Download or read book Becoming Superman written by J. Michael Straczynski and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2019-07-23 with total page 541 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A Hugo Award Nominee! Featuring an introduction by Neil Gaiman! “J. Michael Straczynski is, without question, one of the greatest science fiction minds of our time.” -- Max Brooks (World War Z) For four decades, J. Michael Straczynski has been one of the most successful writers in Hollywood, one of the few to forge multiple careers in movies, television and comics. Yet there’s one story he’s never told before: his own. In this dazzling memoir, the acclaimed writer behind Babylon 5, Sense8, Clint Eastwood’s Changeling and Marvel’s Thor reveals how the power of creativity and imagination enabled him to overcome the horrors of his youth and a dysfunctional family haunted by madness, murder and a terrible secret. Joe's early life nearly defies belief. Raised by damaged adults—a con-man grandfather and a manipulative grandmother, a violent, drunken father and a mother who was repeatedly institutionalized—Joe grew up in abject poverty, living in slums and projects when not on the road, crisscrossing the country in his father’s desperate attempts to escape the consequences of his past. To survive his abusive environment Joe found refuge in his beloved comics and his dreams, immersing himself in imaginary worlds populated by superheroes whose amazing powers allowed them to overcome any adversity. The deeper he read, the more he came to realize that he, too, had a superpower: the ability to tell stories and make everything come out the way he wanted it. But even as he found success, he could not escape a dark and shocking secret that hung over his family’s past, a violent truth that he uncovered over the course of decades involving mass murder. Straczynski’s personal history has always been shrouded in mystery. Becoming Superman lays bare the facts of his life: a story of creation and darkness, hope and success, a larger-than-life villain and a little boy who became the hero of his own life. It is also a compelling behind-the-scenes look at some of the most successful TV series and movies recognized around the world.

Download or read book Interacting with Babylon 5 written by Kurt Lancaster and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This book makes a significant contribution to the growing body of scholarship surrounding the participatory communities--i.e. fandoms--that surround cult television shows and films. . . . It will cut across disciplines, finding a readership among sociologists, anthropologists, media scholars, and performance scholars, as well as among fans and lay readers." --Henry Jenkins, author of Textual Poachers: Television Fans and Participatory Culture Much of the pleasure of science fiction and fantasy stems from the genres' ability to transport fans into imaginary worlds that often feel more "real" than ordinary life. This pioneering book uses the insights of performance theory to explore how fans of the television show Babylon 5 actively immerse themselves in its imaginary environment by role-playing games and fan fiction, through which the fans perform--make real--fantasies they previously watched on television. Kurt Lancaster opens with a background analysis of Babylon 5, including creator-producer J. Michael Straczynski's online interaction with fans. Then he thoroughly examines the performance aspects of all the participatory media surrounding the show--the role-playing game, collectable card game, war game, CD-ROM "guidebook," fan fiction, and web pages. His use of performance theory offers a new way of understanding the enormous popularity of imaginary entertainment environments and the fandom surrounding other popular sites of science fiction and fantasy, including Star Trek, Star Wars, and J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth.

Download or read book Repent Harlequin Said the Ticktockman written by Harlan Ellison and published by Open Road Media. This book was released on 2016-07-12 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Winner of the Hugo and Nebula Awards: A science fiction classic about an antiestablishment rebel set on overthrowing the totalitarian society of the future. One of science fiction’s most antiestablishment authors rails against the accepted order while questioning blind obedience to the state in this unique pairing of short story and essay. “‘Repent, Harlequin!’ Said the Ticktockman” is set in a dystopian future society in which time is regulated by a heavy bureaucratic hand known as the Ticktockman. The rebellious Everett C. Marm flouts convention, masquerading as the anarchic Harlequin, disrupting the precise schedule with bullhorns and jellybeans in a world where being late is nothing short of a crime. But when his love, Pretty Alice, betrays Everett out of a desire to return to the punctuality to which she is programmed, he is forced to face the Ticktockman and his gauntlet of consequences. The bonus essay included in this volume, “Stealing Tomorrow,” is a hard-to-find Harlan Ellison masterwork, an exploration of the rebellious nature of the writer’s soul. Waxing poetic on humankind’s intellectual capabilities versus its emotional shortcomings, the author depicts an inner self that guides his words against the established bureaucracies, assuring us that the intent of his soul is to “come lumbering into town on a pink-and-yellow elephant, fast as Pegasus, and throw down on the established order.” Winner of the Prometheus Hall of Fame Award, “‘Repent, Harlequin!’ Said the Ticktockman” has become one of the most reprinted short stories in the English language. Fans of George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four and Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World will delight in this antiestablishment vision of a Big Brother society and the rebel determined to take it down. The perfect complement, “Stealing Tomorrow” is a hidden gem that reinforces Ellison’s belief in humankind’s inner nobility and the necessity to buck totalitarian forces that hamper our steady evolution.

Download or read book Alas Babylon written by Pat Frank and published by Harper Collins. This book was released on 2013-06-04 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “An extraordinary real picture of human beings numbed by catastrophe but still driven by the unconquerable determination of living creatures to keep on being alive.” —The New Yorker “Alas, Babylon.” Those fateful words heralded the end. When the unthinkable nightmare of nuclear holocaust ravaged the United States, it was instant death for tens of millions of people; for survivors, it was a nightmare of hunger, sickness, and brutality. Overnight, a thousand years of civilization were stripped away. But for one small Florida town, miraculously spared against all the odds, the struggle was only just beginning, as the isolated survivors—men and women of all ages and races—found the courage to come together and confront the harrowing darkness. This classic apocalyptic novel by Pat Frank, first published in 1959 at the height of the Cold War, includes an introduction by award-winning science fiction writer and scientist David Brin.

Download or read book The Long Night of Centauri Prime written by Peter David and published by Random House Digital, Inc.. This book was released on 1999 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The beginning of an exciting new adventure that continues the Babylon 5 legacy . . . Bombed to the brink of oblivion, the planet Centauri Prime is starting the slow and painful process of rebuilding, under the watchful eye of Emperor Londo Mollari. But Londo is in turn being watched--and manipulated--by the conquest-hungry Drakh. The malevolent beings are reshaping the Centauri Republic into a secret seat of power from which to strike out at their enemies--especially the Interstellar Alliance. All but helpless to resist, Londo watches as his beloved Homeworld is transformed into a ruthless police state. And the Drakh have willing allies, including one of Londo's own countrymen--Durla, a powerful official with his own sinister agenda. As the abuses of the repressive new Republic escalate, the double-edged Drakh master plan begins to unfold. Their goal is to smash the Interstellar Alliance by assassinating its president, John Sheridan, and to obliterate Earth, using a fabled, monstrous Shadow weapon known as a Planet Killer . . .

Download or read book Out of the Darkness written by Peter David and published by Del Rey. This book was released on 2000 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This conclusion of the explosive "Centauri" trilogy reveals the fates of the Centauri Republic and of Emperor Londo Mollari, one of the most popular of the characters from the "Babylon 5" television series. Based on an outline by TV series creator J. Michael Straczynski.

Download or read book A Dream Given Form written by Ensley F. Guffey and published by ECW Press. This book was released on 2017-09-19 with total page 480 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The only comprehensive critical guide to the beloved sci-fi phenomenon A Dream Given Form provides an accessible, comprehensive, and critical look at Babylon 5, one of the most groundbreaking series of all time. Nearly 20 years after the show ended, this indispensable companion not only covers all five seasons of Babylon 5, but also the feature-length TV movies, the spinoff series Crusade (including three non-produced episodes), The Legend of the Rangers, The Lost Tales, the canonical novels, the DC comic book series, and the short stories set in the Babylon 5 universe. Each season and text is explored thoroughly with an in-depth look at how the individual episodes, books, stories, and comics fit into larger ongoing storylines. Carefully constructed to be enjoyed by both those who have watched the series multiple times and viewers watching for the first time, A Dream Given Form elucidates without spoiling and illuminates without nitpicking.

Download or read book Dining on Babylon 5 written by Emerson Briggs-Wallace and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 127 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Touch of Your Shadow the Whisper of Your Name written by Neal Barrett and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A novel based on the television science-fiction series, Babylon 5, set aboard a massive space station in the year 2257. Positioned in a key sector of the galaxy and under the jurisdiction of the Earth Alliance, Babylon 5 serves as a space-borne port of call, open to travellers from anywhere.

Download or read book In Valen s Name written by J. Michael Straczynski and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 80 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Babylon 5 The Coming of Shadows written by Jane Killick and published by Random House Worlds. This book was released on 1998-04-14 with total page 202 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A comprehensive episode-by-episode guide to the second exciting season of Babylon 5! Babylon 5: The Coming of Shadows, opens with “By Any Means Necessary: Making Babylon 5 on a Budget,” a behind-the-scenes account of how series creator J. Michael Straczynski and his production team bucked the system to create the extraordinary twenty-first century world that would change the face of sci-fi TV. Then, in a thrilling second season overview, experience the arrival of Bruce Boxleitner as John J. Sheridan, new captain of the Babylon 5 station, and the looming threat of the sinister Shadows. In-depth, episode-by-episode summaries—with detailed analysis by author and B5 expert Jane Killick—cover all of the second season's twenty-two shows, including “Points of Departure,” “Spider in the Web,” “Comes the Inquisitor,” and the dramatic season finale, “The Fall of Night.” Veteran viewers or first-time fans, relive the adventure—or find out what you've been missing—with the complete companions to Babylon 5!

Download or read book Babylon 5 written by J. Michael Straczynski and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book To Dream in the City of Sorrows written by Kathryn M. Drennan and published by Dell. This book was released on 1997 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The stand-along plot of this novel brings a critical new piece to the "Babylon 5" story line. Haunted by the explosive fate of Babylons 1 through 4, the inhabitants of Babylon 5 work together to make the station "our last, best hope for peace".

Download or read book Creating Babylon 5 written by David Bassom and published by Del Rey. This book was released on 1997 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The year is 2258, ten years after the Earth-Minbari War. In an effort to prevent further bloodshed the Earth Alliance created the Babylon project. Positioned in a key sector of the galaxy, the Babylon 5 space station serves as a space-born port-of-call for diplomats, traders, hustlers, and travelers. Its aim: to exist as a natural place where humans and aliens can work out their differences peacefully. Yet in reality the station is a focus of tension, malice, and intrigue--with all the wondrous excesses of a galactic cultural melting-pot. In Creating BABYLON 5 author David Bassom takes an in-depth behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the seminal series. From plot development to the show's ground-breaking special effects methods, Bassom covers all aspects of Babylon 5's production. Interviews with all the main cast and key production crew combine with page after page of stunning photography and essential details about the Babylon 5 universe. Creating BABYLON 5 is the only book to chart the birth and creation of the science fiction phenomenon of the decade.

Download or read book Babylon 5 Signs and Portents written by Jane Killick and published by Random House Worlds. This book was released on 1998-03-03 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A comprehensive episode-by-episode guide to the first thrilling season of Babylon 5! Babylon 5: Signs and Portents, kicks off with a foreword by actor Michael O'Hare, better known to viewers as Commander Sinclair, and features a fascinating look at how series creator J. Michael Straczynski brought his ambitious vision to the screen. Then launch into a comprehensive overview of the groundbreaking premiere season, including in-depth, episode-by-episode summaries of all of the first twenty-two shows—from the pilot, “The Gathering,” through the climactic season finale, “Chrysalis”—with analysis by author and B5 expert Jane Killick. Veteran viewers or first-time fans, relive the adventure—or find out what you've been missing—with the complete companions to Babylon 5!

Download or read book Babylon 5 The Scripts of J Michael Straczynski Vol 2 5 of 16 written by Joe Michael Stracynski and published by Synthetic Worlds Limited. This book was released on 2013-01-24 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Table of Contents and Index available FREE at B5books.com.Did you really see Captain Sheridan's first episode? DISCOVERED: A completely different version of the Season 2 premiere episode, "Points of Departure."ANNOTATED SCRIPTThe complete ORIGINAL draft of the Season 2 premiere, "Points of Departure," with editor's annotations for every page indicating the differences between this draft, the director's cut, the producers' cut and the final version of the episode that was aired and released on DVD.VIDEO IMAGE RE-CREATION OF "POINTS OF DEPARTURE" AS ORIGINALLY SHOTUsing nearly 300 screenshots, we have re-created, scene-by-scene, the original episode as it was originally filmed BEFORE J. Michael Straczynski decided to extensively alter the episode. The 100 pages of this re-creation are formatted so that each frame matches up to the dialogue being spoken on the audio CD.AUDIO CD OF THE ORIGINAL CUTThis is the complete audio of the original episode. This means you can pop in the CD, open the book to page 106 and follow along with the script and video screenshots for a retro "multimedia" experience.POSTCARD AND BOOKMARKFeaturing never-before-heard quotes that didn't even make it into the version of "Points of Departure" re-created herein.YOU'LL LEARN* How "Chrysalis, Part II" evolved into "Points of Departure"* Sidelined storylines for Delenn, Londo, G'Kar, Anna Sheridan and the Rangers* How the Psi Corps would have figured prominently in an earlier concept for "Points of Departure"* Why the Agamemnon was not in the original version of the episode* Sheridan's amusing quip about Earthforce that was cut from every edit of the episode* The ad lib by Bruce Boxleitner about Sheridan's speech that was featured in the producers' cut* The dialogue exchange that was deleted, making Sheridan's speech in the empty C&C funnier* How Warren Keffer's introduction was dramatically different in the original edit* Which character from the pilot received an unexpected mention in the original versionPLUSJ. Michael Straczynski's complete original outlines for the "Legions of Fire" and "The Passing of the Techno-mages" novel trilogies.Discover why Babylon 5 will never be available on Blu-ray at B5news.com.

Download or read book Clark s Law written by Jim Mortimore and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 279 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A novel based on the television science-fiction series, Babylon 5, set aboard a massive space station in the year 2257. Positioned in a key sector of the galaxy and under the jurisdiction of the Earth Alliance, Babylon 5 serves as a space-borne port of call, open to travellers from anywhere.