J. Michael Straczynski facts for kids

Quick facts for kids J. Michael Straczynski
Straczynski in 2008
Born	Joseph Michael Straczynski (1954-07-17) July 17, 1954 (age 71) Paterson, New Jersey, U.S.
Education	Southwestern College (AA) San Diego State University (BA)
Occupation	Screenwriter producer director comic book writer
Years active	1979–present
Spouse(s)	Kathryn M. Drennan ​ ​ (m. 1983; div. 2003)​
Partner(s)	Patricia Tallman (2002–2013)

Joseph Michael Straczynski, known as J. Michael Straczynski (born July 17, 1954), is an American filmmaker and comic book writer. He is famous for creating the science fiction TV series Babylon 5 and Sense8. He also wrote for popular comic books like The Amazing Spider-Man and Thor. Straczynski has written many movies, including Changeling and World War Z. He is also known for being one of the first TV producers to talk directly with fans online.

Early Life and Education

J. Michael Straczynski was born in Paterson, New Jersey. He grew up in several places, including Newark, New Jersey, and San Diego, California. His family had Polish roots. His grandparents came to the United States from an area that is now Belarus.

Straczynski started college at Southwestern College. He later went to San Diego State University (SDSU). There, he earned a degree with majors in psychology and sociology. While at SDSU, he wrote for the student newspaper.

He met Kathryn M. Drennan at SDSU. They married in 1983 and later divorced in 2001. Straczynski then had a relationship with Patricia Tallman. She was an actress in his show Babylon 5. Straczynski has Asperger syndrome, a condition that affects how people interact with others.

Career Highlights

Straczynski is a very busy writer. He has worked on many different types of projects. These include TV shows, movies, and comic books.

Starting as a Writer

Straczynski began his career writing plays. He also wrote for radio shows like Alien Worlds. In the late 1970s, he became an entertainment reviewer for a radio station. He also worked as a journalist for newspapers like the Los Angeles Times. In 1982, he published a book called The Complete Book of Scriptwriting. This book is still used today to teach people how to write for TV and movies.

He also co-hosted a radio talk show called Hour 25. On this show, he interviewed many famous writers and directors.

Work in Animation

Straczynski loved cartoons. He started writing for animated shows in the 1980s. He wrote for He-Man and the Masters of the Universe. He also became a story editor for its spin-off, She-Ra: Princess of Power.

He later worked on The Real Ghostbusters. He was the story editor for 78 episodes of this popular cartoon. He helped shape the show's stories and characters.

Live-Action TV Shows

After animation, Straczynski moved to live-action TV. He wrote for The Twilight Zone. He also worked on Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future. For this show, he created a long story arc that changed characters over time.

He later joined Murder, She Wrote as a co-producer. He wrote seven episodes for the show. He helped move the main character, Jessica Fletcher, to New York City. This helped the show become popular again.

Creating Babylon 5

In the early 1990s, Straczynski created Babylon 5. This was a big science fiction TV series. He worked with Doug Netter to produce it. Babylon 5 was known for its deep story and use of CGI for special effects.

Straczynski wrote 92 out of 110 episodes of Babylon 5. He also wrote the pilot and five TV movies. The show won many awards, including two Emmy Awards and two Hugo Awards. It completed its planned five-season story. He also created a spin-off series called Crusade.

Comic Book Writing

Straczynski has been a comic book fan for a long time. He started writing comics in the late 1980s. He wrote adaptations for shows like Captain Power and Babylon 5. In 1999, he created his own comic series called Rising Stars.

Marvel Comics Work

From 2001 to 2007, Straczynski wrote for Marvel Comics. He had a very popular run on The Amazing Spider-Man. He and artist John Romita Jr. created a special story for The Amazing Spider-Man #36 after the September 11 attacks. He also wrote for other Marvel comics like Thor and Fantastic Four.

In 2023, Straczynski returned to Marvel Comics. He started writing a new volume of Captain America. He also contributed short stories to Spider-Man comics.

DC Comics Work

Straczynski also wrote for DC Comics. He created the Superman: Earth One graphic novel series. These stories showed a younger Superman figuring out his role in the world. He also wrote for the main Superman and Wonder Woman comic series.

Movies and Other Projects

Straczynski has written many movies. He wrote the psychological drama Changeling (2008). This movie was directed by Clint Eastwood and starred Angelina Jolie. It was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Original Screenplay.

He also co-wrote the action film Ninja Assassin (2009). He helped write the story for Marvel's Thor (2011). He also worked on the horror films Underworld: Awakening (2012) and World War Z (2013).

In 2012, Straczynski launched Studio JMS. This company produces TV shows, movies, and comics. One of their big projects was the Netflix series Sense8. He co-created and co-wrote all episodes of the first season of Sense8. The show was renewed for a second season.

In 2020, he became the head of the Creative Council for AWA, a new comic book company. He helped create a shared universe for their stories.

Recent Work

In 2022, Straczynski announced that a new Babylon 5 TV series was being planned. In 2023, an animated Babylon 5 movie, Babylon 5: The Road Home, was released. It brought back many of the original voice actors.

Awards and Recognition

Straczynski has won many awards for his writing.

An asteroid discovered in 1992 was named 8379 Straczynski in his honor.

Film and Television Work

Here are some of the films and TV shows J. Michael Straczynski has worked on:

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Joseph Michael Straczynski para niños