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!

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.

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!

This new story brings an added dimension to the TV show's five-year storyline. Featuring Commander John Sheridan, Lt. Commander Susan Ivanova, Security Chief Michael Garibaldi, and the many aliens who make space station Babylon 5 their home, prepare for a thrilling, fast-action journey through the port of call that carries a mysterious and dangerous legacy.

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.