt's production company, Plan B.^[38]

In June 2007, it was announced that Straczynski had written a feature screenplay for the Silver Surfer movie for Fox, the production of which would depend on the success of the Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer.^[39] Additionally, he has written a script for Tom Hanks' Playtone Productions and Universal Pictures called They Marched into Sunlight based upon the Pulitzer nominated novel of the same name and an outline by Paul Greengrass, for Greengrass to direct, should it get a greenlight.^[40]

In June 2008, Daily Variety named Straczynski one of the top Ten Screenwriters to Watch. They announced Straczynski was writing Lensman for Ron Howard (to whom he had sold a screenplay entitled The Flickering Light), that he was selling another spec, Proving Ground, to Tom Cruise and United Artists.^[41]

In 2008, Straczynski wrote a draft of Ninja Assassin for Joel Silver (which he completed in just 53 hours).^[42] The film was produced by the Wachowski Brothers and released on November 25, 2009.

In 2008, Universal Pictures and Imagine Entertainment premiered Straczynski's feature thriller Changeling, starring Angelina Jolie. The film was directed by Clint Eastwood, since originally slated director Ron Howard declined due to scheduling conflicts.^[43]

Changeling was one of 20 films placed in competition at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, and subsequently received eight nominations for the BAFTA Award, including a nomination for Best Original Screenplay.^[3]

In October 2008, it was announced that Straczynski was engaged to pen a remake of the science fiction classic Forbidden Planet.^[44]

In the fall of 2009, it was reported that Straczynski was writing a movie titled Shattered Union for Jerry Bruckheimer and Disney. The screenplay, based on the video game of that name, concerns itself with a present-day American civil war.^{[45][46][47][48]}

Straczynski is credited as "story writer" along with Mark Protosevich for the 2011 film, Thor.^[49] He also makes a cameo appearance in the film,^[50] his first appearance in a movie and his second appearance as an actor (the first being "Sleeping In Light," the final episode of Babylon 5).^[51]

Print

Novels, short stories and nonfiction

Straczynski is the author of three horror novels — Demon Night, Othersyde, and Tribulations — and nearly twenty short stories, many of which are collected in two compilations — Tales from the New Twilight Zone and Straczynski Unplugged. He wrote the outlines for nine of the canonical Babylon 5 novels, supervised the three produced B5 telefilm novelizations (In the Beginning, Thirdspace, and A Call to Arms), and is the author of four Babylon 5 short stories published in magazines, not yet reprinted (as of 2008^[update]).

Straczynski has been a journalist, reviewer, and investigative reporter, publishing over 500 articles in such publications as the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Herald-Examiner, Writer's Digest, Penthouse, San Diego Magazine, Twilight Zone Magazine, the San Diego Reader, the Los Angeles Reader and Time.

Straczynski wrote The Complete Book of Scriptwriting (ISBN 1-85286-882-1), often used as a text in introductory screenwriting courses,^{[52][53][54][55][56][57][58]} and is now in its third edition.

Comic books

Straczynski has long been a comic fan, and began writing comics in the late 1980s. His work in comics includes:

• Teen Titans Spotlight #13 (DC, 1987)
• The Twilight Zone #2 (NOW, 1991)
• Star Trek #16 (DC, 1991)
• Babylon 5 #1 (DC, 1993)
• Babylon 5: In Valen's Name mini-series (DC, 1998)

In 1999 he created Rising Stars for Top Cow/Image Comics. Eventually he worked mostly under his own imprint - Joe's Comics - for which he wrote the Midnight Nation miniseries, and the illustrated fantasy parable Delicate Creatures. Marvel Comics then signed him to an exclusive contract, beginning with a run on The Amazing Spider-Man, from 2001-2007. He has since written for Marvel titles including Fantastic Four.

Marvel Comics

• The Amazing Spider-Man - from vol. 2, #30 (= vol. 1 #471) to vol. 1, #545 (including issues of Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man and The Sensational Spider-Man as part of crossovers)
• Supreme Power - 2003 reboot of the Squadron Supreme
• Strange: Beginnings and Endings - limited series, 2004
• Fantastic Four - #527-541
• Dream Police - with Mike Deodato, one-shot, Icon Comics imprint, 2005
• The Book of Lost Souls - with Colleen Doran, 6-issue limited series, Icon Comics, 2005–2006
• Bullet Points - with Tommy Lee Edwards, 5-issue limited series, 2007
• Silver Surfer: Requiem - with Esad Ribic, 4-issue limited series, 2007, tpb, hardcover, December 2007, ISBN 0-7851-2848-4, softcover, July 2008, ISBN 0-7851-1796-2
• Thor - July 2007-November 2009^[59]
• The Twelve - with Chris Weston, 12-part limited series, January 2008–Present^[60][61]The Twelve #9 has been canceled and will be re-solicited at a later date.^[62] Recently, art for issue #9 has been released.^[63]

DC Comics

When his exclusive contract with Marvel ended, he was announced as the writer for a run on The Brave and the Bold for DC Comics.^[64] He will collaborate with artist Shane Davis on an out-of-continuity original graphic novel starring Superman titled Superman: Earth One.^[65][66] The story features a young Superman and focus on his decision about the role he want to assume in life. On March 8, 2010 it was announced he would be taking over writing duties for the monthly Superman title with a story arc entitled "Grounded", and the Wonder Woman title, beginning with issues 701 and 601 respectively.^[67][68] Less than a year later he will be stepping away from both titles and handing them over to Chris Roberson and Phil Hester to finish his Superman and Wonder Woman stories respectively.

• The Red Circle He has written DC's revival of several Archie Comics Golden and Silver Ages superheroes. (August 2009)
  • The Red Circle: The Hangman Art by Tom Derenick and Bill Sienkiewicz; Cover by Jesus Saiz (2009)
  • The Red Circle: Inferno Art by Greg Scott; Cover by Jesus Saiz (2009)
  • The Red Circle: The Web Art by Roger Robinson and Hilary Barta; Cover by Jesus Saiz (2009)
  • The Red Circle: The Shield Art by Scott McDaniel and Andy Owens; Cover by Jesus Saiz
• The Brave and the Bold (vol. 3) #27 - #35. Art and cover by Jesus Saiz (except #31, 33) (2009)
• Superman (vol. 1) #701-703, 705, 707-711, 713-714 (short story in #700). (2010) Art by Eddy Barrows
• Wonder Woman (vol. 1) #601-614 (short story in #600). (2010) Art by Don Kramer
• Superman: Earth One Art by Shane Davis (November 2010)
• Samaritan X, graphic novel (forthcoming, 2012)^[69]

Graphic novels and collections

Supreme Power trade paperbacks

• Volume 1: Contact (#1-6)
• Volume 2: Powers And Principalities (#7-12)
• Volume 3: High Command (#13-18)
• Supreme Power: Hyperion mini-series
• Squadron Supreme Vol. 1: The Pre-War Years

The Amazing Spider-Man trade paperbacks

• Volume 1: Coming Home (#30-35)
• Volume 2: Revelations (#36-39)
• Volume 3: Until The Stars Turn Cold (#40-45)
• Volume 4: The Life & Death of Spiders (#46-50)
• Volume 5: Unintended Consequences (#51-56)
• Volume 6: Happy Birthday (#57-58, #500-502)
• Volume 7: The Book of Ezekiel (#503-508)
• Volume 8: Sins Past (#509-514)
• Volume 9: Skin Deep (#515-518)
• Volume 10: New Avengers (#519-524)
• Spider-Man: The Other (#525-528 plus others)
• Civil War: The Road To Civil War (#529-531 plus others)
• Civil War: Amazing Spider-Man (#532-538)
• Back in Black: Amazing Spider-Man (#539-543)
• One More Day: Amazing Spider-Man (#544-545 plus others)
• Amazing Spider-Man by JMS Ultimate Collection Book 1 (#30-45)
• Amazing Spider-Man by JMS Ultimate Collection Book 2 (Vol 2 #46-58 plus Vol 1 #500-502)
• Amazing Spider-Man by JMS Ultimate Collection Book 3 (#503-518)
• Amazing Spider-Man by JMS Ultimate Collection Book 4 (Amazing Spider-Man #519-528, Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #1-4, Marvel Knights Spider-Man #19-22 and more; with writers Reginald Hudlin and Peter David)
• Amazing Spider-Man by JMS Ultimate Collection Book 5 (Amazing Spider-Man #529-545, Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man #24, Sensational Spider-Man #41 plus extras)

Fantastic Four trade paperbacks

• Volume 1: (#527-532)
• Volume 2: The Life Fantastic (#533-535, Wedding Special, My Dinner With Doom and Death in the Family)
• Civil War: The Road To Civil War (#536-537 plus others)
• Civil War: Fantastic Four (#538-542)

Rising Stars trade paperbacks

• Volume 0: Visitations (#0, ½, Preview)
• Volume 1: Born in Fire (#1-8)
• Volume 2: Power (#9-16)
• Volume 3: Fire and Ash (#17-24)
• Volume 4: Bright and Voices of the Dead
• Volume 5: Untouchable (Includes Visitations)

Thor trade paperbacks

• Volume 1: Thor (#1-6)
• Volume 2: Thor (#7-12, #600)
• Volume 3: Thor (#601-603, Giant-Size Thor: Finale)
• Thor Omnibus (Fantastic Four #536-537, Thor #1-12, #600-603, Giant-Size Finale)

Other

• Midnight Nation – Entire 12-issue series collected in one volume
• Delicate Creatures - illustrated, modern fairy tale
• Strange: Beginnings and Endings – Entire 6-issue miniseries

Plays

• Snow White: an assembly length children's play dramatized by J. Michael Straczynski. c1979.^[70][71]

Awards and recognition

His personal awards include the 1996 Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation (shared with director Janet Greek) for the Babylon 5 episode, "The Coming of Shadows"^[72] and the 1997 Hugo Award for Dramatic Presentation (shared with director David Eagle) for the Babylon 5 episode, "Severed Dreams".^[73] Along with the Babylon 5 cast and crew he received the 1994 Visions Of The Future Award from the Space Frontier Foundation, and in 1998 he received the Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation for the television series Babylon 5.^[74]

Along with John Romita Jr. and Scott Hanna he was the 2002 Eisner Award winner for Best Serialized Story for his work on the Amazing Spider-Man comic, Coming Home.^[75] In 2004, he was voted Favorite Comics Writer by UK readers and received that year's Eagle Award.^[76] He was also among the recipients of the 1994 Inkpot Award.^[77] In 2008, as screenwriter, he was among the recipients of the Christopher Award issued to the movie Changeling.^[78]

Award nominations include the 2009 BAFTA Award, for his screenplay for Changeling.^[79] Three separate 2009 Eisner Award nominations - for Best Limited Edition (The Twelve) along with Chris Weston, Best Continuing Series (Thor) along with Olivier Coipel and Mark Morales, and Best Writer (Thor).^[80] In 1988, his novel, Demon Night, was presented for consideration of that years Bram Stoker award, under the category of Best First Novel.^[81] He was also nominated for a Writers Guild Award and a Cable Ace Award for his adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson's The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, produced for Showtime Network. An asteroid, discovered in 1992 at the Kitt Peak National Observatory, was honorarily named 8379 Straczynski.^[82]

References

1. ^ Straczynski, J. Michael (1992-12-18). "Sue, if you're finding tall people...". JMSNews, originally published on GEnie. http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-7201. Retrieved 2007-10-22. 
2. ^ Pronunciation? Help! // JMSNews. — 22.06.1994.
3. ^ ^{a b} "The full list of nominations for the Orange British Academy Film Awards in 2009". British Academy of Film and Television Arts. 2009-01-15. http://www.bafta.org/awards/film/film-nominations-in-2009,657,BA.html. Retrieved 2009-01-15. 
4. ^ Straczynski, J. Michael (2000-09-25). "What's "ga" stand for in a chat?". JMSNews, originally published on rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated. http://jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-224. Retrieved 2007-06-24. 
5. ^ Straczynski, J. Michael (2007-05-22). "Straczynski on Being Online". YouTube. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bPw5ZAuutU8. Retrieved 2007-06-24. 
6. ^ "George Bush vs. Spider-Man". http://www.10zenmonkeys.com/2006/12/29/george-bush-vs-spider-man/. Retrieved 2008-12-15. 
7. ^ "Fans of J. Michael Straczynski". http://www.facebook.com/pages/Fans-of-J-Michael-Straczynski/139652459402959. Retrieved 2010-08-12. 
8. ^ http://www.filmreference.com/film/36/J-Michael-Straczynski.html
9. ^ Straczynski, J. Michael (1995-01-24). "Re: ATTN JMS: Why Accelerate t". JMSNews, originally published on rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated. http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-12264. Retrieved 2007-02-18. 
10. ^ ^{a b} Straczynski, J. Michael (1994-05-25). "Kiwi: I was referring to killing... (GENIE)". JMSNews. http://jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-9055. Retrieved 2007-06-24. 
11. ^ Straczynski, J. Michael (1979). Snow White. Performance Publishing/Baker's Plays. pp. 49. ISBN 0-87440-590-4. 
12. ^ Alien Worlds Radio Show Index
13. ^ ^{a b c} Plume, Kenneth (September 5, 2000). "Interview with J. Michael Straczynski". IGN.com (IGN). http://movies.ign.com/articles/035/035904p1.html. Retrieved November 13, 2010. 
14. ^ ^{a b} Contemporary Authors Volume 109. Thomson Gale. 1983. 
15. ^ Interview with Straczynski
16. ^ Alien Worlds Radio Show Index. Accessed August 15, 2006.
17. ^ K. Lee Brisby. "A Dramatic Biography". http://members.cox.net/asianst/kent.html. Retrieved 2011-01-04. 
18. ^ "Interview with J. Michael Straczynski". ign.com. 2000-09-05. http://movies.ign.com/articles/035/035904p1.html. Retrieved 2011-01-04. 
19. ^ J. Michael Straczynski. "Masters of the Universe". http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-12077. Retrieved 2011-01-04. 
20. ^ Filmation/J. Michael Straczynski. "She-Ra Breakdowns". http://old.he-man.org/cartoon/pop/behindthescenes/shera-breakdowns.shtml. Retrieved 2011-01-04. 
21. ^ "Interview with Wendy and Richard Pini". http://www.elfquest.com/edits/SeqTart1.html. Retrieved 2011-01-04. 
22. ^ ^{a b c} The Real Ghostbusters Complete Collection DVD interview with J. Michael Straczynski.
23. ^ Straczynski, J. Michael. "new jms tv series". http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-262. Retrieved 2011-01-04. 
24. ^ Straczynski, J. Michael (1994-11-09). "B5 - Capt Power". http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-14848. Retrieved 2011-01-04. 
25. ^ Straczynski, J. Michael (1995-03-23). "How'd You Meet Harlan". http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-12638. Retrieved 2011-01-04. 
26. ^ Straczynski, J. Michael (1998-06-20). "The Harlan Award". http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-10766. Retrieved 2011-01-04. 
27. ^ Straczynski, J. Michael (1996). The (Even More!) Complete Book of Scriptwriting. Writer's Digest. 
28. ^ Straczynski, J. Michael (1995-07-13). "Looking for Captain Power". http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-13203. Retrieved 2011-01-04. 
29. ^ Straczynski, J. Michael (1996-03-05). "click... *click*... CLIC". JMSNews, originally published on AOL. http://www.jmsnews.net/msg.aspx?id=1-15629. Retrieved 2008-07-12. 
30. ^ Straczynski, J. Michael (1991-11-20). "Official Announcement". http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-7689. Retrieved 2011-01-04. 
31. ^ Straczynski, J. Michael (2005-05-21). "Babylon 5 Scripts Site Nearly Ready, And More!". JMSNews. http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-17414. Retrieved 2006-12-24. 
32. ^ The Babylon 5 Scripts Team (2008-12-23). "Babylon 5 Music Videos Just Released". Babylon 5 Scripts. http://campaign.constantcontact.com/render?v=001LDAvtWmYthUfV42TzOKX4NtaLlyfj3eaRajSDGes6vnakAlTLHwOuZ0Lzb9OsxQ5xS3HWuHtHO7_jx-iOT8WrKt0rOcH2zlfz4VNNKbuREs%3D.. Retrieved 2008-12-27. 
33. ^ Straczynski, J. Michael (2006-06-13). "Aeon Flux Commentary". http://www.jmsnews.net/msg.aspx?id=1-17559. Retrieved 2011-01-04. 
34. ^ Straczynski, J. Michael (2004-09-26). "When Did You Know". http://www.jmsnews.net/msg.aspx?id=1-17197. Retrieved 2011-01-04. 
35. ^ Straczynski, J. Michael (2004-06-23). "re: first post for me...". JMSNews, originally published on rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated. http://www.jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-17119. Retrieved 2009-12-02. 
36. ^ Zabel, Bryce. JMS and Bryce Zabel's Star Trek treatment, 2006-06-15.
37. ^ Straczynski, J. Michael (2006-12-12). "Re: JMS: The time has come...". JMSNews, originally published on rec.arts.sf.tv.babylon5.moderated. http://jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-17627&topic=Battlestar%20Galactica. Retrieved 2008-12-05. 
38. ^ Scott Collura. "NYCC 07: Straczynski Scripting World War Z". http://movies.ign.com/articles/767/767703p1.html. 
39. ^ [1] Cinema Blend Silver Surfer status article + link to AMCtv interview.
40. ^ Straczynski, J. Michael (2007-06-13). "Re: JMS: Silver Surfer movie?". JMSNews. http://jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-17664&query=Silver%20Surfer. Retrieved 2007-06-24. 
41. ^ Kaufman, Anthony (2008-06-18). "J. Michael Straczynski: 10 Screenwriters to Watch". Variety (magazine). http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117987706.html?categoryid=3173&cs=1. Retrieved 2010-01-31. 
42. ^ Kaufman, Anthony (2008-06-18). "10 Screenwriters to Watch". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117987706.html?categoryId=3173&cs=1. Retrieved 2008-06-21. 
43. ^ Changeling at the Internet Movie Database
44. ^ Kit, Borys (2008-10-31). "'Changeling' scribe on 'Forbidden Planet': J. Michael Straczynski to write the long-gestating remake". Hollywood Reporter. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/changeling-scribe-forbidden-planet-122097. Retrieved 2008-11-06. 
45. ^ Mastrapa, Gus. "Bruckheimer Sees Box Office Gold in 2K’s Shattered Union Game" Wired News: GameLife, Oct. 27, 2009
46. ^ Graser, Marc (2009-10-26). "More perfect 'Union' for Disney". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118010438.html?categoryid=13&cs=1. 
47. ^ Leigh Alexander. "2K's Shattered Union Getting The Film Treatment". http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=25842. 
48. ^ "Babylon 5 creator to write Shattered Union movie". http://news.bigdownload.com/2009/10/27/babylon-5-creator-to-write-shattered-union-movie. 
49. ^ "Full cast and crew for: Thor (2011)". Internet Movie Database (IMDB). http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0800369/fullcredits#writers.  J. Michael Straczynski (story) and Mark Protosevich (story)
50. ^ "X-Men, Green Lantern, Red Sonja: March 18th Comic Reel". Comic Book Resources. 2010-03-18. http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=25296. Retrieved 2010-03-18. 
51. ^ "J. Michael Straczynski: Actor". Internet Movie Database (IMDB). http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0833089/#Actor. 
52. ^ "HUP037 Scriptwriting". Course Syllabus. London Metropolitan University. https://intranet.londonmet.ac.uk/prog-plan/postgrad-line/modules/hu/hup037.cfm. Retrieved 2007-09-13. 
53. ^ Hart, Liz (2007). "CW3029 - Writing for Radio". Course Syllabus. University of Central Lancashire. Archived from the original on 2008-01-21. http://web.archive.org/web/20080121163300/http://www.uclan.ac.uk/facs/class/humanities/modules/cw3029.htm. Retrieved 2007-09-13. 
54. ^ Fuller, Shane (2007). "THEA 4371 Scriptwriting". Course Syllabus. East Texas Baptist University. http://www2.etbu.edu/FacultyToolbox/file_system/sfuller/syllabi/thea%20scriptwriting%20syll.doc. Retrieved 2007-09-13. 
55. ^ Adam, Scott (2007). "WS508A: Ministry and Media: Theory and Production". Course Syllabus. Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena, California. http://www.fuller.edu/sot/ecds/061/WS508A_Adam.html. Retrieved 2007-09-13. 
56. ^ Charuvatana, A. Tharaputh (2007). "BV 4303 Advertising Production". Course Syllabus. Assumption University. http://www.sm.au.edu/uploadfiles/1180012880_BV4303.doc. Retrieved 2007-09-13. 
57. ^ Martin, Carey (2007). "Process in Creative Script Writing". Course Syllabus. East Carolina University. http://www.ecu.edu/cs-acad/writing/martin-paper.cfm. Retrieved 2007-09-13. 
58. ^ "57990 Developing Creative Media" (PDF). Course Syllabus. University of Technology Sydney. 2007. Archived from the original on 2007-09-06. http://web.archive.org/web/20070906003317/http://www.hss.uts.edu.au/subject_descriptions/57990.pdf. Retrieved 2007-09-13. 
59. ^ Holding the Hammer: JMS Talks Thor, Newsarama, October 17, 2008
60. ^ SDCC '07: Marvel's The Twelve Revealed, Newsarama
61. ^ Mystery Men's Dozen: Brevoort Talks "The Twelve", Comic Book Resources, July 26, 2007
62. ^ Marvel Previews issue 68
63. ^ Comic Book Resources
64. ^ Brady, Matt (May 8, 2008). "J. Michael Straczynski Talks Thor". Newsarama. http://forum.newsarama.com/showthread.php?t=83671. 
65. ^ Renaud, Jeffrey (December 18, 2009). "Straczynski Launches "Superman: Earth One"". Comic Book Resources. http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=24120. Retrieved May 23, 2010. 
66. ^ Arrant, Chris (February 16, 2010). "A Week of JMS: Day 1: SUPERMAN: EARTH ONE". Newsarama. http://www.newsarama.com/comics/JMS-Week-Superman-Earth-One-100216.html. Retrieved May 25, 2010. 
67. ^ Segura, Alex (March 8, 2010). "J. Michael Straczynski to write SUPERMAN and WONDER WOMAN, starting in July". The Source. DC Comics.com. http://dcu.blog.dccomics.com/2010/03/08/j-michael-straczynski-to-write-superman-and-wonder-woman-starting-in-july/. 
68. ^ Phegley, Kiel (March 8, 2010). "Straczynski Steps Up For 'Superman' & 'Wonder Woman'". Comic Book Resources. http://comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=25119. 
69. ^ Phegley, Kiel (March 18, 2010). "EXCLUSIVE: Straczynski Pens "Samaritan X" At DC". Comic Book Resources. http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=25307. Retrieved May 27, 2010. 
70. ^ Straczynski, J. Michael (1996-12-08). "Re: ATTN JMS: Re: Snow White". JMSNews. http://jmsnews.com/msg.aspx?id=1-12063. Retrieved 2007-08-11. 
71. ^ Straczynski, J. Michael (1979). "Snow White (Straczynski)". Baker's Plays. http://www.bakersplays.com/store/product_info.php/cPath/11/products_id/1346?osCsid=e06b04b0d58e7c3adbe2697bfdc3286f. Retrieved 2007-08-11. 
72. ^ "The Long List of Hugo Awards, 1996 (L.A.con III (Anaheim, California))". World Science Fiction Society. http://www.nesfa.org/data/LL/Hugos/hugos1996.html. Retrieved 2009-01-03.  "Listing of Hugo Award winners, 1996"
73. ^ "The Long List of Hugo Awards, 1997 (LoneStarCon 2 (San Antonio, Texas))". World Science Fiction Society. http://www.nesfa.org/data/LL/Hugos/hugos1997.html. Retrieved 2009-01-03.  "Listing of Hugo Award Winners, 1997"
74. ^ "Bradbury Award". Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. http://www.sfwa.org/Awards/bradbury.htm. Retrieved 2009-01-03. ^{[dead link]} "The Bradbury Award Winner: J. Michael Straczynski, Babylon 5 (1999)"
75. ^ "Will Eisner Comic Industry Award: Summary of Winners". http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/eisnersum.php. Retrieved 2010-06-09. 
76. ^ "Eagle Awards, past winners". http://www.eagleawards.co.uk/category/previous-winners/2005/. Retrieved 2010-11-13. 
77. ^ "Inkpot Award Winners". http://www.hahnlibrary.net/comics/awards/inkpot.php. Retrieved 2010-06-11. 
78. ^ "60th Annual Christopher Award Winners". http://www.christophers.org/Page.aspx?pid=966. Retrieved 2010-06-09. 
79. ^ "BAFTA listing of 2009 award nominees & winners". http://www.bafta.org/awards/film/film-nominations-in-2009,657,BA.html. Retrieved 2010-06-09. 
80. ^ "CBR article on 2009 Eisner nominees". http://www.comicbookresources.com/?page=article&id=20716. Retrieved 2010-06-09. 
81. ^ "Bram Stoker Award Nominees & Winners". http://www.horror.org/stokerwinnom.htm#1996. Retrieved 2010-06-09. 
82. ^ "8379 Straczynski (1992 SW10)". JPL Small-Body Database Browser. http://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/sbdb.cgi?sstr=8379. Retrieved 2007-06-22. 

Further reading

• Wexelblat, Alan (January 1, 2002). "An Auteur in the Age of the Internet; JMS, Babylon 5, and the Net". In Jenkins III, Henry; McPherson, Tara; Shattuc, Jane. Hop on pop: the politics and pleasures of popular culture. Durham, North Carolina: Duke University Press Books. pp. 209–226. ISBN 978-0822327370. 

External links

• J. Michael Straczynski at the Internet Movie Database
• J. Michael Straczynski at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
• J. Michael Straczynski at the Comic Book DB
• J. Michael Straczynski at B5races
• JMSNews
• Worlds of JMS

Preceded by Howard Mackie	The Amazing Spider-Man writer 2001–2007	Succeeded by Bob Gale Marc Guggenheim Dan Slott Zeb Wells
Preceded by Karl Kesel	Fantastic Four writer 2005–2007	Succeeded by Dwayne McDuffie
Preceded by James Robinson	Superman writer 2010	Succeeded by Chris Roberson
Preceded by Gail Simone	Wonder Woman writer 2010	Succeeded by Phil Hester

Persondata
Name	Straczynski, J. Michael
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1954-07-17
Place of birth	Paterson, New Jersey, United States
Date of death
Place of death