J. Michael Straczynski / Biography

He was a host of "Hour 25", a weekly science fiction talk radio show in L.A. for 5 years.
In addition to his successful television career, has found new stardom as a writer of comic books. As the new writer of the Amazing Spiderman, he managed to triple that book's sales in less than a year.
Wrote the comic book series Rising Stars, Midnight Nation, and the one-shot Dream Police for comic book publisher Image/Top Cow's imprint "Joe's Comics." He also wrote a hardcover all-ages storybook, Delicate Creatures.
Creator and "father" of scifi-show Babylon 5, which won two Hugo Awards.
A frequent speaker at conventions and seminars, Straczynski has spoken to crowds in the thousands in England and throughout the United States. He has also spoken at a variety of universities, including the the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Lab (which pronounced Babylon 5 one of the three seminal American science fiction series, the other two being the original Twilight Zone and Star Trek series) and UCLA.
Winner of the Inkpot and Eisner Awards, San Diego International Comic Arts Exposition, 1993 and 2002, respectively.
Said to have come up with the inspiration for Babylon 5 while taking a shower.
First met Harlan Ellison in person when both were walking the picket line during the Hollywood Writer's Strike in 1991.
Although he attended his 20-year high school reunion, he only found one former classmate who "sort of" remembered him.
Claims to have read the Bible cover to cover, twice.
In 2003, Straczynski rescued a Maine Coon (a breed of cat) kitten that had fallen into a landscaping drain in his yard; a 16-hour operation which ultimately involved digging up large portions of the yard and calling out the fire department and a number of plumbers. Buddy is now doing well, and rules the Straczynski household with a velvet paw.
Cracked a molar while nervously grinding his teeth in preparation for pitching Babylon 5 to studio executives. He opted to continue with the pitch instead of having emergency dental work and doing it the next day.
As a struggling young writer he telephoned Harlan Ellison for advice. Ellison replied, "The reason your stories are being rejected is because you're writing crap. Stop writing crap!".