SFF Chronicles News
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26th May 2010 04:37 AM
Elaine Frei
The upcoming three-day Memorial Day weekend in the United States is considered the unofficial start of summer, with school out for some students and about to be out for others. It is the time of year when people start planning road trips and barbeques and pool parties to escape the heat.
Memorial Day weekend is also, apparently, a good time for science fiction and comic book conventions, considering that just a quick look around the internet came up with three notable conventions being held over the weekend.
Starting on the East Coast of the US, Balticon 44 is scheduled to be held in Baltimore, Maryland, on 28 – 31 May. Balticon, which has been held since 1966, is a general interest con with both literary and media programming. The Guest of Honor this year is fantasy author Tanya Huff, while this year’s Artist Guest of Honor is comic book and webcomic artist Howard Tayler. The Compton Crook Award for best science fiction, fantasy, or horror novel of the year will be awarded during the opening ceremonies. In addition, there will be several writing workshops and contests as part of the festivities.
Among the guests scheduled to appear at Balticon this year is Paolo Bacigalupi, whose novel The Windup Girl won this year’s Nebula Award from the Science Fiction Writers of America. The novel is also nominated for a Hugo Award.
On the opposite end of the continent, BayCon, more of a writers and artists convention than a media con, will be held in Santa Clara, California on 28 – 31 May. The Writer Guest of Honor at BayCon this year is Peter S. Beagle, author of the fantasy classic The Last Unicorn. Fan Guests of Honor are Colleen and Steve Savitzky, Artist Guest of Honor is Lee Moyer, and Toastmaster is Tadao Tomomatsu.
In addition, Mercedes Lackey and Larry Dixon are special guests this year at BayCon. They were scheduled to be Guests of Honor last year at BayCon, but Ms. Lackey fell ill and they were not able to attend, except via a video link-up. It was nice that the video link was arranged for those who had attended the convention hoping to be able to chat with them, but it was not at all what anyone had in mind. I know. I was at BayCon last year.
More of a media convention, Phoenix Comicon will be held 27 – 30 May in Phoenix, Arizona. Among the participants this year will be the grand old man of comic books, Stan Lee, as well as Todd McFarlane & Greg Capullo. There will also be a mini-reunion of some of the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation, with guests Levar Burton, Wil Wheaton, and Jonathan Frakes. Also in attendance will be the stars of 2001: A Space Odyssey, Kier Dullea and Gary Lockwood. Other special events include a concert on Saturday night by James Marsters, who played Spike in Buffy, the Vampire Slayer and Angel and guest-starred in two episodes of Torchwood as Captain John.
There will also be writers in attendance at Phoenix Comicon, including John Scalzi, author of Old Man’s War and Zoe’s Tale, among other books, and Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander series and of a graphic novel based on that series, which is scheduled to be released this fall.
A personal recommendation if you happen to be attending Phoenix Comicon: At some time during the weekend, there will be a panel titled “Super Happy Fun Time with John and Wil”, John being John Scalzi and Wil being Wil Wheaton. John and Wil presented an episode of “Super Happy Fun Time” at LosCon a couple of years ago, when I was in attendance, and my advice to you is, if you happen to be at the con, don’t miss that panel. John and Wil are smart, funny men, and you will have a good time.
I don’t know if memberships are still available for any of these cons, as all are just days away, but if you are in the vicinity of any of them, like science fiction, and have some free time over the upcoming weekend, it might be worth checking to see if membership is still open. Cons are fun. If you’ve never attended one before, this could be a good time to see what cons are all about.
Elaine Frei
The upcoming three-day Memorial Day weekend in the United States is considered the unofficial start of summer, with school out for some students and about to be out for others. It is the time of year when people start planning road trips and barbeques and pool parties to escape the heat.
Memorial Day weekend is also, apparently, a good time for science fiction and comic book conventions, considering that just a quick look around the internet came up with three notable conventions being held over the weekend.
Starting on the East Coast of the US, Balticon 44 is scheduled to be held in Baltimore, Maryland, on 28 – 31 May. Balticon, which has been held since 1966, is a general interest con with both literary and media programming. The Guest of Honor this year is fantasy author Tanya Huff, while this year’s Artist Guest of Honor is comic book and webcomic artist Howard Tayler. The Compton Crook Award for best science fiction, fantasy, or horror novel of the year will be awarded during the opening ceremonies. In addition, there will be several writing workshops and contests as part of the festivities.
Among the guests scheduled to appear at Balticon this year is Paolo Bacigalupi, whose novel The Windup Girl won this year’s Nebula Award from the Science Fiction Writers of America. The novel is also nominated for a Hugo Award.
On the opposite end of the continent, BayCon, more of a writers and artists convention than a media con, will be held in Santa Clara, California on 28 – 31 May. The Writer Guest of Honor at BayCon this year is Peter S. Beagle, author of the fantasy classic The Last Unicorn. Fan Guests of Honor are Colleen and Steve Savitzky, Artist Guest of Honor is Lee Moyer, and Toastmaster is Tadao Tomomatsu.
In addition, Mercedes Lackey and Larry Dixon are special guests this year at BayCon. They were scheduled to be Guests of Honor last year at BayCon, but Ms. Lackey fell ill and they were not able to attend, except via a video link-up. It was nice that the video link was arranged for those who had attended the convention hoping to be able to chat with them, but it was not at all what anyone had in mind. I know. I was at BayCon last year.
More of a media convention, Phoenix Comicon will be held 27 – 30 May in Phoenix, Arizona. Among the participants this year will be the grand old man of comic books, Stan Lee, as well as Todd McFarlane & Greg Capullo. There will also be a mini-reunion of some of the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation, with guests Levar Burton, Wil Wheaton, and Jonathan Frakes. Also in attendance will be the stars of 2001: A Space Odyssey, Kier Dullea and Gary Lockwood. Other special events include a concert on Saturday night by James Marsters, who played Spike in Buffy, the Vampire Slayer and Angel and guest-starred in two episodes of Torchwood as Captain John.
There will also be writers in attendance at Phoenix Comicon, including John Scalzi, author of Old Man’s War and Zoe’s Tale, among other books, and Diana Gabaldon, author of the Outlander series and of a graphic novel based on that series, which is scheduled to be released this fall.
A personal recommendation if you happen to be attending Phoenix Comicon: At some time during the weekend, there will be a panel titled “Super Happy Fun Time with John and Wil”, John being John Scalzi and Wil being Wil Wheaton. John and Wil presented an episode of “Super Happy Fun Time” at LosCon a couple of years ago, when I was in attendance, and my advice to you is, if you happen to be at the con, don’t miss that panel. John and Wil are smart, funny men, and you will have a good time.
I don’t know if memberships are still available for any of these cons, as all are just days away, but if you are in the vicinity of any of them, like science fiction, and have some free time over the upcoming weekend, it might be worth checking to see if membership is still open. Cons are fun. If you’ve never attended one before, this could be a good time to see what cons are all about.
