Please Introduce Yourself Here

[NotSoWize]

I am just a plain old fan of B5. I really haven't read or watched anything else by JMS yet. In reading posts here over the past week or so, it is apparent that there are several folks on this board who have a much deeper relationship with JMS or B5 or Hollywood or some combination of those. I would love to get a better idea of what the various regulars' backgrounds/interests are.

A very brief bio of me would be that I am the co-founder of a medium sized business in Western Montana. I have been a big SF/Fantasy fan since I read the Narnia books as an eight or nine year old 30+ years ago. The current run shows that I follow are -- Lost, 24, and Battlestar Galactica.

[OmahaStar]

Well, let's see ... I'm known online as OmahaStar (or just Star). I don't live in Omaha anymore .. I'm not about 25 miles north of there. But since no one's ever heard of this small town, I keep it as OS for simplicity.

I've been a B5 fan since the beginning. I was a fan of Trek first, and thought Ambassador Tomalak was "kewl" (what did I know? I was young then). At a convention, they talked about an upcoming movie with him in it, playing a lizard guy. I tuned in ... and am still around.

My favorite characters tend to be bit parts ... Usually the blink-and-you'll-miss-them roles, played by strong, powerful women. On StarGate, my favorite character was Dr. Barbara Shore.

On Babylon 5, that character is Jane, the ISN Anchor. Honestly, for the first 2.5 years in the role, I didn't notice her. I was concerned with Susan, and Valen, and Zathras, and all the others. It wasn't until the Severed Dreams trilogy, where Clark's forces invade ISN - presumably killing her - that I stood up and took notice.

And then she came back, a little over a year later, in "Endgame" ... I've been a fan of the character ever since. And I'm Maggie Egan's biggest fan. I might be her only fan, but that's ok, cuz she gave me the title herself.

Around here, I'm pretty much the cheerleader for her character - and the rest of ISN, for that matter. I try to look at all the characters and see that none are one-dimensional. Even that bitch Alison Higgins (Titanic's Diana Morgan).

I'm also a fan of both StarGate series, The 4400, Kyle XY, Lost, and others.

Following Jan's lead, I now attend the Dragon*Con convention in Atlanta. Strangely, the year I started was the first year she skipped. And she's skipping this year again too. Coincidence? You be the judge.

Anything else ya wanna know, just ask.

[AaronB]

Following Jan's lead, I now attend the Dragon*Con convention in Atlanta. Strangely, the year I started was the first year she skipped. And she's skipping this year again too. Coincidence? You be the judge.

Anything else ya wanna know, just ask.

And we have never seen you and Jan in the same room at the same time either... hmmm. The mind boggles.

[Jan]

And we have never seen you and Jan in the same room at the same time either... hmmm. The mind boggles.

Ssssshhhhhh! Sheesh, you're gonna start a rumor!

Okay, I'll take a turn...

I've been a science fiction fan and fantasy fan for as long as I could read going from Dr. Seuss (don't tell me that's not fantasy! ) to Tom Swift to Burroughs to Heinlein to McCaffrey and Lackey and Robinson. When it comes to TV, I've been a (capital F) Fan of only 3 shows-Dark Shadows (a late 60's gothic soap), the original Star Trek and of course, Babylon 5. While I like to watch other shows, most of them are what I think of as 'watch once' shows while my faves I can (and have!) watch over and over.

These days I'd have to call myself a JMS fan more than a B5 fan. I'm lucky that I've enjoyed practically everything he's done and loved a lot of it. I enjoy going to SF and Comic conventions all over the States. While JMS doesn't have to be a guest for me to attend a con, generally if has to have a good representation of B5 guests.

My 'claim to fame' in fandom is my script collection. At least until JMS starts churning out Lost Tales scripts, I have a complete collection of *all* of the B5 and Crusade scripts including some unproduced episodes and the Movies of the Week-every one legitimate, no bootlegs. I'm really glad JMS is publishing the script books because now lots and lots of fans can discover what I've known for years now-scripts are great fun to read and give a new insight into the episodes. Looks like I'll be on the hunt again soon...what a lovely 'problem' to have.

Jan

[SmileOfTheShadow]

Hey everyone, my name's Jon and I'm a big sci-fi tv fan, and I pride myself in collecting sci-fi dvds, as Jan collects scripts (though I think maybe the scripts are cooler). Right now I'm living in Berkeley, CA where I just graduated...but I'm moving to Orange County mid august.

I've been a B5 fan since about season 2 when it was airing, and I'm currently watching through Enterprise, so I can say I have watched through all of star trek. After that, I'm going to restart B5 again and follow it through with the scripts..which I've been convinced to get recently. That's about it

[phazedout]

Ok a hello thread, right here goes
I was born (today) 35 years ago in Dublin, Ireland. I'm a jms fan in the traditonal sense of the word, as in fanatic. I'll buy rpacticaly anything JMsy and ahve been into scifi since before I can remebmer, watched Dr who as a child and read majick books (kids series about a chap calle dbilly) until I found asimov, gemmel and tolkien around age 9.
I have everything B5y on DVd EXCEPT legend of the rangers, I've never been able to sit through the whole thing, I'll pick it up when I'm next in the states for like 5 bucks or something. I'm also a fan of Farscape, Firefly and other cancelled sci-fi shows beginning with F.
Currently watching fargate sg1, atlantis, lost, 24, dark angel, american gothic space:above and beyond and blade the TV series (ah the joys of friends in the states ending me DVDs.
Oh yes and the phaze thing came from a Piers Anthony novel called phaze doubt. since certain boards limit you to 8 chars I go by phaze and am also known as phazedup, down and in.
Phaze
on the "methinks I was a tad long-winded" ID

[AmyG]

Amy, indeterminate age, birthday around Halloween time, displaced New Yorker living in the Phila. suburbs, musician/writer/creative person, practicing pagan, teacher of shamanic journeying, day job as a web designer specializing in creative professionals (composers, authors, directors, etc.) and new age businesspeople, former career (and continuing interest) as a copyright professional in the serious music publishing industry, married, two cats (Psyche and Beowulf), B5 fan since the beginning, science fiction fan since I was a tot...lessee, does that about cover it? Oh, as to B5 fandom:I'm also a poster on the moderated newsgroup, had my car wrapped in 2001 by the SciFi Channel as a promotion for "The Legend of the Rangers" (http://www.fjordstone.com/gcar.html), and am somewhat known for an overt fondness for the great, late, lamented Andreas Katsulas.

[Joe Nazzaro]

IÆve been a genre geek since I was old enough to read, which apparently was before I could walk, or so IÆm told. Read everything in the kidÆs section of my local library and graduated to an adult library card when I ran out of stuff to read. Favorite TV shows as a kid were Batman and Lost in Space. Spent my teenage years listening to my mother tell me, æYouÆll never make a living out of science fiction.Æ She was wrong.

Started doing fan interviews, mainly Doctor Who and BlakeÆs 7 in the mid eighties. Sold my first professional assignment a couple of years later, and went freelance full-time in Æ91 and havenÆt taken a real job since. Written books on Star Trek, Red Dwarf, BlakeÆs 7 and Farscape. Worked for 40 or 50 magazines over the years and lost count after my two-thousandth interview. Sheelagh and I have been happily married for 13 years now. SheÆs just finished almost a year on season two of Doctor Who, so we can now have a married life again.

My dubious claim as far as Babylon 5 is concerned is IÆve done more B5/Crusade interviews than anyone in the world, over 200 if IÆm not mistaken. I discovered the series when a Warners publicist sent me a rough cut of the pilot and asked if I was interested in covering it. I spent the next couple of years trying to get the series a bit of attention when nobody wanted to know. Hard to believe it now, but in seasons one and two, it was definitely the best kept secret in SF television.

Personal B5 highlights? Going to the cast and crew screening of The Gathering. Watching Bill Mumy and Bruce Boxleitner try to get recognized in LondonÆs Forbidden Planet- and failing miserably. Taking Mira Furlan and her husband to the Butterfly House in Syon Park (and no, the significance wasnÆt lost on me). Sheelagh and I being given permission to attend the filming of Sleeping in Light, and being sworn to secrecy for the next year. Being on hand for Day of the Dead, and getting to talk to all those favorite characters who came back for a dayÆs filming. Watching a sunset behind the studio with Andreas Katsulas, still in full costume and makeup. Interviewing Michael OÆHare and Bruce Boxleitner together. Trying to run an interview with the entire cast around a giant conference table early in season four; also a first. I could probably come up with a hundred more, but those are the ones that leap to mind.

As a journalist covering the genre, you pretty much have to watch everything that comes out, whether itÆs good or bad. But over the years, the list of crap gets pretty long, while the list of personal favorites remains staggeringly short. Babylon 5 is still number one on that list, and I donÆt see anything coming along to replace it any time soon. Judging from the comments IÆve been reading on this board over the last several months IÆve been stopping by, most of you seem to feel that way as well. Which is pretty cool.

[DGTWoodward]

First off, Joe N...you win hands down!

Hello, my name in Daron Woodward (no relation to Peter, ah well! ) and I live in Warwick in the UK - just a stone's throw, or should that be a catapult's throw, from the famous castle.

I work in Warwick as a Pharmacy Technician and BOY! Is it dull!!

I am getting married in November this year to my fiance Sharon (who occasionally posts here as FIREBIRD) in Lav Vegas.

I like reading (If factual then biographies and autobiographies usually. If fiction than definately SF, but some main stream thrillers too) and I like to write poetry, but I am also in the middle of a George A Romero 'Living Dead' tribute script which I hope to film some time next year, when I can get time to work out how to do all the FX!

I have been a fantasy and SF fan for as long as I can remember. I have really clear memories of watching on TV (without even touching on cinema) George Pal's WAR OF THE WORLDS, LOST IN SPACE, VOYAGE TO THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA, STAR TREK (the REAL Trek and NOT the pathetic dilutions that followed), BLAKE'S SEVEN and on until of course BABYLON 5 came into my orbit. I was, what you'd call, a slow burner...I recall being somewhat less than 'blown away' by season one, but there was something that kept me watching it all the same. Now, I love all five seasons equally. Their brilliance of cohesion, story telling, character developments, all have grabbed me by the throat and have not let go since!

My, purely personal, claim to fame as well as good fortune is that I have been lucky enough to meet ALL of the main cast more than once, most of the co-starring cast, costume designers, make-up FX people, at least one director and of course, both JMS and John Copeland. I am very happy to have met both Rick and Andreas more than once. My prized memory is attend the BIGGEST B5 convention EVER - in the the whole world, right here in the UK! And from that, we have a signed cast photo with so many autographs on it, it is hard to count them all!

[Bonehead]

Ok, so no wonderful stories from me, no cons, fests, meetings with the cast or crew. No industry insight or connections, no Andreas fetishes (sorry Amy)

I'm just here to make up the numbers.

Watching Star Wars in the Cinema for the first time when I was 4 years old, (back in '77), was the single most influencial event in my childhood.

Watching Babylon 5 for the first time (all the way through) on TV about 7 years ago, was the single most influencial event of my adulthood.

Everything else is a blur......

[AaronB]

I'm just a soul who's intentions are good. Oh lord, please don't let me be misunderstood.

[Joansie]

I'm just a "Fat bottom girl" who loves Babylon 5. I am a late lover of B5. Have lived in British Columbia for the past 29 years, originally from Toronto, Ontario. I work for a gum Manufacturer as a rep. I am also a bookkeeper for 3 business. (I know I'm a workaholic)

I became interested in B5 about 5 years ago during the reruns on our Space Station. So, I started to tape and retape and retape all the episodes. I couldn't get enough. I now have all the DVD's. I have watched then so much that I can just about repeat the dialogue along with the actors.

I am looking forward to all the good things that are happening in the JMS world.

[Circular Reason]

Well I am currently in the employ of a Surface Treatment company as their Quality Manager. I am basically responsible for making sure the company complies with the Bs En ISO standards. It sounds boring - and it is....

I am married to Trish and we have 2 kids - 1 lad ( Russ ) of 12 years, and 1 girl ( Alice ) of 5 years. Alice has Cerebal Palsy so we spend most of our time looking after her. Russ is an avid B5 fan and can't wait for the new stuff.

B5 influenced the whole way that Myself and Trish go about getting the things for Alice we think she deserves. We are always fighting city hall ( or local city councils ) - and guess what - they may be arseholes - but you can win. That is the one single thing that if I met JMS tomorrow I would thank him for.

[byong]

Byron

Married with two kids. Youngest ones name is Delenn. I am a fan of B5 and admire and respect JMS for his work. I am glad stuff is working out for him. It seems every month hollywood is putting out several junk movies, (not all but a lot). And I wonder all the time why there isn't a B5 movie. With all this money spent on junk movies why not spend it on B5 instead and get a great movie from a great writer?

[Shadow-Sentient]

Some extremely interesting people here ... Let me bring down the curve a little bit.

I am a California native and live in El Dorado Hills, near Sacramento. I grew up however, in Southern California. I'll be 35 this August and have always been a Science Fiction fan of one type or another. It all started with Robotech. I would race home to watch it everyday after my Gran's soaps. She couldn't understand why I would want to watch a saga and why I couldn't miss an episode. I guess she didn't see the irony in her soaps. I also loved the yearly Twilight Zone marathons.

Anyway, Blade Runner & Brazil came along in the early 80's and Sci Fi was something that would always fascinate me. I enjoyed your usual run of Doctor Who and Trek, but truly fell in love with Babylon5. It took me a while, I didn't really get into it until Season 3 of it's first run on television and had to do a catch up on reruns. G'Kar was always the character I identified with most and Andreas passing hit me almost as the loss of a good friend. sadly, I never had the chance to meet him. Babylon 5 spoiled me. I am unable to sit through most Star Trek now because I am always left wanting for 'something more' than quick fixes and improbable characters.

I am currently engaged and we should be hitching in November of next year, provided everything works out. I am relocating back to Southern California for the marriage. She is a Business Systems Analyst for A Medical Center.
I am a Guitar teacher by trade and studied music and classical voice at Citrus College in Southern California but changed my major to film later on oddly my degree is in a completely different field. I guess I was bad at making up my mind.

Currently, I am writing a novel based on 16th Century Ireland and went there last year to do research. History is a passion of mine. I run a 16th century historical reenactment guild that participates at Celtic festivals and Renaissance Faires.

BTW: Shadow-Sentient came from the action figure. I had an entire collection of Babylon5 action figures that I recently sold on eBay. The most rare was the Shadow Sentient. Creepy little buggers. Anyway, that one figure alone upped the value of my collection. The entire thing sold for something like $450. So, I use it as a handle on a couple of chat-boards.