It was a beautiful spring day as students of Stonybrook University traveled across the campus grounds from one class to another, looking to earn an A, a degree and a better life, but that life was disturbed by an invasion of ill proportions when hundreds of creatures descended upon the normally peaceful grounds, looking to explore, pillage and even conquer. Yes, it was once again time for the annual science fiction I-Con convention where hundreds of fans dress up as their favorite characters in science fiction, anime and video games as they explore dealer tables, new anime titles, movies and books, get their hands on free goods and compete in various contests to gain supremacy amongst their peers.
"Welcome to I-Con 23, the Northeast's largest convention of science fiction, science fact and fantasy," said event coordinator Lisa Soto. "Attended by over 6,000 members annually, I-Con is a three day festival designed to encourage literacy, creativity and interest in science and technology through science fiction and its related genres. We present for your perusal over a thousand hours of exciting and interesting programming, including films, authors, media guests, science/technology, panels, anime, gaming, artists, comics, medieval fact and fantasy and a whole array of performances from film to the cabaret. Just when you thought we couldn't cover any more, we've also got an entire track dedicated to our smallest members with a special presentation of children's programming."
Yes, there was a lot on the menu at this year's annual event and while I enjoyed it as I always do, I felt a little bit disappointed by the offerings this year. Granted, when I first attended the I-CON during their 20th Anniversary and then their 21st, when they were old enough to drink, there was much reason to celebrate and go a little overboard on what they offered. So many companies came out to support the event and show off their goods. It was the greatest place to meet new contacts and become reacquainted with older ones. Padwolf Publishing was back this year, showcasing an expanded roster of great book titles; this time complete with unique and entertaining shirts to go with their titles. The anime company Media Blasters was also present.
Now, don't get me wrong. I did have a lot of fun at this year's convention. It became a true family experience with not just me and my partner attending, but her family and my family happily paying to enjoy what was around them. They found pleasures in a dealer room, which I still feel should contain more deals to be given such a name (if I can go to a store and get it cheaper or at the same price, it is not a deal and selling videotapes cheap when everyone has DVD players is not a deal either. Still, the hardcore fans seemed to walk out happy with their swords, imported items, bags of DVDs and freebies from movies like the Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Hell Boy and Punisher.
In addition, there were a number of great screenings for guests to enjoy such as Vampire Hunter D, Initial D, GTO, Ninja Scroll, Cosmo Warrior Zero and Inu Yasha to name a few. Movies like Pirates of the Caribbean and the Lord of the Rings Trilogy were also among those screened by eager fans that may not have had the time to see them in the theaters or were just looking for an opportunity to view the movies again in a more fan-like setting. Of course, real fans got to play along when they saw The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a true tradition held every year at the annual gala.
There were a number of panel discussions that peaked my interest, including How Science Fiction Made Me a Scientist, Why We Love Tentacles, Comics: Why People Suck. There was also a discussion on the future of electronic gaming, which was extremely important this year considering that gaming seemed to take a major front row seat at the expense of anime. That would be a complaint on my part, since anime is still a strong force in the sci-fi world and should be recognized as it had been in the past. There was not much this year, and nothing that hasn't been seen before. I remember discovering new titles at this show, but I guess with the strength of gaming titles over the Internet this year, something had to suffer to make room for the newest popular trend.
The best part of the convention are the guests and this is one area that organizers get an A+ for, as popular actors and actresses from the past and present were brought together, none more so obvious than seeing Richard Hatch, who played Apollo in the original Battlestar Galactica series and was on hand to preview an interesting project called the Great War of Magellen, together with Katee Sackhoff, who plays Lt. Kara "Starbuck" Trace in the new Battlestar Galactica series set to debut this Fall on the Sci-Fi Network. Fans also got to see Peter Jurasik of Babylon 5 and Vaughn Armstrong of Enterprise. I-Con paid a touching tribute to tribute to the late Julius Schwartz, known for his work as an editor of Superman for close to a quarter of a century.
So, all in all, this was an enjoyable experience. I enjoyed seeing all the imagination and hard work that went into so many creative designs. I enjoyed seeing the medieval exhibition with all the cool weaponry and battles. I enjoyed seeing so many smiles on people's faces and despite some areas that seem to have slacked off in recent years, which are sure to pick up in time for their 25th Anniversary, the I-Con is still the premier science fiction convention in the East and possibly the country.
"We constantly striving to grow and evolve while providing the best convention experience you can find in the Northeast," said Soto. "Our mission remains to promote interest in science and technology, literacy and art in a fun and exciting atmosphere." Mission accomplished.