Short answers, pulled from the story.
Starburst was launched in December 1977 by editor Dez Skinn through his own company, Starburst Publishing Ltd. Skinn chose the name after rejecting alternatives including Starfall, which he considered too negative.
Marvel UK acquired Starburst with issue 4 as part of a deal involving editor Dez Skinn. Marvel put the title up for sale in 1985, and Visual Imagination purchased it at issue 88, publishing the magazine until it folded in 2008.
Starburst ceased publication after reaching issue 365 in 2008 because its publisher, Visual Imagination, folded. The magazine resumed as an online publication in early 2011 and returned to print in February 2012 with issue 374.
The convention was held on the 18th and the 19th of October 1980 at Lawrence Hall, London. Ray Harryhausen was the guest of honor, and the event presented both the 1980 Starburst Awards and the 1980 Eagle Awards.
Starburst magazine is now based in Manchester. The city also hosted the magazine's film festivals, including the first Starburst International Film Festival in August 2016 and the Starburst MediaCity Festival in March 2018.
Starburst produces several podcasts, including the Starburst Radio Podcast hosted by Martin Unsworth, Kris Heys, and Mike Royce; The Blue Box Podcast covering Doctor Who, hosted by JR Southall; Brave New Words, a books and graphic novels podcast by literary editor Ed Fortune; and TV Zone Plus, presented by Paul Mount.