#sci fi convention

[convergencecon]

Exciting announcement! In 2025, CONvergence is piloting an Attendance Grant to expand our community. All of your Give to the Max Day dollars this year will contribute to the Attendance Grant fund. With your donation, you can directly help new people experience the magic of CONvergence!

[duckprintspress]

Upcoming Event: Boskone!

We’re coming up on Duck Prints Press’s next vending appearance – we’ll be back at the Westin Boston Seaport District, this time in the vendors room for Boskone on February 9th through 11th! Boskone is the flagship convention for the New England Science Fiction Association (NESFA), and special guests at this year’s convention include Ben Aaronovitch, Emily Hurst Pritchett, and John Scalzi. There’ll also be over 30 vendors, an author’s alley, an art show, and of course scads of cool panels!

One of the authors we work with, Tris Lawrence, will also be in attendance, participating in panels and signing books. You can check out her schedule here.

We’re really excited to be heading back to Boston again, and hopeful that we’ll see some familiar faces from Arisia and meet some new folks too. If you’re gonna be there, make sure you come and say hi!

[the5parkers-blog]

Tips For A Successful Cosplay

So you want to cosplay? Well, cosplay is for everyone! No matter your body-type, your gender identity, or race; you have the right to join in the fun. However, that also means that everyone has to struggle with the challenges of cosplaying. So, here are some things to remember when cosplaying! Wear Comfortable Shoes Wear comfortable shoes. Wear comfortable shoes. Seriously, wear comfortable…

[hjharding]

Back from Marscon!

So I had a table at Marscon, where I sold books and critters. I had a blast and it was very successful.

That’s the table overview.

Close up on the Hyde books.

Close up on the Moonlit Memories books.

And my delightful table guards.

[oldschoolfrp]

Games within games -- Illustration signed RoMc, from ad for Games Workshop's Games Day '83, Nov 5-6 at the Royal Horticultural Society's New Hall, London (as printed in White Dwarf 44, August 1983, also used on the event's printed program).

[ossidae-passeridae]

Why Acolyte doesn't feel like a Star Wars story

Here it is: Star Wars is, at its core, a story about hope. And Acolyte doesn't have hope.

An explainer:

Star Wars has been around long enough now, and spawned enough media, that it can be classed as its own genre of work. Like any genre, this means it has conventions that authors/creators need to follow and be aware of in order for their works to fit within the genre. And the core conventions of the Star Wars genre are pretty simple!

a) There is a mystical power known as the Force, which some people can use, and

b) There are two factions - light and dark, good and evil - which are constantly fighting each other, and

c) Even in incredible darkness and overwhelming odds there's always hope for a better future.

(Obviously, like any genre, there's more specific tropes as well - there's a cute droid sidekick who's probably mostly Warcrimes by volume, somehow you're on Tatooine again, if you're in a cantina you're about to get into a fight, etcetcetc)

Within those conventions, there's an enormity of stories one can tell. Bildungsromans, war stories (both gritty and otherwise), romances, there's no shortage of options.

But you've got to keep to those conventions above. If you don't use these genre conventions when you're making your Star Wars story then... you're making something else. And that fine! But at that point it's not a Star Wars story anymore and people will be disappointed because they expected a meiloorun and you gave them an orange.

Andor is the obvious comparison to Acolyte, being a "gritty" series or whatever, but if you watch it it's clear from the outset that it's unambiguously a story about hope. It's drenched in it. The entire story is working towards a victory, and the sacrifices needed to get there are rendered worthwhile by the force of that light. We understand why it's important that the characters keep trying despite their suffering, because of the hope for a better future.

Acolyte doesn't have that.

As @intermundia put it here:

it was such an angry show, resentful and accusatory, full of liars and hypocrites, showing hope to be false and trust to be foolish

It doesn't even subvert the genre; that sort of narrative would build up hope only to crush it at the last minute. It simply doesn't seem to understand the world it's in. And for an Officially Produced Show, that's... certainly a choice.

[jellybracelet]

lmao even in 2006 people were lusting after jared's hands im deaddd

x

[the-eyes-of-andyserkis]

[luninosity]

I realized I hadn’t posted this news here yet! So, here you go –

I’ll be on two author panels and doing a reading at this year’s RSM virtual convention, this weekend – September 21 & 22!

An online LGBTQ+ science fiction and fantasy convention, RSM is always free to attend. More information, including this year’s schedule, can be found here – they will ask you to register, but, again, free!

I’ll be on the Pleasures of Worldbuilding panel on Saturday at 10:30am (Pacific time – my time) and then in the Reading session at 1:30pm that same day; on Sunday I also got asked to join the Queer Horror panel (I suppose I do teach a Monsters course!) at 12:00pm. Come join us and say hi! :-)

[ohhcinnybuns]

May the 4th be with you

15 SKK au, where Dazai meets Chuuya at a video game convention while dressed as Han Solo. Chuuya is cosplaying Princess Leia (against his wishes since he lost a bet against Shirase). Suddenly, Dazai throws himself on his knees for his princess and makes a big deal in the middle of the con for no reason other than to see his princess become a flustered mess, and they hit it off.

"I'm not part of this! I'm not a part of your rebellion, I'm not a freedom fighter, and I don't work for you, Your Highness!" - Dazai as Han Solo "If you worked for me, I'd have fired you already." - Chuuya as Princess Leia "If I worked for you, lady, I'd have quit."― Dazai as Han Solo

[convergencecon]

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is GIVE TO THE MAX. We've already raised just over $1,000! Can you help us get past $1,500 during your lunch break? Donate 👉 cvgcon.org/give

This year, your dollars will go directly to BIPOC fans who want to attend CONvergence through the new Attendance Grant fund. Every little bit gets us closer to $6,000 to invite 70 people to join our convention community!

[sintarija]

Please, please, please help me out and vote on the poll below! I'm really curious! (And need it for science.)

And reblogs are highly appreciated! ❤️❤️

You can vote even if you haven't visited any conventions! I just need the input on whether or not you noticed this happening in your region! :)

BTW feel free to share the name of the convention that used gen AI and the country/region you are from.

Again, reblogs are HIGHLY appreciated since I have a very small following and would like to reach as many people as possible.

[the5parkers-blog]

What Happens At A Science Fiction Convention?

I’ve been going to conventions for years. I used to hear them referred to as sci-fi conventions but really, it’s more than sci-fi. It’s about pop culture, fashion, history, movies, tv shows and just about everything else you can think of. And one of the hardest things has always been trying to explain to others what the heck these things called conventions are. Think about something you are…

[ghost-clowns]

Rory Week Day One! Star Wars or Star Trek?

[willtasker]

NYCC 2024: A (Redacted) Review

I had planned out NYCC months ago, back when they announced Hayley Atwell in the spring. Everything else in 2024 had the volume turned down after that announcement. And with time, they also announced some of the cast of Starship Troopers and then Rachael Leigh Cook.

I'm happy to say that everyone was wonderful, glowing even. Some maybe a little more than others but over all, this was by far the best year I had at a convention in terms of people just being... nice.

So foremost is that I overbooked myself. Five cast members from Starship Troopers was at the same table and I'll be damned if I'm gonna let that slip by. I had to go Thursday, as Dina Meyer ((see above)) was only there for one day only. She was an absolute sweetheart, despite trying to duck out to make her plane on time. I almost walked away before they called me back because I forgot to take this photo with her. "Give me some sass" is what I heard in my ear over the deafening crowd and ... well, its not my worst photo but certainly not my favorite either. But she has these huge, chonky glasses I wish she'd kept on for the photos.

Michael Ironside was incredible. I've been a fan of his for decades and despite having a voice like a gravel quarry and that constant sneer painted over his face, he was very funny and very warm. He noticeably perked up when I mentioned his performance in "Crime & Punishment In Suburbia" and how Roger Ebert said it was the best work of his career. He nodded in approval, "I'm glad someone saw that. The director is a a good friend of mine."

Casper Van Dien was ... actually exactly what I suspected. He was standing in front of his table, talking to everyone, pitching the new SST Extermination game. He's high energy, happy to see you, quick with a joke.

Unfortunately, I didn't get a lot of time with either Seth Gilliam or Denise Richards. Seth was on his way out but seemed to be overly kind with everyone there? Does that make sense? Denise was rushing to get out because she had some sort of socialite appointment elsewhere in NYC but she was trying so hard to be accommodating and patient with people. I think she was aware of what her legacy is with men of a certain age. I purposely didn't take too long at her table - it was 7 pm and everyone was tired - and I think she appreciated the fact I didn't make a bad pass at her or stop the line for 5 minutes to show her art I had done in the hopes she'd follow my Instagram (witnessed both of these things happen in real time).

Now on to the main event:

I didn't know what to expect from Hayley. I'd never met anyone who had interacted with her, so I was a little pensive at first. I had brought two photos for her to sign - the one above I had blown up to an egregious size - but it was the other one that rang her bell.

The person running the cashbox passed my photos down and said "Hayley we have some very nice photos from this gentle..."

"This is from Howard's End!" Her eyes popped, a mix of genuine surprise and appreciation behind them.

We talked a little bit about her Margaret Schlegel versus the 1992 movie. She asked me a couple of small questions before we really hit it off on something I wouldn't expect: I told her how I found a lot of American television too "active" and how much comfort I found in rewatching not only Howard's End but just UK television in general. She sized me up quietly before agreeing, telling me she watches the same handful of shows over and over to unwind, as a comfort.

She signed the Howard's End photo first (not pictured here, I've determined it is a little too personal), then the above photo before going back to the first photo with "May I add a quote to this?"

I was left with words in my mouth for a second. I managed to say "Please!" once my brain rebooted and she said "I loved this character so much. And this quote." After we said our goodbyes - she's so effusive, high energy - I quietly found a corner of the convention hall to see she'd written "Only Connect" under her name and I sighed like an old dog sleeping on a cold kitchen floor.

I later had a photo op with her. I look pretty stiff and not my best but I've taken worse photos. She was extremely gentle with everyone in line, I think getting a sense that most everyone was having the same "Holy shit, thats Hayley Atwell" realization.

Finally, and certainly not the least of all...

Rachael Leigh Cook came out an hour late, wearing a cream colored sweater and necklace. Laugh as you must, gentle reader, but I'm absolutely going to my therapist this week to ask why a stranger like herself is so completely nice to everyone (but especially: why is she nice to me). She's the type who touches people on the hand or arm as they talk - she hugged the couple in front of me when they mentioned their engagement - and she has this natural ... I honestly don't know what to call it - grace? vibe? spirit? ... that makes the cold hearth of my soul blaze like a Christmas fireplace. I don't mean to suggest theres any sort of connection, simply that she gives off a vibe of generosity and familiarity that I've only ever felt with old girlfriends.

I thanked her for her performance in Stateside, which made her eyebrows go up like a Tex Avery cartoon, and complimented her on getting her character's diagnosis so wonderfully right. She listened to me, stopped writing, listened some more, would write some more. I'd hate to think I somehow overwhelmed her - I am often told I don't "play my cards" despite my being afraid I'm overplaying them - but she was sincere and gentle, her voice this almost ASMR tone. We took a selfie (THAT photo looks awful, I need to learn to not only pose in photos but not to cock my head away from the other person) and later a photo op (Which looks better! But like the one with Hayley, I look rigid compared to her practiced grace) where she invited me into her hooked arm with a "Hey you, wow, sharp dresser!" and straightened the front of my shirt with a pinch.

And finally! Mystery solved?

This is an update for @justrachaelleighcook - this photo was taken at Cannes! She'd not seen Anna in some time and the press (or whoever was behind the camera) asked for a photo together! "I've never seen this photo but I remember taking it because Bookies was running out of competition". So that dates this photo as 2002? (She'd also not heard Anna had been unwell of late and regarded what little I said with a bit of a furrowed brow.)

Needless to say I wish I had more time to talk to her but I'm forever aware theres a line of people behind me hoping for some time as well.

It was an exhausting two days at NYCC. I probably spent 15 hours there and of that, more than 13 hours was standing in lines. Overall, it was one of the - if not THE - smoothest and more effortless visits to a convention I've ever had. If any of them come back around, I'd love to meet them again. <3