JMS Won't Be At NYCC This Year

I've got some bittersweet news for everyone. Changeling has been nominated for several British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Awards including Best Director, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Costume Design, and Best Original Screenplay. What's bittersweet about this? The BAFTA Ceremony takes place February 8 in London, and our friend J. Michael Straczynski -- the writer of Changeling -- needs to be in London through the entirety of NYCC for the BAFTA ceremony.

New York Comic Con and Mr. Straczynski learned of the conflict earlier in the week, and while we both originally hoped to be able to still bring JMS to the convention in some aspect, as more BAFTA details emerged, we both realized a cancellation was inevitable. I and everyone involved with New York Comic Con are saddened that Mr. Straczynski will be unable to attend NYCC 2009, but we universally wish him the best of luck and hope he brings home a BAFTA Award.

And, from the man himself, JMS has these words for his fans...

"I never in a million years imagined that I might be nominated for a British Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Changeling. It simply was never on my radar screen. I'm devastated at not being able to be at the con, and I send my deepest regrets and apologies to everybody who was looking forward to seeing me. With massive, massive amounts of apologies and bowing and scraping and forelock-tugging, I have no choice but to say that I can't be there for the convention."

I, personally, was very much looking forward to JMS being at the show as B5 shaped far too much of my youth, and we've already started talking to JMS about NYCC 2010. We're currently updating the NYCC website and will have a Press Release out shortly, but I wanted to make this post immedaitely to get this news to our attendees.