1/ I first heard of J. Michael Straczynski in relation to the original launch of Babylon 5 in the UK. But it was years later I realised he was the writer behind the television I loved as a child, starting with He-Man and later She-Ra (I always
@straczynski
#Babylon5 #Sense8

2/ thought She-Ra was better written, turns out this was due to JMS having a lot more influence), and later I was OBSESSED with The Real Ghostbusters which undoubtedly remains one of the best TV shows ever written, and unsurpassed among children’s shows. It’s also almost certain

3/ that Deep Space 9 was a Star Trek, unauthorised reworking of Babylon 5 (the details of Babylon 5 had been circulated to various studios in the years before), so no surprise I liked that too (an interesting case study of two interpretations of a vision). He also

4/ wrote, or wrote for, many other TV shows including The Twilight Zone, Murder She Wrote and Sense. JMS has also written films including World War Z and Thor (I wondered at the time why that was unusually well written too). He has also written extensively for

5/ comic books, though I don’t feel qualified to name check those. My brother, who happens to be an acclaimed playwright and also one of the UK’s most successful contemporary British TV writers, also grew up on and loved these same shows as a child, and though I haven't asked

6/ him specifically I assume JMS must have been a significant influence on him too. In my own case I’m sure that some of his writing helped set my moral compass and fortitude as a child and I can point to incidents and honestly say I’ve stood up to bullies (sometimes

7/ at some cost) from childhood to the present and also corruption as an adult as well (also at fair cost), if it was part of his intention to inspire such stands, mission accomplished, I must be one of hundreds of thousands who heard and acted on that message in some way.

8/ Eventually I hope to finish writing a science fiction novel myself. A major reason I’m posting this is to thank him for all his hard work and for being such a huge positive influence in my life through good times and bad. However my primary purpose for this

9/ thread is to draw attention to J. Michael Straczynski’s autobiography, “Becoming Superman”, which I read a few months ago, this is without doubt one of the most gripping, heart-wrenching and yet uplifting true stories I have ever come across (and I’ve read A LOT),

10/ ), you literally couldn’t have made it up. JMS’s childhood was unbelievably harsh, a near complete contrast to my own, I began to feel quite guilty that seemingly it had taken so much suffering as a child to bring him to the point where he ended up

11/ having a career and producing work that was so influential in my own life and so many others’. All through the book I desperately wanted to rescue him as a child from what he went through (I have two boys and it was impossible not to empathize with his situation). There were

12/ lessons for us all about the importance as a society of protecting children generally, and as individuals of rising up to be a needed positive force, perhaps briefly in some cases, or for as long as we live in other cases, in the lives of espeically

13/ children, both our own and others. I can’t go back in time to help him, but I can try to be the best parent I can be to my own kids and look out for other kids wherever I can. In these difficult times, it wouldn’t hurt

14/ for us all to be reminded of the real suffering many others endure, not briefly but for decades and often when in extremely vulnerable positions, with minimal agency if any at all. Everyone should read the book. I have no doubt

15/ it will, over time, come to be considered one of the greatest true tales of all time.
I recommend the audiobook, but it is also available as an ebook and of course in hard copy. Thanks for reading.
#BecomingSuperman #JMichaelstraczynski @straczynski
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F13YLYH/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_vyBOEbGEK6CQZ