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Sunday Conversation With JMS

November 1, 2026 · 1 h 30 min

Show notes

Fall back with me to 2019. Welcome to another Word Balloon Sunday Conversation. Today, we're reaching back to 2019 for an in-depth conversation with writer J. Michael Straczynski, better known to fans as JMS.At the time, Joe was promoting his autobiography, Becoming Superman: My Journey from Poverty to Hollywood, a remarkably candid account of a difficult childhood, personal struggles, and his determination to build a life as a storyteller.

We go down strange career paths, like his writing the 1970s radio drama Alien Worlds, and hosting the lost sci-fi nerd talk show Hour 25, featuring Icons on the genre

We also dive into his extraordinary career in comics, from his groundbreaking run on The Amazing Spider-Man with John Romita Jr., to Thor, Fantastic Four, Supreme Power, and his creator-owned work on Rising Stars and Midnight Nation. We discuss his approach to character, the challenges of writing iconic superheroes, and the creative decisions that defined his years at Marvel DC and beyond

.And naturally, there's plenty to say about his work in television, including the creation of the landmark science fiction series Babylon 5, but also The Real Ghostbusters and his time scripting and being the story editor on the 1980's Twilight Zone.

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