k******d@d*****i.com
23/03/1996 00:00:000 UTC
All-

I attended the Lunacon science fiction convention this past weekend in Rye,

NY. Overall I had a good time, mostly because there were many old friends in

attendance. It was the first time I'd been to Lunacon in about two years. My

biggest complaint was that there were far too many panels about the Internet

or were too fannish. A panel or two about the interaction between SF and the

Internet or fans on the 'net is perfectly appropriate, but more than that is

uneccessary (heck that's what the 'net is FOR, we don't need to waste time

talking about it in person!). Some of the panel topics just didn't interest

me and I didn't recognize many of the people on the panels (who the heck is

John Hertz anyway?). My favorite panel was "Stealth Science Fiction" which

discussed books and films which are SF but considered by most to be

mainstream (i.e." Handmaiden's Tale").

The I-CON's ED WOOD party was fun, though it just wasn't the same without

Blaine in drag. Not only because he was great at it during Philcon, but also

because they made ME wear the pink sweater instead (thanks Blaine)! JT's new

and improved Octopus was a hit, we even got David Kyle and Tom Kidd on

videotape wrestling with it.

I had fun browsing the dealer's room, especially rooting through the boxes of

old books. Found some neat stuff, but in the end I was a good boy and didn't

buy anything.

Overall, I had a good time. Next year's convention will feature a media

guest, which is really ironic considering how many years they've looked down

their noses at us for being a 'media con'!

--Doc