Bucconeer is very pleased to announce that J. Michael Straczynski will be attending the 1998 World Science Fiction Convention as our Special Guest. Joe's creation of Babylon 5 has brought new levels of depth and sophistication to televised science fiction drama. This program has a large and devoted following, both among fandom and on the Bucconeer committee.
Two years ago, the Baltimore in 1998 Worldcon Bid committee was choosing which people to honor at our Worldcon (should we actually win). A proposal was made to invite J. Michael Straczynski as a special guest if Babylon 5 was renewed for a fifth season. We wanted to honor Joe and the achievement of his five-year dramatic story line for Babylon 5 at Bucconeer.
Joe was born in New Jersey in a blue-collar working family. He grew up around the United States. In true Horatio Alger tradition, Joe ended up doing what he's doing now with no "Industry" contacts. He started writing at age 17 and made his first sale the same year. Joe has sold short stories to Amazing, Midnight Graffiti, Pulphouse, and other magazines. Two of his dark fantasy novels and one SF anthology have been published. He has written approximately 200 produced TV episodes, most of them in the SF or dark fantasy genre. His awards include a Writers Guild and Ace nomination for The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde for Showtime; a 1996 Hugo Award for Babylon 5; the Space Frontier Foundation Award for Best Vision of the Future; and the American Cinema Foundation Award.