Volume 14, Issue 6 December/January ConNotations 2004/2005 The Bi-Monthly Science Fiction, Fantasy & Convention Newszine of the Central Arizona Speculative Fiction Society

A Conversation with Featured Inside SF Tube Talk Special Features All the latest news about A Conversation with Janny Wurts & Don Maitz Scienc Fiction TV shows Janny Wurts & Don Maitz By Catherine Book by Lee Whiteside by Catherine Book When I understood that both Janny amazing painting by this fellow named 24 Frames Boggs: A Comedy of Values Wurts and Don Maitz would be at World Don Maitz. And the fellow was standing All the latest Movie News By Lawrence Weschler Fantasy, I knew I had to get them both in there when she told him how much she by Lee Whiteside Review By Shane Shellenbarger the same room with my tape recorder. admired his work. But then he just Fortunately, they also thought it was a walked away…! Don explained that he’s Pointless Meanderings In Memoriam good idea. deaf in one ear and simply hadn’t heard News and Reviews Tim Choate from the world of comics and Anime Gordon Cooper © Cathy Book Christopher Reeve Videophile An American in England Reviews of genre releases Part 2 on DVD and VHS by Jeffrey Lu

Gamers Corner Plus our Regular Features: New and Reviews from the gaming world CASFS Business Report In Our Book Reviews of New SF/F Books Event Calendar Area events, TV premires, Musty Tomes DVD & Movie releases Don Maitz & Janny Wurts Reviews of Classic Genre books FYI News and tidbits of I knew they had met at a convention her. Fortunately, for him, Janny is interest to fans and now I had the opportunity to ask persistent and she approached him again about the details. It seemed that Janny had at a party and yelled this time. The rest is Club Listings wandered into the Art Show at World their history. It’s a marvel to me how writers and Convention List & Fantasy 1979 and was stopped and struck Generic Registration Form dumb for fifteen minutes by an apparently ( Continued on page 8)

ConNotations Non-Profit Org. Central Arizona Speculative Fiction Society US Postage PO Box 62613 PAID Phoenix, AZ 85082 Permit 839 Phoenix, AZ

Volume 14 Issue 6 ConNotations Page 1 Pick up your copy of ConNotations at the following locations In This Issue Who’s Who This Issue BOOK STORES 3155 W Chandler Blvd #5, Chandler AZ News & Reviews Managing Editor: Stephanie Bannon Bent Cover 85226 (480)940-6061 Editor’s Assistant: Gary Swaty 12428 N 28th Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85029 Retro Rocket CASFS Business Report 2 Graphics Editor: Craig L. Dyer (602)942-3778 1917 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ SF Tube Talk 3 Film & Video Editor: Barry Bard Book Adventure Samurai Comics 24Frames 3 Proof Readers: Catherine Book & Gary Pointless Meanderings 6 Swaty 660 N Gilbert Rd, Suite B, Gilbert AZ 85234 5024 N 7th St, Phoenix AZ (602)265-8886 Calendar Editor: Open (480) 892-2120 Stalking Moon Comics & Collectibles In Memoriam 9 Reporters: Barry Bard Book Connection 5775 W Bell Rd #B-6, Glendale, Arizona FYI 10 Staff Writers: Pam Allen, Barry Bard 6434 S McClintock, Tempe AZ (602) 896-9992 Videophile 11 Catherine Book, Craig L. Dyer, Michael (480) 820-2953 Gamer’s Corner 14 Griffin, Brandon Huigens,Jeffrey Lu, Sean Book Exchange Plus GAME STORES In Our Book (Book Reviews) 15 Martin, Dawn Mullan, Shane 2601 E Bell #14, Phoenix, AZ Amazing Discoveries Musty Tomes 18 Shellenbarger, Gary Swaty, Tom Tuerff, (602) 867-1018 2545 E Speedway #155, Tucson, AZ Lee Whiteside, Randall Whitlock, Mike Willmoth Book Exchange (520) 320-0338 Special Feature Layout & Design: Stephanie L. Bannon 4320 N Miller Road #F, Scottsdale, AZ Game Daze A Conversation with Janny Wurts & Don Advertising: Catherine Book th 85251 (480)990-8380 2140 E 5 St #11, Tempe AZ 85281 Maitz Keeper of the Mailing List: Craig L. Dyer Book Gallery (480)317-9181 by Catherine Book 1 Contributors: 3643 E Indian School Rd, Phoenix AZ Game Daze #1: Paradise Valley Mall, 4550 Labeling Crew for Volume 14 Issue 5: 85018 (602)468-0400 E Cactus Rd, #422, Phoenix AZ 85032 Boggs: A Comedy of Values Catherine & Ron Book, Kate Bridges, Bookmaster (602)494-4263 by Shane Shellenbarger 9 Craig L Dyer, Ray Gish, Mike Griffin, 2949 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 Game Daze #2 Superstition Springs Center, An American in England Anthony Grutta, Bob LaPierre, Sue & Jo by Jeffrey Lu 10 Martin, Wally Sanville, Bill Whitmore (480) 423-0501 6555 E Southern Ave #2026, Mesa AZ About ConNotations: ConNotations is the 10818 N Scottsdale Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85206 (480)981-4850 fan published newszine of the Central 85254 (480) 998-0606 Game Daze #3 Scottsdale Fashion Square, Arizona Speculative Fiction Society Books 7014 E Camelback Rd #2117, Scottsdale AZ Convention & Fandom (CASFS) an IRS-recognized 501(c)3 non- 9201 7th Ave, Phoenix AZ 85021 85251 (480) 947-1101 Event Calendar 13 profit organization. Circulation is (602) 678-4576 Game Daze #4 Flagstaff Mall, 4650 N Hwy Club Listings 18 estimated at 4,000 readers for this issue, primarily CASFS members and attendees The Bookstore 89 #B2b, Flagstaff, AZ (520)645-0275 Convention Listings 20 th of recent AZ sf/f conventions. 4230 N 7 Ave, Phoenix AZ 85013 Game Daze #5 Park Place Mall, 5870 E Convention Registration Form 20 Subscriptions: The newszine is currently (602) 279-3910 Broadway Blvd #258, Tucson AZ 85711 sent free of charge to anyone who has Borders Book Stores (520)745-0468 attended a CASFS sponsored convention in 2402 E Camelback, Phoenix, AZ Game Daze #6 Chandler Fashion Mall, 3111 the last two years and to all CASFS mem- (602) 957-6600 W Chandler Blvd #2416, Chandler AZ bers. Subscriptions are available. Cost for a 870 N 54th St, Chandler, AZ 85226 (480)-8997406 six issue subscription is: USA: $15/bulk. 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ISSUE NUMBER: Volume 14 Issue 6 SUBSCRIPTION: $15 for 6 ISSUES Page 2 ConNotations Volume 14 Issue 6 man, and a new project manager working Dwarfs, written by Michael Chabon. In a SF Tube Talk for Lex is Otis Ford (Lex’s henchman in 24 Frames sequel of sorts to Troy, producer David the first Superman movie) and it is his Heyman has set up a film verison of The TV News & Previews project that releases the toxins. Next up is Movie News Odyssey, which centers on Odysseus and By Lee Whiteside Unsafe, where Sarah Carter returns as his journey home after the Trojan War. Alicia Baker, the girl who was Obsessed By Lee Whiteside Unlike the recent Troy movie, this movie We’re past the start of the fall season with Clark. Look for Clark to revert to full will feature the supernatural, monsters and and moving into the winter holiday break. Kal mode and take up with Alicia Up, Up and Away with Brandon the sea god Poseidon. In movie rights The doesn’t necessarily mean that we’ve (including a wedding scene!) and Lana Routh. Warner Bros. has finally found its news, New Line has snagged the film got nothing but repeats coming up, and Jason get closer, really closer… Superman in relatively unkown actor rights for the new fantasy novel by though. SciFi has new stuff in December Things continue in Pariah where Clark Brandon Routh, who has mainly done Susanna Clarke, Jonathan Strange & and January while the other networks dole defends Alicia to his parents, who believe television roles on shows such as One Mr. Norrell. out a few new episodes over the next that he was affected by Red Kryptonite, Life to Live, Gilmore Girls, and Cold Keith Richards as Depp’s Dad - couple of months. Lana deals with the threat of being Case. He’s from Norwalk, Iowa and is 25 Filming will begin early next year on the After disposing of the whole temporal attacked in her apartment above the years old. Routh does have the Superman next two Pirates of the Caribbean movies cold war quite quickly (and leaving a few Talon, and Lois learns more about look, and even won a Hollywood costume (being filmed simultaneously) and reports likely to never be answered questions), Smallville before the meteor shower. Visit contest last Halloween dressing as Clark are that Johnny Depp has talked Rolling Enterprise has moved full bore into it’s kryptonsite.com for even more info on Kent with a Superman suit underneath his Stones guitarist Keith Richards into new direction under the auspices of upcoming episodes. shirt. Filming is expected to begin in taking on the role of Captain Jack Manny Coto. After dealing with the For once, I’ve tracked down some Austrailia early next year with director Sparrow’s father. Depp based his Captain Eugenics Wars aftermath (and featuring advance info on Charmed, from Bryan Singer at the helm. Nothing has Jack character on Richards. Brent Spiner), they’ve moved into the thecharmedones.com. Upcoming soon yet been announced on the rest of the cast Filming on the Hitchhiker’s Guide to current Vulcan mini-arc that will see a will be the episodes Ordinary Witches, in but rumors include Michael Gambon as the Galaxy has wrapped and according to younger T’Pau, bring a connection which the demon Zankou, recently freed Jor-El, Jude Law as General Zod, Kevin star Zooey Deschanel, the movie is true between Archer and the Vulcans through from his imprisonment by The Source, Spacey as Lex Luthor, and Shawn to Douglas Adams wishes. “Pretty much a vision from Surak and an ancient relic begins to organize the underworld so that Ashmore as Jimmy Olsen. Look for the everything from the book is included,” with Surak’s writings. Supposedly, this he can prevent the Avatars from succeed- movie in theatres in Summer 2006. Deschanel said in an interview with SciFi will resolve some of the issues with the ing in their plan, Extreme Makeover: Cruise and Spielberg at War - Tom Wire. “Most everything that was changed differences between Vulcans of Enterprise World Edition sees the Avatars starting to Cruise is starring and Steven Spielberg was Douglas Adams’ idea to begin with; and what we’ve seen in other Trek series. change the future, resulting in many is directing an updated version of War of [the filmmakers] had his hard drive, so After that will be a couple of standalone, changes to the entire world, not all of the Worlds. Cruise plays an estranged any changes that were made were pretty mostly ship based shows. First up is them for the better, and in father in the middle of a Martian invasion much according to his wishes.” In Deadalus, where the inventor of the Charmageddon, the current storyline of Earth. Also starring are Miranda Otto, addition to Martin Freeman as Arthur transporter, Emory Erickson, pays looks to culminate in the ultimate battle Tim Robbins, Dakota Fanning, and Dent, Mos Def as Ford Prefect, and Sam Enterprise a visit where we will learn between the forces of good and evil. Justin Chatwin. Indications are that this Rockwell as Zaphod Beeblebrox, John about the development of the transporter Of the new series this fall with a small version will be set in the modern day and Malkovich is on board as the leader of a and the man who created it as well as genre connection, the big hit has been not in the 1890’s of the original novel by religous sneezing cult that the Heart of what he hopes to achieve in the future ABC’s Desperate Housewives, although H. G. Wells. Gold crew runs into on their adventures. with the technology. In The Observer the audience draw likely isn’t for the Also in the works for updates and Sarah Michelle Gellar looks to keep Effect, noncorporeal aliens study the ghostly narration but the wild goings on remakes are The Blob, The Fog, He-Man going on with horror thrillers and has Enterprise crew as they respond to a fatal with all of the housewives. ABC also has (directed by John Woo) and even The signed on to the movie Revolver for viral infection brought on board from an a hit with Lost. J. J. Abrams has come up Shaggy Dog (with Tim Allen). In the Rogue pictures. The movie follows a away mission. This will feature lots of with a show that has drawn in an audience really strange remake category is Snow tough, successful saleswoman whose scenes in the decontamination chamber bigger than Alias, although what the true White and the Seven, a martial arts vivid nightmares drive her to investigate where Trip and Hoshi are suffering the story is behind the island is still to be retelling of Snow White and the Seven ( Continued on page 5 ) effects of the virus. After that will be the seen. With the success next mini-arc which will feature of Desperate House- Andorians, Tellarites and Romulans. First wives, Abram’s Alias up is Babel One, where Enterprise is may have to find a new assigned to transport Tellarite and time slot or night when Andorian delegations to a peace confer- it returns in January, ence. When the Andorians claim one of possibly following Lost their ships was destroyed by the on Wednesday night on Tellarites, on-board tensions start to ABC. The WB’s Jack escalate. It turns out the Romulans are & Bobby, which has behind the attack and their ship is dam- segments looking back aged. The Romulans also don’t want in retrospect from the Enterprise to discover them and their near future, has won relationship to the Vulcans, since they are critical acclaim for its wanting to try to reunify the two races on storylines and charac- their own terms. ters, but hasn’t been Over on Smallville, we’ve seen the drawing much of an introduction of Lois Lane, an incarnation audience, even after of The Flash, as well as Mr. Mxysptlyk moving it from and who knows what more reimagining of Sundays to Wednes- D.C. characters we will see before the days. The only thing season is over. In the meantime, we’ve that may keep it on the got Jane Seymour doing a guest turn as air for a full season is Jason’s mother, Genevieve Teague, a rich, that the viewers it does powerful socialite who may hold the key draw fall into the to Lana’s mysterious tattoo. We’ll get a higher income demo- couple of episodes in December including graphics that certain Scare, in which people, including Jason, advertisers are seeking. are infected with a toxin that causes the Over on UPN, a show victim to sustain a level of panic until worth catching even if their heart gives out and also causes it doesn’t have any hallucinations. Lionel Luthor gets his conviction overturned and is now a free (Continued on page 4 ) Volume 14 Issue 6 ConNotations Page 3 SF Tube Talk ( Cont’d from page 3 ) school, whose destiny is tied with Ged’s, Battlestar Galactica miniseries, SciFi has and Amanda Tapping, in a cameo as picked it up for a first season of thirteen genre elements is Veronica Mars, Lady Elfarran, a ghost who appears to episodes, which will start airing on combining an overall mystery theme with Ged in a vision. How closely the Fridays on January 14th on SciFi. All of teen angst and fairly decent storylines. miniseries follows the novels is unknown, the miniseries cast returns and original There’s no aliens, demons or vampires but the casting does not quite match the series star, Richard Hatch, will have a about, but it still has the feel of some of characters as described in the novels and recurring role as Tom Zarek, a political the better recent genre series like Buffy, more than likely events that occur in the prisoner turned activist. The weekly series Angel or Smallville. It has been doing second book will be moved up in the story picks up within hours of the miniseries respectable for UPN so far and has been so that characters not in the first novel with the first episode, 33, where Com- picked up for a full season. show up in the first half of the miniseries. mander Adama and his crew are mystified Tru Calling fans who got their hopes Rounding out the new stuff on SciFi in by the Cylon’s ability to continually find up when FOX picked up the series for a December with a holiday theme is the them after jumps, and must determine second season are now left wondering if movie all you Full Moon fans have been how they are being tracked before the they will even see the six episodes that waiting for, Puppet Master Vs. Demonic enemy destroys the fleet. This is a very were made before FOX cut back the order Toys debuts on Saturday Dec 18th starring tense episode with the crew being at the for the season and now may not even air Corey Feldman and Venessa Angel. In end of their ropes, both physically and the show. FOX has given a mid-season the movie, descendants of the original emotionally. in Water, Boomer wakes up order for the series Point Pleasant, which Puppet Master discover the formula for in a storage locker soaking wet and is described as a mix of “Peyton Place” reanimating their ancestor’s long-dormant carrying a bag with a bomb in it. Mo- and “The Omen,” and revolves around a creations. Unfortunately, their success ments later, several explosions rip through beach side community that is turned © BBC draws the attention of a fiendish group the Battlestar Galactica bleeding her of upside down when a mysterious girl that wants to steal the Puppet Master’s 60% of her water. Now the crew struggles (Elisabeth Harnois) washes ashore. In it is released in January. secret elixir, to complete a Christmas Eve to find another source of water before other development news, The WB has December on SciFi sees the airing of spell that will transform their line of riots threaten to destroy the convoy. In passed on a series based on Global the Anonymous Rex movie as well as the harmless dolls into homicidal toys. Bastille Day, a political prisoner (Richard Frequency and the creators and producers debut of the four hour Earthen miniseries. January on SciFi sees the return of Hatch as Tom Zarek) and leader of a of the pilot are now shopping the series to Pushed back from a November debut to both Stargate series and the debut of the dissident movement takes members of the other networks. USA Network has Dec 4th, Anonymous Rex is based on the Battlestar Galactica series, all on Friday Galactica crew hostage in a bid for greenlighted a weekly series for The Eric Garcia novels about dinosaurs nights. Starting things up for Stargate SG- freedom, and demands that a new Presi- 4,400, committing to 13 episodes for a disguised as humans where the main 1 is Prometheus Unbound, which features dent be duly elected. In Act of Attrition, first season and USA has also given the character, Vincent Rubio (Sam Tram- Claudia Black as Vala, a woman who Kara must train a new squad, bringing go-ahead for a fourth season of The Dead mel), is a private eye who is also an steals the Prometheus when it is investi- back painful memories for her and Lee, Zone, ordering 22 episodes of the series. evolved velociraptor. According to the gating a damaged Goa’uld ship. Daniel when an accident causes the death of 20 Across the pond, the BBC is halfway promotional info, in the movie, the Jackson is the only crew member on the of Galactica’s fighter pilots on the hangar through production of the new Doctor dinosaurs use shape changing technology Prometheus when it is stolen, and the rest deck. Who TV series. The latest word is that the for their disguises, not the complex latex of the Prometheus crew, including There’s been reports of activity in the series will debut on the BBC sometime in appliances with buckles that is described General Hammond, are left stranded on Quantum Leap movie announced by March, possibly around the Easter in the books. Daniel Baldwin is Vincent’s the damaged Goa’uld ship. Daniel must SciFi a while back. Reports are that it will holiday. There is still no word yet on partner, Ernie Watson, Stephanie stop Vala from making off with the center on Sam Beckett’s daughter, Sammy where it will air in the US, although there Lemelin is Ernie’s daughter, Gabrielle, Prometheus and gets beat up in the Jo, and be set several years after the are still strong rumors that SciFi is Tamara Gorski plays Circe, a dinosaur process. In Gemini, a duplicate of Colonel original series. After a long time without negotiating for the rights. There’s plenty cult leader that Vincent and Ernie are Carter seeks help from Stargate Command any contact, ‘Al’ Calavicci manages to of photos and set reports on the net, but investigating, while Isaac Hayes and in defeating the Replicators, who she make contact with Sam, but loses it. Al details about the episodes are still being Faye Dunaway have cameos as members claims has found a way to counter the sets Sammy Jo on her fathers path in an kept pretty quiet. As previously reported, of the Dinosaur ruling council. Asgard’s new weapon. In It’s Good to be attempt to bring him back. It is likely we will see the Daleks, and they (initially) The latest SciFi miniseries based on a King, former N.I.D. colonel Harry Scott Bakula will appear in the movie will look pretty much like they’ve been novel is Earthen, a four hour adaptation Maybourne has taken charge of the planet and could appear on a semi-regular basis before, although rumors are that they will of the first two Earthen novels by Ursula he was left one in season six’s Paradise if it is picked up for a series. turn up later in the season in an advanced K. LeGuin airing on Dec 13th and 14th. Lost. But the Goa’uld are looking to take Also in the works for SciFi is a two state of evolution. Rumored storylines Shawn Ashmore is Ged, an angry, control of the planet and the SG-1 team hour pilot movie Painkiller Jane, based include one where Rose, the Doctor’s headstrong youth, whose magical power are there to stop them. In Full Alert, the on the comic by Joe Quesada and Jim companion, will attempt to alter her could rival that of the greatest wizards, Russians come into play when they warn Palmiotti. The movie is about Jane, a father’s death when in the past, another Kristine Kruek is Tenar, a beautiful Stargate Command that they believe the young Marine who is exposed to a will set on a space station with a wide young priestess, Danny Glover is the US Government may be compromised by biochemical weapon that endows her with variety of aliens, and a two-parter will master Wizard Ogion, and Isabella the Goa’uld. self-healing powers and who subsequently take place during the London Blitz. The Rossellini is the High Priestess Thar. This Coming up on Stargate Atlantis is The fights crime while eluding the military. series has been getting a lot of coverage in epic fantasy follows the tale of a reckless Eye, where Major Sheppard plays a Other miniseries in the works for SciFi the press, especially Billie Piper (Rose), youth destined to become the greatest dangerous game of cat and mouse with include Tin Man, inspired by The Wizard who has recently separated from her sorcerer that the mystical world of soldiers who have seized control of of Oz, which centers on centers on husband and has reportedly been seen Earthen has ever known. When the Atlantis and taken Weir and McKay Dorothy, a young girl who finds herself holding hands with her Doctor Who co- difficult and rebellious Ged discovers the hostage. In The Defiant One, Sheppard’s plunged into an alternate universe called star Christopher Eccleston. It is un- extent of his magical powers, he seeks to team investigates a downed Wraith ship, the Outer Zone (O.Z.), an exotic and known if that was part of the show or off master the ancient arts — and his own and find themselves stuck on a planet with ethnically diverse land policed by law camera hand holding, but reports such as impulses as well. As he journeys to a lone Wraith survivor. In Sanctuary, the enforcement officers known as “Tin this are definitely keeping the series in the manhood, he will combat dragons, fall in team finds a paradise like world that Men.” As Dorothy tries to find a way public eye. love, cross death’s threshold and ulti- would make an ideal sanctuary for those home, she encounters three strange but All things SciFi (the channel, that is). mately wield the power to reunite a fleeing from the Wraith, but the local endearing individuals who accompany October saw the debut of Farscape: The planet. Also appearing in the miniseries is inhabitants believe their goddess will not her. Peacekeeper Wars, which resolved many Sebastion Roche as King Tygath, who permit it. In Hot Zone, several residents of The latest novel based miniseries of the outstanding plot lines left hanging wants to free the Nameless Ones so that Atlantis are infected with a deadly nanite announced by SciFi is Darwin’s Chil- when the series was canceled, and also he can remake Earthen, Jennifer Kalvert virus, forcing a lockdown of the city. In dren, based on Greg Bear’s Darwin’s left fans saddened and wanting for more. is Kossil, a priestess who aligns herself Before I Sleep, the team discovers a Radio and Darwin’s Children books, The ratings were good, but not stupen- with Tygath thinking she can make her woman that has been in suspended which explore what happens when the dous, but it also didn’t get the full order great again, Chris Gauthier as animation on Atlantis for 10,000 years. next step of human evolution becomes a promotional push from SciFi that one of Vetch, a classmate of Ged’s and a loyal They are even more surprised to find it is threat to humanity’s existence. their major miniseries gets. The future of friend and wizard, Mark Hildreth as an older Dr. Weir! Farscape may depend more on how well Jasper, a second year student at the wizard Following the success of the the DVD sales of the miniseries are when ( Continued on page 5 ) Page 4 ConNotations Volume 14 Issue 6 SF Tube Talk ( Cont’ from page 4 ) trained Nightstalkers, Blade follows a trail all of the employees aboard on the way really they are our nation’s first line of of blood to an ancient creature that is back to Beijing. Dennis Quaid, Giovanni defense. Their arch enemy is Lucy In The On the animated front the current run hunting him...the original vampire, Ribisi, Miranda Otto, Hugh Laurie, Sky, a sexy, diamond-bejewled bank of Justice League Unlimited on the Dracula. Jared Padalecki robber so evil that no crime fighter has Cartoon Network runs through December, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortu- The Dark - The perfect movie for a faced her and lived to tell the tale until the culminating in a two-part time travel nate Events This is the story of the Christmas Day release. A teenage girl D.E.B.S. are ordered to take her down. extravaganza on Christmas Day that takes Bauedelaires, three young orphans, Violet (Anna Paquin) moves into a remote Stars Jordana Brewster, Meagan Good, core League members back to the old (Emily Browning), Klaus (Liam Aiken) countryside house with her family, only to Devon Aoki, Jill Ritchie, and Michael west and into the near future. For those and Sunny, looking for a new home, who discover that their gloomy new home has Clarke Duncan. who have enjoyed Duck Dodgers (which are taken in by a series of odd relatives a horrifying past that threatens to destroy Hide and Seek - A father discovers his 9 haven’t been many viewers with ratings and other people, including Lemony the family. year-old daughter has come up with an boxes), Cartoon Network has finally Snicket, who narrates the film, and White Noise - Michael Keaton plays unexpected and terrifying way of dealing started showing the second season in a starting with the cunning and dastardly successful architect Jonathan Rivers, with her mother’s death through an late night Friday time slot, pretty much Count Olaf (Jim Carrey), who hopes to whose peaceful existence is shattered by imaginary friend. The daughter has an burying the series. It does have some snatch their inheritance from them. Violet the unexplained disappearance and death imaginary friend named Charlie, and her good moments and is still worth catching, is the oldest of the Baudelaires at 14, and of his wife, Anna (Chandra West). father soon realizes that Charlie isn’t especially the episode “The Fudd”. is their brave and fast-thinking leader. The Jonathan is eventually contacted by a man make believe. Stars Robert De Niro, For more schedule information, news only boy is middle child Klaus, 12, who is (Ian McNeice), who claims to be receiv- Dakota Fanning, Famke Janssen, Dylan and links, visit the Magrathea/SFTV intensely intelligent and obsessed with ing messages from Anna through EVP Baker, and Robert John Burke. Pages at www.sftv.org Contact Lee words. The youngest is infant Sunny, who (Electronic Voice Phenomenon), the Boogeyman - A young man (Barry Whiteside at [email protected] speaks in a language only her siblings can process through which the dead communi- Watson), emotionally traumatized by understand, and she has a tendency to... cate with the living through household memories of terrible things he experi- bite. recording devices. At first skeptical, enced in his bedroom as a little boy, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of Jonathan then becomes convinced of the decides to return to the house he grew up 24 Frames ( Cont’d from page 3 ) the Opera - This romantic musical epic is messages’ validity, and is soon obsessed in after the tragic death of his father to try the mysterious death of another young about a mysterious masked figure, Erik with trying to contact her on his own. His to face his fears of that bedroom. He fears woman 25 years earlier. Box office on (Gerard Butler), who roams the under- further explorations into EVP and the a mysterious being who could merely be a The Grudge was above expectations and grounds of 19th century Paris, centering accompanying supernatural messages figment of his imagination. He hopes that a sequel is in the works, although it isn’t his activity around (or under) the Opera unwittingly open a door to another world, the experience might help him work out clear yet if Gellar will be part of it. Populaire, where he tutors a beautiful allowing something uninvited into his life. his trauma Unless, of course, the In the TV to movies arena, Joss young soprano, Christine (Emmy Elektra - Following the events of Dare- Boogeyman is real... Also stars Emily Whedon’s Serenity, based on his Firefly Rossum), who goes on to upstage the devil, Elektra Natchios (Jennifer Gar- Deschanel, Skye McCole Bartusiak, series, is moving along and according to city’s most famous opera singer, Carlotta ner), sai enthusiast and assassin for hire, Lucy Lawless, Philip Gordon, Charles Whedon “It’s the hardest story I’ve ever (Minnie Driver). The Phantom thinks is revived by the Order of the Hand, a Mesure, and Tory Mussett. had to structure,” Whedon said. But, he he’s found love, until Christine’s child- group of assassins who helped train her. Constantine - John Constantine (Keanu added, “once I get writing these people, hood boyfriend, Vicomte de Chagny Assigned by the Hand’s current leader, Reeves) is a world-travelling, mage-like it’s the easiest thing in the world, because (Patrick Wilson) shows up. Kirigi, to kill a man, Mark Miller (Goran misfit who investigates supernatural I know them so well. The other thing is, a Flight of the Phoenix - When a C-119 Visnjic), and his 13-year-old daughter, mysteries and the like, walking a thin line TV show is built around slow develop- cargo plane full of oil workers crashes in Abby, Elektra soon befriends them and between evil and good. Constantine teams ment of character. A movie ... is built Mongolia’s Gobi Desert during a sand- decides to stand up to her ninja peers. up with a female police detective, Angela around momentum. They’re very different storm, the survivors attempt to build a Elektra is especially motivated to do so (Rachel Weisz), who seeks his help while things. So ... you have to let some things new plane from the parts they find in the when she discovers that Miller’s grandfa- investigating the suicide-like death of her drop, and you have to speed some things wreckage to escape. The plane was ther was an ally of her former mentor, twin sister. Does it have something to do up, and you have to sort of know which piloted by Captain Frank Towns, an Stick (Terence Stamp). Together, they with a mysterious group called “The First ones are which.” employee of oil company Geodel, whose must take on Kirigi’s lethal quartet of of the Fallen”? And what is it about On the Babylon 5 movie front, there is job it is to go to remote oil rigs and shut assassins.. Constantine that puts him in a position still no actual news to report, but in the them down when their productivity has D.E.B.S. - To the outside world, the where he is making deals with representa- Joe’s Clues department, there has been decreased. Having accomplished his job D.E.B.S. look like picture-perfect, plaid- tives from both Heaven and Hell? indication that a production office has with one such rig, his plane crashes with skirted, well-schooled young women. But been opened up in the U.K. and that creator J. Michael Straczynski will be spending time there working on a major project which he can’t yet announce. Indications are that a movie is still in the works, just that the financial backers and Warner Bros. just aren’t quite ready to make a formal announcement yet.

Upcoming Movie Previews House of Flying Daggers - Near the end of the Tang Dynasty, police deputies Jin and Leo tangle with Mei, a dancer suspected of having ties to a revolutionary faction known as the House of Flying Daggers. Enraptured by her, the deputies concoct a plan to save her from capture, and Jin leads her north in what becomes a perilous journey into the unknown. Blade: Trinity - For years, Blade (Wesley Snipes) has fought against the vampires in the cover of night, with the world above unaware of the brutal ongoing war. But now, after falling into the crosshairs of the FBI, he is forced out into the daylight where he is driven to join forces with a clan of human vampire hunters he never knew existed - The Nightstalkers. Together with Abigail (Jessica Biel) and Hannibal (Ryan Reynolds), two deftly Volume 14 Issue 6 ConNotations Page 5 because it is overlooked. A most unlikely won both times. Student body Vice Isotope and writer of the introduction to Pointless Meanderings vehicle for achieving world domination, President in the fifth grade and student 1000 Steps to World Domination. I also by Brandon Huigens comic books have a great potential for the body President in the sixth grade. Ahem.) met the true king of all media, Ken Levin. spread of influential ideas. If comics is the The candidates for elementary school And I met the talented and beautiful Larry To understand Rob Osborne, Gilbert, trunk of world domination, then televi- student council offices would run on Young and Mimi Rosenheim, my publish- Arizona’s own award-winning cartoonist sion, radio and the culinary arts are its platforms like, “If elected, I promise to ers at AiT/PlanetLar. I am really fortunate and newly - minted major graphic novel branches. Your inclusion of the culinary have soda pop served at lunch, and a soda that these relationships sprang from the creator, one can simply begin with a arts is impressive, because the cooking fountain and candy machines will be Isotope Award. simple definition: queen, Julia Child, also wanted to conquer installed in every classroom. Oh, and BH: What’s the tour been like since the ambitious \Am*bi”tious\, a. [L. the world. every Friday I will give every student a release of the new graphic novel? ambitiosus: cf. F. ambitieux. See Ambi- The seed of world domination is in me, popsicle!” How’s the turnout been in the various tion.] 1. Possessing, or controlled by, and as I produce comics, it spreads to each Leadership isn’t about what I can give places you’ve appeared? ambition; greatly or inordinately desirous medium. The word of world conquest you. Leadership is about inspiring others RO: I’m doing a little promoting of the of power, honor, office, superiority, or spreads through movies, television, radio, to do what they do best, equipping them book, and thus far it’s been inspiring and distinction.Yet Brutus says he was video games, plushy toys, and action to do the work, and then getting out of eye-opening. The Atomic-Con in Phoenix ambitious, And Brutus is an honorable figures. Hanging from those branches are their way. was fun. We just got back from World man. --Shak.2. Strongly desirous; -- fruits--those who have read my comics, If I can inspire you to put down the Domination Day at the Isotope in San followed by of or the infinitive; as, seen the movies, listened to the speeches, remote control, get off the couch and go Francisco. That was raucous. And we still ambitious to be or to do something.I was played with the action figures and bought achieve something that you really want, have Samurai Comics and Wizard World not ambitious of seeing this ceremony. -- into the movement. A legion of followers then I’ve done my job. If you choose to Texas to do. That’s four events in two Evelyn.Studious of song, and yet ambi- grows. stay there, paralyzed by the latest reality weeks. tious not to sing in vain. --Cowper.3. All right, the tree analogy may be a bit show, then you are just a flabby girly BH: Who is the Monocle, and will he Springing from, characterized by, or confusing, but the power of comics should man. And the flabby girly man gets the ever grace the pages of a Rob Osborne indicating, ambition; showy; aspiring; as, not be underestimated! iron fist! comic again? an ambitious style.A giant statue . . . BH: How long have you been a cartoon- BH: How will you be carrying 1000 RO: Before I started working on the 1000 Pushed by a wild and artless race, From ist, and how long did you want to be one Steps To World Domination out further Steps to World Domination mini-comics, I off wide, ambitious base. –Collins. before you started? in comics? Are you moving on to other produced two issues of a superhero book See also: RO: I’ve been hard at it for three or four projects and leaving it behind? You’re called Monocle. The book was very Osborne, one of the hardest working years now, but I’ve drawn comics all my working on a new project in addition to derivative, and it didn’t go anywhere. But pencil – wielders and self - promoters life. I knew that I wanted to be a cartoonist 1000 Steps - can you talk at all about in the Monocle story are some characters making comics today, is enjoying a well – when I was an Alma Astro. In the sixth when it’ll be out and what it’s about? who I have a great deal of affection for, deserved bout of success following the grade, our class put together a little RO: My next project, Sunset City: For and they are likely to be written into an release of his hilarious anecdotal comic photocopied yearbook. Underneath each Active Senior Living, will be out Summer, upcoming story. I still have the Monocle strip, 1000 Steps To World Domination. picture was your name and what you 2005 from AiT/PlanetLar. file in my studio, so who knows if he will Previously only available in very limited wanted to be when you grew up. Under- Sunset City is a typical retirement ever make an appearance again. mini comic format, 1000 Steps was neath my handsome mug shot--I was community. Its residents enjoy golf and BH: Last question: why read 1000 recently released as a new graphic novel strikingly good-looking even then--it read gossip, and they all seem content to fritter Steps to World Domination now, when from acclaimed comics publisher Ait/ “Rob Osborne, Cartoonist.” away their golden years except Frank we all know it will be published in every PlanetLar. As such, Osborne’s newest I haven’t always been in the world of McDonald. A retired widower, he language and be required reading soon creation is fast becoming a hot commod- cartooning, however. I did spend some wrestles with the question: Why am I after you are crowned leader of the ity on book shelves not just here in the years in other businesses, and those here? world? United States, but all over the globe. experiences help to inform my comics Reading the newspaper, Frank keeps up RO: If you don’t read 1000 Steps to Brandon Huigens of ConNotations and today. on the minutia of the day. It provides a World Domination now, then off with Samurai Comics was able to catch up BH: Do you plan on leaving the world’s buzz to an otherwise humdrum life. One your head. with the man to discuss his cartooning governments intact, or do you intend on morning, Frank is overcome by a startling If you have the means, get out and pick up machinations. ruling everyone with an iron-fisted story, so he does something extraordinary: a copy of Osborne’s graphic novel, 1000 Brandon H: Why do you want to monarchy? Do you have a cabinet in He takes life by the balls. Steps to World Domination. In addition to conquer the world? mind? If not, will you have tryouts for BH: Describe what it was like to win being one of the funniest, well-drawn Rob Osborne: With the launch of 1000 your cabinet, or will you not have a the Isotope Award for Excellence in comic strips in print today, his work is Steps to World Domination, I am un- cabinet and go commando, so to speak? Mini Comics, and how it’s affected surprisingly personal at times and always abashedly announcing that world domina- RO: The best way to rule is with an iron your career thus far? insightful. tion is my ultimate objective. My con- fist. You cannot conquer with a feather- RO: The Isotope Award was a big break In the autobio comics genre, where quest to bring the world to its knees--to light touch. Conquest is not the stuff of for me. It got my mini-comics into the breaking new ground veers toward dominate--is in the very fabric of my kittens and rainbows. Nor can you spotlight, and I am really proud of that ridiculously impossible, Rob Osborne is being. My very purpose is to overcome. command with kisses and hugs. You must achievement. It provided an avenue for an refreshing, original voice. And we’re To go forth and conquer! tyrannize. Like it or not, our world is getting 1000 Steps to World Domination not just saying that because he’ll be in Most people’s primary objective is to governed by the use of force. turned into a graphic novel. charge soon, either. sustain the status quo. Regardless of one’s The job description for “tyrant” requires Through the award, I met the generous Seriously. position in life, it is quite common for a toughness, decisiveness, vision and James Sime, owner-operator of the person to only exert enough energy to forcefulness. You must be iron fisted all maintain their current level of satisfac- the way. tion. Even the most dissatisfied monkey Great decisions are made by great deci- Bent Cover Bookstore will do everything he can to preserve the sion-makers, and no committee, cabinet, or commune has ever made a decision comfortable predictability of his everyday st life. which was not decidedly more watered- Paperbacks y Hardcovers y 1 Editions down, passive, lowest-common-denomi- I know that conquering the world will Free Booksearch Buy, Sell & Trade lead to more sex, a bigger SUV, a huge nator than the choice made by a single y castle, loyal friends, a better body, fewer visionary. Mon-Fri 10:00 – 9:00 y Sat 10:00 – 6:00 y Sun 12:00 – 6:00 carbs, more taste, and a brighter smile. And if you must know, I am “going And perhaps I’ll wear a crown of gold. Or commando” right now. better yet, a football helmet of gold. Most BH: Who makes the best leader: importantly, it will allow me to keep George Bush, John Kerry, you? I know (602) 942-3778 making comics. it’s you, and I know you know it’s you, www.bentcover.com but why? BH: Why try world domination [email protected] through comics rather than, say, RO: In American presidential campaigns, th television, radio, or culinary achieve- leadership is frequently defined as “soda 12428 North 28 Drive ments? pop politics”. When I was in elementary Phoenix, AZ 85029-2433 RO: Comics is a very dangerous medium school, I ran for student council (And I Page 6 ConNotations Volume 14 Issue 6 Arizona’s FIRST Anime Convention Embassy Suites - March 25-27, 2005 Phoenix North Greenway & I-17 Panels - Artist Alley - Game Shows Room Rates Cosplay Contest - Karaoke $99 Single/Double $109 Triple/Quad Anime Showings - Dealers’ Room All rooms include free breakfast in the hotel Anime Music Video Contest restaurant and free happy hour in the AND MUCH MORE!!! hotel bar Guests of Honor include: Colleen Clinkenbeard - FUNimation voice actress and the director of the Full Metal Alchemist English dub Aaron Dismuke - the voice of Alphonse Elric from the AniZona 1 903 S. Rural Rd. #101 Box 367 AZ 85281 Tempe, Full Metal Alchemist English dub
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Volume 14 Issue 6 ConNotations Page 7 Conversation (Cont’d from page 1) where you actually draw the can. Don had experience with collaborations but stand what they’re trying to say and teach preferred the second. He had the opportu- this was Don’s first time. Don explained them to say it their way; not to tell them artists find time away from their craft to nity while at Paier to travel to NYC its genesis: they discussed the book and what they have to do, so much as show attend so many conventions. Don where he could see the Society of approaches and then they started sketch- them possible directions they could go. admitted that they have to parcel their Illustrators Shows where the best of the ing at a San Diego ComicCon and traded Janny’s theory is that the process of time and not only for their craft but for industry was on display. Too many the sketch book back and forth. They writing is a much-misunderstood process. their animals – it’s always a challenge to students, he feels, worry and obsess about progressed to color sketches and after It takes five years of intense practice, she find someone to properly care for their competing with their fellow-students. each of them had one they liked, they laid believes, for the brain to learn how to horses and cats. I asked them if they felt Don felt early on that he had less to them side-by-side to compare, agreed on write – how to make the word decisions there was a difference between a fan worry about from his fellow students than one they both liked and that was the one that matter. Many people, she says, think convention and a pro convention. Janny he did from the folks who were actually they submitted. They then began work on that one either has talent or not. Not true, felt that a well-run convention of either out there showing and selling their work. the painting and simply passed the work she states; one just has to develop the type is an absolute, total joy and a badly- So being able to ‘hold his work up’ to the from one drawing table to the other. I neural connections in your brain to carry run one - a nightmare. But she also was people who were earning their living with asked if they were still friends after such what you need to be able to write fiction of the opinion that a good fan convention their illustrations, was, he felt, the best a project and Janny explained that when – and it’s going to take at least five years. needs to have a committee that is in tune way to improve his own work. one embarks on a collaboration, one has But, in addition to practice, if one doesn’t with their fan-based attendees and where Arthur Rackham, Maxfield Parrish, to be able to “let go of one’s own iden- have the desire to write, the creation will an attending member can give more than and Howard Pyle were all early favorites tity” but then one gets a third ‘method’ never happen. Don’t get discouraged if they take. She felt that a characteristic of of Janny. She never had any formal that’s needed to gain the desired result. someone tells you that you’re incompe- a bad fan convention is one where the training, saying that it would not have Janny and I had a couple of earlier tent. Compentencies are developed. Read senior committee member(s) are only been acceptable to her family for her to conversations about mentoring neophyte – read – read … and write - write – write. concerned with having their favorite go to an art college. She went instead to a writers. I wanted to know if she found the Janny’s website (www.paravia.com) has author/artist attend so they can meet him/ college where she ‘contracted’ for her experience satisfying or draining. She tips for aspiring writers. She told me that her. Janny told me about a gaming education. This school didn’t teach a answered unhesitatingly that it was an aspiring writer must read Techniques convention where she and Don were not student how to parrot learning but how always satisfying. She explained that they of the Selling Writer by Dwight V. Swain invited to participate in the gaming get knowledge to do whatever you didn’t come to her for ideas; that they – “Go get that book! There is no other programming. She and Don were hoping wanted to do. Janny graduated with brought their own ideas with them. For (book),” according to Janny. they would be invited to help design a having learned writing and illustrating Janny, the important thing is to under- game and then interact with the players – but without the needed knowledge to the ideal situation for a guest: an opportu- apply it. She says she needed another nity to give more than they take. Anyone four years of acquiring knowledge, out there taking notes? figure-drawing classes at a community Janny is pretty much self-taught and college, going to convention art shows claims she learned to draw at science and hanging her work next to the likes of fiction/fantasy conventions. She was also (Michael) Whelan and (Don) Maitz and enthusiastic about how much she feels then being willing to keep asking she owes to SF/F fandom. They both questions of successful artists until she recognize that the opportunity to show learned what they knew. their work at conventions – pretty much I turned my questions to how they every week of the year somewhere in the actually work together. Janny, being country – is due to the efforts of the fans. incredibly multi-talented does her own Don feels the fantasy and science fiction book jacket illustrations. I asked her if field is the most open arena in the art she had to fight with publishers to be able community in which to exchange to make that call. She replied that she knowledge and criticism. Artists come to doesn’t have to fight them; she just got so these conventions just so they can talk to professional that she made it extremely other artists instead of remaining isolated difficult for them to say no. I was curious in their studios. No where else do they how it was that Don actually had an have this opportunity for interaction. opportunity to do one cover for her Both Janny and Don agree that no other (Servant of the Empire by Raymond Feist art community is as open and welcoming. & Janny) – he replied it was simply Janny says this environment thrives on because she was too busy co-writing the ideas, thrives on the frontier of what can book. They share the art studio but Janny be created, and still retains a sense of moves her writing into a converted wonder. garage where she can play the music that Don’s early influences began with helps motivate her story – music that sitting in an attic with his cousin pouring would distract Don. But Janny always over comic books. He was taken with the reads aloud her copy to Don and gets his characters, and stories that worked input. Sometimes a different viewpoint together with the art; both of which will bring out something in the story that provided a solid platform for his later hadn’t gotten her attention. They feel book cover work. Don was an Honor their strengths complement each other’s Student in school and his guidance work. I marveled over the idea of these counselors tried in vain to discourage him two incredibly talented people “boosting” from wasting his time and talent at an art each other’s work. Janny agreed that it’s a school. He chose the Paier School of Art boon to them both but noted that they still in Hampton, Connecticut where they manage to keep their individual voice. emphasized ‘doing’ rather than ‘contem- They actually collaborated on one plating.’ As he described it, there are two painting – Fionavar Tapestry, a story by types of art school: one where you Guy Gavriel Kay. Janny loved the book contemplate a soda pop can and one but Don hadn’t read it. She insisted that they had to do this commission. Janny Page 8 ConNotations Volume 14 Issue 6 Boggs: A Comedy of Values Those times are gone. As we move deeper in a diner, doodling a sketch of the portrait of this maverick that intrigues and into the 21st Century, our money is numeral, 1, on a napkin. As he embel- entertains the reader. You’ll never look at By Lawrence Weschler backed more by faith and trust in banks lished the drawing the waitress continued money in quite the same way. Review by Shane and governments than by the heft of to refill his coffee cup. He worked and she precious metal in hand. And that bothered refilled his cup until he felt full of both http//www.jsgboggs.com/ Shellenbarger an artist by the name of Boggs. fluid and caffeine and the next time she http//www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/ James Stephen George Boggs started approached he begged off. However, the detail/-/0226893952/002-7480230- Once upon a time, USA Treasury painting full-time in August of 1983, but waitress noticed Boggs’ work on the 0402453?v=glance notes were backed by gold bullion. Once it was May in 1984 that marked the napkin and asked to buy the piece. He http//www.jsgboggs.com/whois.html upon a time, USA Treasury notes desig- beginning of his current money series. declined. She offered twenty dollars. He http//artscenecal.com/ArticlesFile/ nated as Silver Certificates could be Boggs draws money and exchanges it for declined again. She offered fifty dollars. Archive/Articles1999/Articles0999/ exchanged for a like amount of Silver. goods and services. On that day in May, He told her it wasn’t for sale, but he JBoggsA.html Boggs was attending the Art Expo, sitting noticed the disappointment on her face. http//www.ozwei.net/boggs/et_glass.html He asked her what he http//www.limunltd.com/numismatica/ owed for the doughnut mini-diaries/boggs-exhibit.html www.coppercon.org and coffee and she told http//jsgboggs.com/covey.html him the bill was ninety http//www.limunltd.com/numismatica/ cents. Boggs had an paper-money-faq/paper-money-faq- inspiration and offered 1.13.html to exchange the http//www.faqs.org/faqs/coin-collecting/ CCooppppeerrCCoonn 2255 drawing in payment paper-money-faq/section-19.html for the food and drink. http//www.brainyencyclopedia.com/ She quickly agreed encyclopedia/j/js/jsg_boggs.html September 9-11, 2005 and Boggs handed http//www.demenga-galleries.ch/ over the napkin. He jsgboggs.htm Embassy Suites Phoenix North, Phoenix, AZ considered: What did http//www.webster-dictionary.org/ Annual Literary Science Fiction & Fantasy Convention she value about his definition/JSG%20Boggs art? Was it the amount of work she had Author Guests of Honor observed him putting into the drawing? Was it his style? Was it the In Memoriam way his art mimicked a Greg Keyes & Tim Choate regular dollar bill? As he turned to leave, the Gordon Cooper waitress halted him Christopher Reeve Robert J. Sawyer and handed him a dime. He pocketed his Tim Choate change. 1954-2004 Greg Keyes is the renowned Fantasy Author of The Briar King, The Charnel Prince, The WaterBorn, That transaction The Age of Unreason series, Star Wars novels Edge of Victory and The Final Prophecy and the dime were the Tim Choate, best known in the science beginning of a career Robert J. Sawyer is the Hugo award winning author of the Neanderthal Parallax Trilogy fiction community for playing Zathras, the (Hominids, Humans and Hybrids) plus Calculating God, Flash Forward and more. metamorphosis that strange, third-person-speaking keeper of continues to this day. the Great Machine on Babylon 5, died in a Questions were raised Ghost of Honor: G. Harry Stine in the mind of motorcycle accident on September 24, 2004. He was 49. Choate is survived by An engineer, science writer, and science fiction author (aka Lee Correy), BoggsWhat is money? Stine also designed and built as well as taught people how to fly model rockets. Who decides what his wife and son. Donations can be sent to anything is worth? The Tim Choate Memorial Fund, P.O. Could he again Box 861355, Los Angeles, CA 90086 Music Guests: Escape Key execute a similar or Proceeds will be placed in an educational Featuring Michelle and Matthew Dockrey even more complex trust for Flynn, who is 4 years old (sponsored by the Phoenix Filk Circle) negotiation? Now

Boggs’ transactions Leroy Gordon Cooper, Jr. Join CopperCon for its 25th Anniversary Celebration. involve the exchange 1927-2004 of his drawings of 2005 is going to be a blast with our theme: And the Adventure Continues . . . monetary denomina- We will have many other authors, artists, and science participants as well as a wide range of tions from a multitude Gordon Cooper passed away on discussion panels and presentations. of nations. He defied October 4, 2004, at his home in Ventura, the Bank of England California. He was 77. Cooper was born CopperCon 25 will feature an Art Show and Auction, Gaming, Hospitality Suite, Filk Suite and was found not March 6, 1927 in Shawnee, Oklahoma Charity Auction, Dealer’s Room, and much, much more. We are returning to the Embassy guilty on four counts and attended schools in Shawnee, Suites with roomy suites that include a made-to-order breakfast and a daily happy hour! of counterfeiting a Oklahoma and Murray, Kentucky, fifty pound note. He receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in has stayed ahead of the Aeronautical Engineering from the Air Embassy Suites Phoenix North Memberships USA Internal Revenue Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) in (I-17 & Greenway) $25 thru 12/31/04, Service and Secret 1956, and an Honorary Doctorate of Service in what has Room Rates: $89 S/D $99 T, $109 Q +tax $30 thru 5/30/05 Science degree from Oklahoma City been compared to a 2577 W. Greenway Rd. Kids 7-12 half price*, Zeno’s Paradox of University in 1967. Phoenix, Arizona Kids 6 & Under Free* brinkmanship. He has Colonel Cooper was selected as a Mercury astronaut in April 1959. On May (602) 375-1777 * with Adult membership created his own code of ethics and alterna- 15-16, 1963, he piloted the “Faith 7” tive exchange that sets spacecraft, a 22-orbit mission that was the Write: CopperCon 25, PO Box 62613, Phoenix, AZ 85082 him on a pedestal as a conclusion of the operational phase of unique individual. The Project Mercury. He later served as the Phone: (480) 945-6890 Email: [email protected] author, Lawrence

Weschler, creates a ( Continued on page 10 ) Volume 14 Issue 6 ConNotations Page 9 In Memoriam ( Cont’d from page 9 ) The Day I Heard Superman Died Please join us for interesting and fannish An American in England (In Memory of Christopher Reeves- a discussions. command pilot of the 8-day Gemini 5 poem) For more information contact Catherine Part 2: Tiptoes to the Tower mission which began on August 21, 1965 By Jeffrey Lu at [email protected] of London becoming the first man to make a second By Jeffrey Lu orbital flight and winning for the United Wheel chair man, Signings States the lead in man-hours in space by Why did you go? This trip could have been all day. With accumulating a total of 225 hours and 15 We need heroes, Clive & Dirk Cussler will be signing at less than two hours, I ran up the stairs to minutes. He later served as the backup Now. Changing Hands on Dec 8th, 7pm. the white tower and stopped to see a command pilot for Gemini 12 and as the Christopher Moore at Tempe Festival of rather large sign next to a hole in the wall. backup commander for Apollo X. Wheel chair man, Arts, Dec 5th, 11am. The plaque mentioned the finding the You once had a Robin Diana Gabaldon at Tempe Festival of remains of the two small skeletons, Christopher Reeve To teach you again Arts, Dec 5th, noon. believed to be the two boy princes during (1952-2004) To fly, high. King Richard’s reign. Remembering Other Phoenix Metro Area Shakespeare in college, I paused in Actor Christopher Reeve, who became Wheel chair man, SF/F Book Groups respect. After a few minutes, I moved on. famous for portraying Superman in 4 You leap beyond your handicap. Little did I know, I would lose a battle in movies, died October 10, 2004. You are faster than your dreams. Borders-Glendale, 4th Wednesdays the entrance way. Christopher Reeve was born in You stop us to think you are more than a Borders-Tempe, 2nd & 4th Sundays I felt I was in a quest. A quest for me Manhattan, New York on Sept. 25, 1952. man. Barnes & Noble-Goodyear, Manga to see everything in the Tower of London He graduated from Cornell University and Bookclub, 4th Saturday, 7pm in less than two hours. Behold, I was studied at Juilliard. While at Juilliard he Wheel chair man, defeated at the first half hour. My began the role of Ben Harper in the soap No more. Phoenix Metro Area downfall- the entrance to a gift shop. opera Love of Life. His most famous role Up, up Writers Groups: After being light in money but heavy was as Superman in the 1978 movie And away in books and gifts for home, I briefly saw Superman: The Movie and its three Borders-Biltmore, 3rd Thursday the dungeon that held important people sequels. His other best known fantasy role Borders - Avondale, 3rd Monday from Henry the VIII’s wives to a presi- was opposite Jane Seymour in the 1980 Borders - Mesa, Sundays, 7pm dent of congress from a strange country, time travel movie Somewhere in Time FYI Borders - Chandler, 2nd & 4th Wednes- America. I glanced at royal armory- loads Reeve broke his neck in a fall during CASFS Book Discussion days of armor, weapons from swords to an equestrian event in 1995. The accident Barnes & Noble-Goodyear, 4th Saturday, cannons. This tower even mentioned that left him without the use of his arms or The CASFS Book Discussion is held 7pm this held animals at one time. With my legs, unable to breathe without a ventila- monthly at the Barnes & Noble bookstore bags from the gift shop, I hurried into the tor at Metrocenter, 10235 N. Metro Parkway Note: Always call first to check dates next building where the Crown Jewels Reeve is survived by his mother East. We meet on the third Wednesday of and times. were stored. Barbara Johnson and his father Franklin each month at 7pm in or near the Feeling like Alice in Wonderland, I Reeve, his brother Benjamin Reeve, his coffeeshop. passed a hallway into the video room of wife Dana, their twelve year old son Will On December 15 we will discuss the last coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. and his two children from a former Citizen of the Galaxy by Robert I then scanned quickly over the video of relationship, Matthew (25) and Alexandra Heinlein, on January 19 - Guilty each item due to time restraints. With only (21). Pleasures by Laurel K . Hamilton, on ten minutes to go, I finally saw the crown The family has requested that dona- February 16 - St. Patrick’s Gargoyle by jewels. tions be made in his honor to the Christo- Katherine Kurtz, March 16 - Summon Believe it or not, I had to be stand on a pher Reeve Paralysis Foundation, 500 the Keeper by Tanya Huff, and on April moving conveyor belt. The crowns of past Morris Avenue, Springfield, NJ 07081 20 - The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. kings and queens were in each full windowed case. I am amazed at the riches and the history involved. To say the least, security was tight. Tired and with seconds to go, I exited to meet my tour group. I later found out from Russell, a tour guide, the most important item than all the treasure in the tower was the Ampulla, a gold eagle figure that holds holy oil for the anointed king or queen. Next time, I will be there for at least a day. Next time, An American in England: Theatre and Tea in England.

Page 10 ConNotations Volume 14 Issue 6 screen. The whole crew, plus the three James Bond type role fighting evil The Day After Tomorrow adults in the house, all watch this one creatures like the Wolfman and Dracula Fox, 123 mins, PG-13 Videophile together and pronounced it a success. instead of SPECTRE. I really enjoyed the DVD $29.99 Overall - a rousing success. There are premise of a secret organization with it’s In Search of Santa several requests (kids and adults)to find this lab of specially invented weapons based We all know I am a sucker for “end of Eloise at Christmastime title under the Christmas tree or stuffed in a in a cave under the Vatican. The CGI the world” films and this one delivers in a Mickey - Twice Upon a Christmas stocking. [A] - Stephanie L Bannon effects are seamless and overall this is a big way giving us a wonderful spectacle Van Helsing fun ride from beginning to end with the when tornadoes destroy much of Los The Day After Tomorrow Mickey - Twice Upon A Christmas only real problem being eliminating two Angeles, there are blizzards in New Delhi, The Punisher Disney, 68 mins, G super villains in one film. Obviously this Japan gets pounded by grapefruit-sized Around the World in 80 Days DVD $29.99 was written and filmed with the idea of hailstones, and best of all Manhattan is Futurama Volume 1 & 2 several sequels (or I hear rumors of an flooded and then frozen by the onset of a The Simpsons - Season 1 From the back cover: “Find out who’s animated TV show) and I hope that the modern ice age. OK, so the plot is thin - Hidalgo been naughty and who’s been nice in this studio follows though and we see more Jack Hall (Dennis Quaid) is a scientist Pirates of the Caribbean - 3 disc spectacular all-new Christmas celebration. Van Helsing adventures. [B+] - delivering dire warnings about global edition Santa Claus joins Mickey, Minnie and their Stephanie L Bannon ( Continued on page 12 ) pals in an original movie about For these first three reviews I borrowed discovering the true joys of some kids for the afternoon. Christmas.” There are five short features In Search of Santa ranging from 6 - 18 minutes in ICE Escape 2005 - Writers Conference Miramax, 80 mins, NR length. They are “Belles on Ice”

DVD $19.99 in which Daisy and Minnie have a figure-skating duel; DO YOU WRITE? From the back cover: “Even in the “Christmas: Impossible”, in coldest places on Earth the magic of which Huey, Dewey, and Louie WANT TO GET PUBLISHED? Christmas can warm the heart. Join mail themselves to the North penguin princesses Crystal (voice of Pole to be sure they get presents FIND OUT HOW!! Hilary Duff) and Lucinda (voice of for Christmas; “Christmas Haylie Duff) on the adventure of a Maximus” in which Goofy’s th th lifetime in this enchanting, fun-filled, son Max is worried that Goofy March 18 – 20 , 2005 in Downtown Phoenix CGI-animated movie. When a sleigh will mess things up when he bell mysteriously falls from the sky, comes home from college with pure-hearted Princess Crystal is his girlfriend; “Donald’s Gift” A 3 DAY WRITERS CONVENTION YOU CAN determined to prove it came from one of has Donald frustrated with Santa’s reindeer. Together, she and her hearing We Wish You a Merry AFFORD! DON’T MISS THIS! sister, Princess Lucinda, set off on a Christmas over and over (I daring journey to the North Pole to find think most adults can empathize Pre-Register Online Now For A Discount. (Admission is only $70) Santa Claus. Along the way, the royal here) and last but not least, duo must work together to outrun “Mickey’s Dog-Gone Christ- This Is An Excellent Christmas Gift Idea For The Writer In Your hungry, wild beasts, outwit greedy mas” in which Mickey pun- Life, Or To Put On Your Wish List! pirates, and try to keep three sneaky ishes Pluto by sending him to court penguins from stealing their his doghouse, only to have parents’ throne. Featuring delightful Pluto run away to the North Learn About the Publishing Industry from A-Z characters, great new songs, and a Pole. heartwarming story, IN SEARCH OF The kids adored this, the Pitch Your Book to a Real Agent or Editor SANTA celebrates friendship, family, adults took a little time to get and the most wonderful time of the used to the new look of the year.” Talk to Industry VIPs in Person animation - more like Shrek This one held the interest of the 4 than the traditional Mickey. and 6 year old but the 9 year old got Overall deemed a success Large Discount for College Students/Faculty bored. I enjoyed it but then again I am a though a couple of the shorts total sucker for penguins in almost any weren’t quite short enough for * Major Speakers * How-To Workshops * Learn From The form. Overall I say this one was a the 4 year old. [B] - Stephanie Experts * Free Agent Appointments * All Genres * Prizes * success. [B] - Stephanie L Bannon L Bannon Giveaways * High School Scholarship * Charity Auction * Eloise at Christmastime And now for the rest of the Parties * Networking * TOO MUCH TO MISS!! * Disney, 87 mins, NR reviews - DVD $24.99 SO DUST OFF THAT MANUSCRIPT and JOIN US!! Van Helsing From the back cover: “The Plaza’s Universal, 132 mins, PG-13 most famous six-year-old girl returns DVD $29.99 for Christmas in this heartwarming www.IceEscape.com family film based on the best-selling Vampire hunter Van children’s classic. Helsing (Hugh Jackman) is “I absolutely love Christmas!” [email protected] really an agent for a secret 480.236.4314 exclaims Eloise (Sofia Vassilieva). So, Vatican agency that fights evil. with her “mostly companion” Nanny His mission this time is to stop Online Pre-Registration Available & Recommended (Julie Andrews), Eloise sets off cel- Dracula (Richard Roxburgh), ebrating the season in her own irrepress- his deadly blood-sucking ible way. Whether it is helping coordi- brides, and the Wolfman (Will nate a Christmas Eve wedding because Kemp) from hatching his bat- “Getting married on Christmas Eve is winged offspring. Van Helsing the most romantic thing”, shopping for is joined on this mission by a the entire staff of the hotel or helping a Transylvanian princess (Kate neighbor save her home, Eloise has a Beckinsale), Carl (David “to do” list as long as her Christmas Wenham) a sort of James Bond list.” Q-type character and the I had high hopes for this one since Frankenstein monster (Shuler the previous Eloise title was a success. Hensley). Disney has hit on a winning formula as This is a campy adventure it translates children’s classics to the with Van Helsing cast in a Volume 14 Issue 6 ConNotations Page 11 Videophile ( Cont’d from page 11 ) bet and Passepartout’s need to return the already been said? Sixteen seasons and Pirates of the Caribbean - Buddha to his village build a nice founda- still going strong. 3 disc Special Edition warming whose son, Sam (Jake tion and continuity for what could easily This box set brings together the first Disney, 143 mins, PG Gyllenhaal) is trapped in the New York have become a simple series of episodes 13 episodes of the series and the third disc DVD $29.99 public library when the world comes to an strung together. The inventions are fun has a lot of extras which I’ve not yet gone end in a sudden rush. As Jack rushes to and Chan’s fight scenes are, as usual, through completely. The style of the From the cover: “Just when the Black New York to save his son, Sam and his excellent - especially the fight in animation is rougher in this first season Pearl had sailed proudly towards the friends fight to survive the cold and Passepartout’s home village and the but we are introduced to the family as sunset — the tide, it seems, has turned. hunger as well as rampaging wolves. delightful warehouse fight around pieces well as most of the recurring characters Legend now tells of a lost disc. A buried If you enjoy end of the world films, of the Statue of Liberty. The various including Smithers, Mr Burns, the treasure brimming with bonus material you have to add this to your collection. If episodes feature cameos by Arnold Flanders, Marge’s sisters Patty and Selma that has never seen the light of day. you enjoy spectacular special effects Schwarzenegger, John Cleese, Luke and and Sideshow Bob. Homer isn’t as stupid Untold stories, macabre mysteries. But films, you have to add this to your Owen Wilson, and Kathy Bates and in this first season and most of the this booty is not without peril — for there collection - the tornadoes in LA alone are probably a few others I have forgotten. episodes seem to focus on Bart but overall is another curse ready to befall those who worth it. And, of course, who can resist a The DVD extras include a really stupid this is a delightful look back at the origins would plunder these riches. A heinous film that starts with a tribute to the saber- alternate opening with a chicken (yes, of one of America’s longest running TV hex we’ve chosen to ignore so you can tooth squirrel in Ice Age as Jack and his really, a chicken), the usual deleted scenes shows. [B] - Stephanie L Bannon enjoy this rare bounty. “ crew split the polar ice cap. [A] - and director’s commentary and two really This review covers just the extra Stephanie L Bannon good featurettes - Discovering Around the Hidalgo features on the third disc. For a review of World in 80 Days and a Jackie Chan short Buena Vista, 136 min, PG-13 the 2 disc version please see The Punisher about the choreography of the fight DVD $29.99 ConNotations Volume 14 Issue 2. Fox, 122 mins, R scenes. The only disappointment is the The third disc on this set has 8 new DVD $27.99 lack of the usual Chan “bloopers” either The back cover tells us “A sandstorm featurettes. “Becoming Captain Jack” - a during the end credits or as an added of epic proportions. A swarm of locusts so 7 minute Johnny Depp featurette in which Unlike the 1989 Dolph Lundgren feature on the DVD. [A] - Stephanie L massive it obliterates the relentless sun. Depp talks about his childhood wish to version this 2004 movie relates the origins Bannon Deadly traps that defy imagination. These play a pirate; “Becoming Barbossa” - a 5 of The Punisher. Frank Castle (Thomas are just a few of the astonishing obstacles minute Geoffrey Rush featurette in which Jane) has gone on his last undercover FBI Futurama Vol 1 & 2 Frank T Hopkins, the greatest long he tells us how he created his take on mission and is looking forward to Fox, 299 mins (Vol 1) & 677 mins (Vol distance racer ever, faces in the rousing Barbossa; “Thar She Blows!” - The film’s retirement and spending time with his 2), NR action-adventure Hidalgo.” ship Interceptor, from building it to family. Of course, we all know what that DVD $29.99 (Vol 1) $49.99 (Vol 2) While the special effects live up to the blowing it up all in a little over 6 min- means - family massacre time. Seems that hype there is also a lot of unpleasant utes.; “The Monkey’s Name Is Jack” - the drug dealer that was killed during Futurama follows the adventures of violence, from the flash-back to the Meet Levi and Tara, a 4 minute look at Frank’s last assignment was the beloved Fry (voiced by Billy West) a 20th century Wounded Knee massacre to the rather the film’s two monkeys and the chal- son of Howard Saint (John Travolta), a pizza delivery boy who, via a cryogenic graphic depiction of Hidalgo falling into a lenges of working with them; More “Fly shady “businessman” whose idea of accident, ends up frozen for a thousand trap. We get glimpses into Frank Hopkins On The Set” on-set featurette - 15 suitable revenge is to kill all of Frank’s years. Waking up in the 31st century he character as he struggles to accept his minutes with the film makers; “Pirates family and then kill Frank. Best laid plans joins forces with Leela (voiced by Katey non-white heritage but mostly this is a Around The World” - a truly fun 4 minute and all that. While the assassins succeed Sagal) and an alcoholic robot, Bender slam-bang adventure film from beginning look at various dubbed versions of in killing Frank’s family, all nicely (voiced by John diMaggio) and goes to to end and it works well on that level.[B] - Pirates; “Spirit of the Ride” - Johnny gathered in one place for a big family work for the delivery service owned by Stephanie L Bannon ( Continued on page 14 ) reunion, they somehow don’t manage to his great great great.(etc)...nephew, kill Frank. After an unspecified time professor Farnsworth (voiced by Billy recuperating in hiding Frank emerges and West). goes after Saint and his family to exact his The first season’s thirteen episodes see revenge. Fry settling in to life in the future and OK, so the story was fairly predictable HEXACON 15 dealing with some strange yet familiar but that is to be expected since this is the problems such as how to spend 1000 origin story for the character. The film years of accumulated interest on his bank rightly earns it’s R rating for it’s violence account, accidentally drinking the liquid Arizona’s Largest Gaming Convention and gore and it was a waste of a big name ruler of an alien planet and a truly actor, Roy Scheider, as Frank Castle Sr. hilarious episode that sees Leela fending Aug 5-7*, 2005 but overall this is a very well done set up off a Kirk like space captain named Zapp *Special gaming and events for Pre-registered members starts Thursday, Aug 4 film for what one hopes will become a Brannigan.. series of films. [B] - Stephanie L Bannon Season two’s nineteen episodes find Tempe Mission Palms, Tempe, AZ couch potato Fry resigned to life in 31st Around the World in 80 Days century New York, working for Professor Arizona’s Largest Annual Gaming Convention Walt Disney, 120 mins, PG Farnsworth’s delivery service and we DVD $29.99 follow him though a series of predictable will be even better in 2005! but hilarious episodes. We’re returning to the Tempe Mission Palms in downtown Tempe with lots Phileas Fogg (Steve Coogan, ) is an This is a wonderful series full of of room and tons of nearby restaurants and shopping. We’re planning to have inventor. Passepartout (Jackie Chan) is a humor the kids will enjoy as well as satire all our regular events and activities. Chinese peasant who has retrieved a and in-jokes for the grown-ups. Hardly Gaming starts at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug 5 and runs non-stop until Sunday, stolen a jade Buddha from the Bank of surprising since it comes from Matt England and is hiding from the authorities Groening, who is also responsible for The August 7th at 7 p.m. by masquerading as Fogg’s French valet. Simpsons. Some similarities can be seen We are planning to have Magic & CCG Tournaments, LARPs, Steve Jackson Games, When Fogg takes on the challenge of between the two series, Bender the robot Board Gaming, Miniatures, Battletech, RPGA, Console Gaming, Miniatures Painting circumnavigating the world in 80 days is very much like Homer Simpson while Contest, Role Playing, Chess Federation Sponsored Chess Events, Dealer’s Room, Passepartout sees a chance to leave one-eyed Leela is Lisa Simpson, brilliant Used Game Auction, Anime Room, Full Hospitality Suite and more! England and return the Buddha to his but lonely and unappreciated. Add in the village in China. In Paris they are joined series of cameos by “stars” such as Membership Rates by the lovely Monique Le Roche (Cecile Pamela Sue Anderson, Leonard Nimoy $15 thru Dec 31, 2004, $20 thru June 30, 2005, $25 at the Door. De France), a struggling impressionist and Al Gore via talking heads in jars - Pay Online using PayPal! Please send to [email protected] artist. Chased by a Scotland Yard Detec- what’s not to like about this series. [B+] - tive, the trio travels to exotic locales via a Stephanie L Bannon Tempe Mission Palms For memberships or to variety of methods from a hot air balloon 60 E 5th St, Tempe, AZ 85281 schedule a game, Contact us at: to a flying machine in their quest to win The Simpsons Season 1 (800) 547-8705 the bet. Twentieth Century Fox, mins, NR Hexacon 15, PO Box 62613 Surprisingly this is a remake that DVD $39.99 Rooms are $91 S/D/T/Q + tax $85 + $6 resort fee includes free high speed Phoenix, AZ 85082 actually works well and not just as a Phone: (623) 773-1816 wireless internet access and valet parking. Jackie Chan film. The characters are What is there to say about America’s Email: [email protected] developed, and the two plots of Fogg’s favorite dysfunctional family that hasn’t Page 12 ConNotations Volume 14 Issue 6 Calendar of Events - December/January 2004/2005 To have your event or meeting listed please email [email protected] - Deadline for February/March Submissions - January 15, 2005 (This is a free service. All release dates are tentative)

December January January 25 - Tuesday December 17 - Friday December 1 - Wednesday January 4 - Tuesday DVD Movies Alien Vs. Predator Event: Fannish Open House & DVD TV Batman the Animated Series Meeting: ConNotations Staff Meeting Potluck - Holiday Version at Craig & - 7PM at JB’s I-17 & Indian School Stephanie’s house - 6PM Info: DVD Movies Troy Vol 2, Superman the Animated Series Info: [email protected] [email protected] DVD TV Forever Knight Season Two, Vol 1 Movies Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Millenium Season Two December 3 - Friday Unfortunate Events January 28 - Friday January 7 - Friday Movies House of Flying Daggers December 18 - Saturday Movies White Noise Meeting: CASFS -8PM at JB’s I-17 & Indian School Info: [email protected] December 4 - Saturday Meeting: SouthWest Costumers Guild Info: January 10 - Monday Movies D.E.B.S., Hide and Seek TV Shows: Anonymous Rex (SciFi) www.southwestcostumersguild.org Deadline: ConNotations Submission January 30 - Sunday December 5 - Sunday December 19 - Sunday January 11 - Tuesday Meeting: ConNotations Pot Luck & Meeting: ConNotations Pot Luck & Meeting: CopperCon 25 Committee Labeling 4PM at Stephanie’s house Meeting 5PM at JB’s I-17 & Indian Labeling 4PM at Stephanie’s house DVD Movies The Village Info: [email protected] Info: [email protected] School Info: [email protected] DVD TV Hercules the Legendary Meeting: SouthWest Costumers December 7 - Tuesday Journeys Season Five Guild Info: December 21 - Tuesday www.southwestcostumersguild.org DVD Movies Matrix Collection January 14 - Friday DVD TV Carnivale Season One, DVD Movies King Arthur (Rated and February Crusade Complete Series, Star Trek: Unrated versions), Shaun of the Movies Elektra Dead, Thunderbirds Voyager Season Six, 24 Season TV Shows: Battlestar Galactica Feb 1 - Tuesday Three DVD TV The 4,440 Season One, Star Trek: Voyager Season Seven Series debut (SciFi), Stargate’s return December 8 - Wednesday (SciFi) DVD TV Wondefalls - The Complete December 22 - Wednesday Series Movies Blade Trinity January 15 - Saturday Movies Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Feb 4 - Friday December 10 - Friday Phantom of the Opera, Flight of the Deadline: ConNotations Ads Phoenix Meeting: CASFS -8PM at JB’s I-17 & Movie: Boogeyman Indian School Info: [email protected] December 25 - Saturday January 18 - Tuesday Feb 11 - Friday Dec ember 13 - Monday Movies The Dark DVD Movies Catwoman DVD TV Farscape: The Peacekeeper Movie: Constantine TV Shows: Earthsea Miniseries December 28 - Tuesday (Scifi) Wars miniseries TV Shows: Puppetmaster Vs. January 21 - Friday December 14 - Tuesday Demonic Toys (SciFi) DVD Movies Resident Evil: Apoca- TV Shows: Earthsea Miniseries lypse Event: Fannish Open House & (Scifi) 10 - DVD Movies I, Robot, Lord of the DVD TV Battelestar Galactica - The Potluck at Craig & Stephanie’s house Rings: Return of the King Extended Miniseries, Twilight Zone Season 1 - 6PM Info: [email protected] , Version (1959), twilight Zone Season One Õ DVD TV Quantum Leap Season 2, (1985) Star Trek Season 3, Star Trek The Complete Series Ongoing Events

Wednesdays New Comics Arrive! 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Depp, director Gore Verbinski and others SEEKS The primer on using undead in combat reflect for 7 minutes on their earliest Shining South memories of the attraction “; “Dead Men APPRENTICES is worth the price of the book by itself. I APPRENTICES A Forgotten Realms Sourcebook Tell No Tales” - a 13 minutes documen- found the treatment of the incorporeal by Thomas M. Reid tary that was previously released only as a Greetings again, fellow-fen. invaluable for having an explanation of PC feature; and, finally, “Sneak Attack $29.95, Wizards of the Coast, 192 pp First, my thanks to all of you who WHY a shadow can do what I said it Animatic” a look at the animation the film responded to my “Houston, We could. I have adopted this book into my makers created to help them plot the This Dungeons and Dragons supple- Have A Problem” plea in last campaign and will enjoy using it to my movie’s key sequences. ment is the latest in the ongoing update/ CONNOTATIONS. Special thanks players chagrin. - Bob LaPierre If you haven’t purchased your own to Tina, for helping me clean out fleshing out of the Forgotten Realms copy of Pirates then by all means spend the Augean Stables, to Don, for campaign. It details all of the races and the extra for the 3 disc set. The third disc replacing the security-door and the political structures of the southern reaches offers slightly over an hour of really fun extra features but unless you are a big fan gate, and Dave, for throwing out of the world of Faerun. The area includes of extras there is no reason to go out and the deadbeats. General thanks to the Great Rift (home to the majority of get this if you already have the two disc every-body else who chipped in Gold Dwarves), Lurien (the largest set. I am not a big fan of studios that time and work. My gratitude to all halfling population anywhere), and release two versions of a film set without of you. Halruaa (home of many of the mightiest significant differences between the two So now I have a pretty-much wizards). It has wonderful color maps of sets, at least with the LoTR films you get cleaned and repaired house, and each region and detailed overviews of the two differing versions of the films and need it filled. I’ve got three various societies. Beautifully drawn color different extras on each version. [B+] - furnished rooms for rent, and pictures of the various races and creatures Stephanie L Bannon. seriously want friends from the are found throughout the volume. fandom community to take them. It also has region specific feats and Is there anybody out there hoping prestige classes, new spells, new magic to put together a Slan-shack? (Ten points if you recognize that one!) items (including a few new artifacts), two Advantages: the rent-plus- races detailed for play (the Wemic, and utilities is only $360 per month. the Loxo), new monsters (and new Utilities include power, water, gas, versions of old ones) and a few adventure evaporative cooler, phone, cable- sites. Many of the feats may seem to be TV and cable-modem (capable of very limited in scope but they are wonder- handling up to seven computers, ful for adding depth to characters from the with sufficient line-splitters). The region, and they make sense in their TV-cable extends to not only the scope. Otherwise a +4 to hide and a free living-room but one of the bed- action to stand from prone for a single rooms, and can be extended further. feat would be overpowering. The house is close to three major I don’t normally buy regional bus-routes and two community- sourcebooks but now I will have to look colleges, and within walking at the other WoTC sourcebooks to see distance of a sizable shopping- what I’ve been missing. Many of the plaza. There’s on-street parking, regions could be placed in other cam- and the neighbors are nice. Pets are paigns with little or no changes. I’m welcome, as long as they don’t eat already changing my home campaign to other pets. substitute several of these regions. - Bob Disadvantages: you have to do a LaPierre share of the housework and repairs, and right now the computer-room Libris Mortis floor needs re-tiling – which will The Book of Undead mean moving the furniture. There will also be some serious yard- by Andy Collins and Bruce R. Cordell work a few months down the line $29.95, Wizards of the Coast, 192 pp (we’ve got to do something about the back-yard fence). And there are This Dungeons and Dragons supple- already half-a-dozen cats here. ment is a comprehensive look at the And you’ll have to put up with at scourge of all characters the undead. This least one smoker. And no, there’s volume everything from undead physiol- no swimming-pool. ogy to what weapons to use and on to To add a bit of sweetening to why they do what they do. The chapter on the pot, I’m willing to teach anyone the undead as characters is a must even if who joins me all I know about just to give DM’s a reason to disallow the music, writing, and psionics. option (check out the advantages and Uhuh. If you know me, or have disadvantages). read my published work, or heard The prestige classes are weighted any of my albums, or have caught toward serving/being served by undead my regular act at Pagan Pride Day, but the two undead opponents are you can guess how much that is. masterful in their abilities. The return of So, is anybody out there the Palemaster is welcome as is the interested? addition of four undead prestige classes If so, contact me: (the Master Vampire should set parties [email protected] teeth on edge). The spells added are far or 623-247-7809 reaching and give ways to emulate most —Leslie <;)))>< undead special attacks. The new monsters Page 14 ConNotations Volume 14 Issue 6 Award winners ‘The Persistence of The Last Light of the Sun We have the old guard, King Aeldred, In Our Book Vision’ (what could be a sequel to H.G. by Guy Gavriel Kay the cleric Ceinion (sworn to the god Jad Wells’ story ‘The Country of the Blind’ Roc Hardcover; $24.95; 501 pps. whose faith was an important factor in The John Varley Reader, although not the same place), ‘PRESS Kay’s previous books), the old Jormsvik Thirty Years of Short Fiction ENTER’, ‘The Pusher’, and the Tiptree Kay’s last two books took us to the leaders intent on a raid of revenge against by John Varley Award winning ‘The Barbie Murders.’ wonderful pseudo Byzantine kingdom of the Cyngael and their nominal leader, Ace Books, 532 pp., $16.00 Never before collected stories include Sarantium (and they were yummy, rich Brynn ap Hwyll who killed a mighty ‘The Bellman’, ‘The Fading Suns and tales). Now we go to the cold north to Viking in a previous raid and took his In this trade paperback we get our Dying Moons’, ‘Good Intentions’, ‘Just deal with the Jormsvik (Vikings) and to great sword. Also there is the younger money’s worth: it has eighteen stories, Another Perfect Day’, and ‘The Flying an island nation that is on the cusp generation: the children of King Aeldred plus author’s introduction, after word, and Dutchman.’ If you haven’t read anything between the old and the new (England). and Brynn Ap Hwyll , and even a couple intros to each story, fascinating in their by this modern master, this is the best King Aeldred of Anglcyn (England) is of young Jormsvik raiders. The young own right. Includes the Nebula and Hugo place to start. - Mike Griffin doing what he must to keep the Jormsvik ones prove the bridge between the fay raiders from his world and the human. shores. He and the Kay handles this all so very well. The people of Cyngael Jormsvik come off as raiding savages in (Wales) have many places, but of course there are constantly been at the motivations and reasoning behind their mercy of the actions. And there are also some Jormsvik berserker men of that do think beyond the point of their Vinland who pretty sword. much rape, pillage, The Anglcyn and Cyngael have their burn and torture once civilized ups and downs as well, but it is the winter snows have obvious that the rise of cities and 0LNHDQG(YRWDNHVFLHQFHÀFWLRQIDQWDV\KRUURUDQGRYHUDOOJHHNLQHVV melted. civilization will refine them and move The very old and them beyond superstition. WRWKHQH[WOHYHOZLWK7KH'UDJRQ3DJHDXQLTXHKLJKHQHUJ\WDONVKRZ the burgeoning new Sadly, the fay of Anglcyn realize their WKDWFRPHVWR\RXLQWZRIRUPDWV&RYHUWR&RYHUDQG/LYH)LUH)URPWKH clash here. The slow sunset has come. But at this point, their wheel of change is powers haven’t faded completely. Kay VWUDQJHQHZVRIVFLÀWRLQGHSWKFRQYHUVDWLRQVZLWKWKHPRVWLQÁXHQWLDO grinding across the has done a wonderful job, through land. In this book, as conversations between a little she-fairy SHRSOHLQWKHVFLÀIDQWDV\LQGXVWU\7KH'UDJRQ3DJHRIIHUV\RXXSDQ is par for Kay, there is and a Cyngael prince, of showing how LQWHUHVWLQJDQGLQWULJXLQJVOLFHRIVFLÀ a wonderful tapestry utterly un-human the faeries are in their of characters. And thinking and actions. lucky for us, Kay Another well-written, smooth book gives us a printed play from Kay. Though I do have to admit to list of the main not being so enamored of Vikings 3OHOWDOYOULIKEYOUR3CI &I characters at the front pillaging and raiding as subject matter, of the book. making this book a bit slower read for me 4AKEYOURPICK
There are also the than his other works. I was able to drop it creatures of the and read other books before picking it up “godwood,” the again. (Unfortunately a whole section of haunted thick woods the book (in the binding process) was of Anglcyn which repeated, replacing about 30 pages of the harbor faeries and the story in its stead) “spruaugh” I would recommend this book because (something that is not Guy Gavriel Kay is an excellent, excellent #OVER TO #OVER quite explained) and writer. He lifts the whole fantasy genre to ,QGHSWK FRQYHUVDWLRQV ZLWK WKH PRVW crowd up against the another level with his fine, subtle LQÁXHQWLDO SHRSOH RI WKH OLWHUDWXUH VLGH RI homes and villages. descriptions and insights into his These woods will characters. - Sue Martin 6)) :LWK SDVW LQWHUYLHZV WKDW LQFOXGH 6LU ,IVE&IRE soon feel the $UWKXU & &ODUNH 5D\ %UDGEXU\ &RQQLH woodsman’s axe as Julia and the Dream Maker 1RZLW·V\RXUWXUQWRFDOOLQDQGEH :LOOLV 5$ 6DOYDWRUH 6WDQ /HH 0DUJDUHW towns grow and by P. J. Fischer SDUWRIWKHGLVFXVVLRQGHEDWHVDQG $13.95, Traitor Dachshund Books, :HLV7HUU\%URRNVDQGPDQ\PRUH&RYHU become cities and GHEDXFKHU\ RI WKLV KLJKHQHUJ\ superstitions lose their 290 pp WR&RYHU EULQJV \RX WKH ZULWHUV \RX NQRZ OLYHHGLWLRQRI7KH'UDJRQ3DJH hold. DQGWKHZULWHUV\RXZLOOZDQWWRNQRZ For me this is the The story begins in a courtroom of the :KHQWKHOLQHVDUHRSHQDQGPLFV !IRINGOVERTWENTYTIMES base of the story: the future, our protagonist, Steven, is on trial EACHWEEKCOAST TO COAST
IURP3KRHQL[$= KRW0LFKDHODQG(YR´VSHDNJHHNµ fading of the old: and his friend, Bennie, is on the stand. #HECKWWWDRAGONPAGECOM 6XQGD\VDWSP ZLWK \RX DQG VSHFXODWH H[DFWO\ earth magics, with Throughout the book we gain insight into )NTERNET3TREAMING the crime and Steven’s nature, through FOROURONLINESCHEDULE ZKHUHVFLHQFHÀFWLRQZLOOWDNHXV their dependence on !VAILABLE
placating the spirits flashbacks. I don’t want to give too much and forces around the away but basically Steven and Bennie, small villages isolated along with Steven’s girlfriend Eli, create a from one another.This device to allow access to the realm of &KHFNRXWERWKVKRZVRQWKHZHEDWZZZGUDJRQSDJHFRP simple life is virtual reality. The realm is both more and contrasted against the less than it appears. It took a few turns rise of well-organized that in retrospect were obvious but they faith, the building of initially caught me slightly unprepared. walled cities, the Professor Bunny was interesting and organization of made me suspect what the other realm BROUGHTTOYOUINPARTBY armies, the glory of was. I look forward to other books by this 4HE3OYLENT#ORPORATION writing and the author. - Bob LaPierre acquisition of 2EMEMBER 4UESDAYIS knowledge from 3OYLENT'REEN$AY beyond the shores of Anglcyn. ( Continued on page 16 ) Volume 14 Issue 6 ConNotations Page 15 In Our Book ( Cont’d from page 15 ) the inhabitants of the Emerald City. You see, www.leprecon.org The Heritage of Shannara while Aurora had Random House, $35.00, 1238 pages brought her favorite Includes: Scions of Shannara, Druid of CDs and a player with Shannara, Elf Queen of Shannara & her, they didn’t work. Talismans of Shannara Most electronics and mechanical gadgets The Heritage of Shannara is a either didn’t work or wonderful compendium of four classics grew a mind of their that, even now, I would gladly read again. own – literally. But Terry Brooks starts the stories off with the Mikio had an idea that if evil Shadowen vying to conquer the he used some of the world. It was foretold by the long-dead leaves of the language shade of the last druid Allanon that this bush to help ‘translate’ May 6-8, 2005 would come to pass unless three Shannara the music, it just might descendants completed three perilous play through his jury- Carefree Resort, Carefree, AZ quests. Par Ohmsford must seek the rigged stereo system. It Sword of Shannara, Wren must rescue the Annual Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention with an emphasis on Art was a day of celebration lost elves, and Walker Boh must become when the customers of Artist Guest of Honor Author Guest of Honor the next druid. Though each faces the Emerald Burrito daunting tasks, and the element of heard “Never Been To surprise is totally eradicated by the Spain” for the first time. Dave Dorman Kevin J. Anderson predictions of the ghost, the unfolding of It isn’t too long after Special Artist Guest Local Artist Guest of Honor the events and the growth of the that, that Gene finds characters as they arise from their humble himself in the middle of beginnings into the last hope for the world Bear Burge Sarah Clemens a real battle and it’s is nothing short of a spectacular Music Guest Aurora, in full battle Mitchell Burnside Clapp achievement in writing by Terry Brooks. regalia, wielding an ax (sponsored by the Phoenix Filk Circle) I say there is no surprise because if evil who saves him. From really did conquer the world, it wouldn’t LepreCon 31 features the Largest Science Fiction and Fantasy Art Show in there it seems a short be a very exciting book. So obviously the the Southwest with 40+ nationally known artists doing demos and workshops, a trip back to the Emerald Shannara children must succeed and City on the back of the full Filmmaking track, the LepreCon 31 Film Festival, A Student Art Show, knowing this will happen hundreds of Sawhorse to meet Ozma, Programming with Panel Discussions, Art Demos, & more. Events and Activities pages before it does really does take some Glinda and Dorothy. include Dealer’s Room, Gaming, LARP, LAN Party, Masquerade, fun out of reading this and Terry Brooks’ The story gets really Hospitality Suite, Film Festival room, and a Charity Auction to benefit ASFA other novels. Some… but not all. If frenetic after that, I and the Thomas J. Pappas School Art department. you’re in the mood for rousing adventures could go on for quite a with unlikely heroes completing near- while. Of course, all the Join these artists at LepreCon 31! impossible quests, then these books will major players appear: Caniglia, Liz Danforth, Monte M. Moore, Sue Dawe, LepreCon Film Festival keep you interested for hours...and Cowardly Lion, Hungry James Reade, Larry Vela, Michelle Ellington, We’re planning an independent film hours…and hours. – Jon Graves Tiger, TikTok and the Jeanette Thompson, Ingrid Neilson, Lisa Snellings Clark, festival for genre films for LepreCon 31. Winged Monkeys. Robert Ross, GAK, Gilead, Pamelina H., Check our web site for more details. The Emerald Burrito of Oz There’s some really bad Vicki Visconti-Tilly, Mark Greenawalt, Steve Oatney, by John Skipp & Marc Levinthal Sylvana Anderson-Gish, Paul Groendes, LepreCon 31 Masquerade Wants You! stuff coming through the This year’s Masquerade theme is Movie or $19.95, Babbage Press, 279 pp Michaela Nastasia, Leslie D’Allesandro Hawes, & more! radar array that the US Movie-Inspired costumes. Contact military machine Well, heck fire – I’d pick up anything Join us for a fun and relaxing weekend at Masquerade director Margaret Grady at managed to bring [email protected] for more details with Oz in the title; but I’m glad I picked through the gate. The the Carefree Resort in the Northeast Valley! this one up. This charming little story US government has starts innocently enough with the fact that some really nasty plans Memberships are $30 thru 12/31/04, $35 until 4/15/05 the United States government monitors for Oz (a theme park!) Kids 7-12 half price, Kids 6 & Under Free with Adult membership passage thru Joe Snelling’s barn in and it seems doubtful Pay online using PayPal! Kansas into Oz but that not everyone is that Ozma, Glinda and acceptable. Fortunately, the passage Dorothy have enough Carefree Resort Contact LepreCon 31 at: allows Gene to pass through, with his power to stop it. A laptop. Of course, Gene wasn’t exactly www.carefree-resort.com Write: LepreCon 31, former military 37220 Mule Train Road, Carefree, AZ prepared to be grabbed and shushed while intelligence officer and PO Box 26665 peering through the bushes at what looked his six sentient Humvees Room Rates: $89 S/D, $99 T, $109 Q Tempe, AZ 85285 like a real live ogre. And it just got worse play a major part but it’s (plus tax and $9 resort fee per room) from there. Not having much a choice, Casitas and Villas also available at Phone: (480) 945-6890 really Gene, Aurora and Email: Gene was forced to accompany a band of the Mickey in the laptop discounted rates. [email protected] folks who were on their way to who save the day. (480) 488-5300 or (888) 488-9034 Web: www.leprecon.org/lep31 reconnoiter what might actually be some John and Marc craft truly bad guys. But the truly terrifying a sneaky story. You can thing was that the leader of the band was a metal man with a serious attitude. And just feel, from the very beginning, that handled the oh-so-familiar characters we Furies of Calderon: Gene is a bit frustrated by the appearance everything isn’t rosy…or emeraldly. But know. The story was really about the Book One of the Codex Alera of a Mickey in his laptop; although it still feels surreal and even though there visitors to Oz and Oz itself. If you have a by Jim Butcher everyone will be glad of it before it’s all are bad buys and people get their heads passion for Oz and can find this book, it’s $23.95; Ace books; 440pp. over. chopped off, you just know it can’t be the worth the read. Try BabbagePress.com. - Gene had planned a little vacation to end of the world because this is…Oz! . - Catherine Book Whew. It’s been quite awhile that I visit his friend Aurora in the Emerald There was a light-hearted feel to the story was sorry the novel I was reading was the City. Aurora worked at the Emerald with folks who love, laugh and party their first book of a series. Shoes. This means I Burrito, an authentic Mexican restaurant. asses off while doom is coming. The shall probably have to wait at least a year Aurora, meanwhile, was holding her overlay of love and feel-good vibes with to find out what happens and by then, the breath while her friend, Mikio, was the undercurrent of doom and inescapable details of this one may have faded some. attempting to actually bring rock ‘n roll to disaster was …well, surreal. And, by the way, I totally approve of the way they ( Continued on page 17 ) Page 16 ConNotations Volume 14 Issue 6 In Our Book ( Cont’d from page 16 ) unrelenting swiftness of scene changes spell goes awry and she is cast 400 years read the first two books; perhaps the story and the forward motion of the story. And into the past when the Hold thrives with and the characters would have been more What I am trying to say here is this is therein lies my one (very small) caveat: students and Masters. And it’s not real and interesting. I like series, don’t just a great, fast read. There is sooo much there are no restful spots in the tale. It is necessarily her fault that she had fallen in misunderstand me. I like to revisit action. And the characters, their magical just one mad rush of political love with a commoner – it wasn’t as if characters and locales, I just hate sequels. skills and the world they inhabit are not machinations, death, poisonings, assaults there were a great many left to choose My feeling is that a book that can stand really made up of run-of-the-mill fantasy and invasion, and death. Lots of it. from. And, it’s not her fault that because alone yet enhance a character’s history is elements. In this book, Butcher sets up a Nevertheless: It is a really compelling of her dislocation and distress at losing a book worth reading. It takes an young farm boy with a destiny (wait: okay read! And the heroes are a nice blend of her love, that her bestial side is slowly but experienced writer to give you just that’s very similar to a lot of things we’ve women and men, young and old, with surely replacing her. It appears that enough information about a recurring all read). A farm boy who is thrown into some unexpected ones as well. unless she can somehow return to the character to interest a new reader and not the whirl of things by losing a flock of Trust me: You won’t be remotely future, she will lose her identity and bore the fan. Ms. Cook didn’t even try to sheep. And when he and his uncle go bored. - Sue Martin remain a beast forever. But she has to give me any background information so searching for the animals, they of course have a reference point that she is familiar that I could identify and sympathize with are surprised by the unexpected Forgotten Truth with to ‘trip the lines’ and go back to the the characters. I would also be reluctant appearance of a long dismissed horror. A by Dawn Cook future and that’s patently impossible, isn’t to read the first two books because this really nasty horror that will change the Ace Books, $6.99, 376 pp it? Who can know their own future unless one is so amateurish. If this is her best Calderon Valley of Alera where they live they live through it? And Alissa’s future effort after two previous books, I don’t and the world around them. Alissa is the last of her kind. Terrible ended when she tripped back to the past. want to see her early work. She needs a Most Aleran people have the ability to things happened hundreds of years before Fortunately, her tie to her lover is so great deal more practice at scene pacing manipulate a fury, an elemental of some and the fortress where she lives with the strong that she can ‘hear’ him through the and plotting. I liked the cover art. – sort: fire, earth, wind, and water, among last of the Masters is empty of all but centuries that separate them. Blah, blah, Catherine Book them. Water having the ability to heal them. She and her teacher are the last blah…. terrible wounds, by manipulating the Masters – shapeshifters who practice Oy, if there’s an original idea in this fluids of the body. A clever touch, I think. magic. Alissa’s training is unorthodox book, I must’ve yawned through it. It still Earth-movers can coast along on the but the times she lives in are equally so. might have been a diverting little story ripples of the ground, moving faster than So it’s not necessarily her fault when a except for that series thing… I didn’t ( Continued on page 18 ) a horse. A person with a wind fury can be held aloft by their elemental and fly like, well, the wind. (In an interesting twist: the young farm boy, Tavi, has no fury to call upon. Of course, that might be for another volume) Well, the pleasant Calderon Valley is about to be invaded by a particular nasty bunch called the Marat, who have animals as their totems/elementals: horses, wolves, a vicious rhea/moa type bird called a herdbane. The Marat are also quite fond of eating their enemies, while still alive, of course. With a furious rush of storytelling, it’s a race to see if the farms and stead- holders will be warned in time to repel the invaders. But wait, there is more. Behind all the battles and invasions is a political power struggle as to who’ll rule Alera. Lots of double dealing and switched loyalties here. The “civilized” society in Alera is very much a Roman clone. Instead of an emperor they have a First Lord named Gaius Sextus. There are centurions and legionares (For some reason the word is always italicized, I guess because it isn’t spelled legionnaires). There is a River Gaul and a count of Aquataine. The names are a strange mix of made up names and solid normal ones like…Bernard. It’s an interesting hodge-podge. And perhaps in other books will discover the reasoning behind mixing in Romans and Latin with very interesting fantasy elements. Butcher apparently spends (or spent) a lot of time gaming, and it shows here in the very graphic nature of the confrontations, as well as the Volume 14 Issue 6 ConNotations Page 17 In Our Book ( Cont’d from page 17 ) The Prince Commands CENTRAL ARIZONA SPECULA- by Andre Norton Club TIVE FICTION SOCIETY, INC. Burden of Proof (CASFS) The non-profit corporation that Never heard of this? It is Andre puts on CopperCon conventions, by John G. Hemry Norton’s first novel, originally published SmurfCons, HexaCons, occasional ACE, $6.50, 293 pp Listings in 1934! Amazing...I just had no idea she regional cons, and publishes Con- had been writing this long. Or that she Notations. Best described as SF/F Paul Sinclair is a newly promoted ADRIAN EMPIRE A medieval and began her lengthy career with such a tale. generalists with a strong bent towards lieutenant jg. A tactical officer by renaissance recreationist club. Sword- preference, he had the misfortune of being This is, it’s just, well, just a charmer. fighting, arts, banquets, masquerades, literary SF/F. Guests welcome - meets at And happens to represent a genre I am 8pm on the last Friday of each month in sent to the ships legal officers course. So dances. meets every Wednesday night inordinately fond of. That would be the January thru September and the second in addition to his regular duties he gets the from 7-10pm at Encanto Park. All are joy of having the additional duty of ship’s romantic adventure, frequently set in a welcome. Free. Friday in October, November and made-up tiny flyspeck European princi- December at JB’s Restaurant, 2560 W. legal officer. Normally the extra duties of pality. Think: “Prisoner of Zenda..” “She” Indian School in Phoenix, AZ. Write PO a legal officer are time consuming but not Aerial Mirage Jugglers. Meets difficult. But when an explosion destroys “The Scarlet Pimpernel” “Captain Blood,” Wednesday 7-10pm in Encanto Park, 15th Box 62613, Phoenix, AZ 85082-2613 or and there’s “Beverly of Graustark.....” call Stephanie L. Bannon (602)973-2341 his ship’s forward power room and kills a Avenue, south of Encanto. No dues, Wait: you have surely heard of “Tarzan?” for information. Web www.casfs.org senior chief petty office many things everyone welcome. All levels skill exc- change. Evidence is suppressed and a (Okay so not all of these novels concern hange in many areas of object manipula- themselves with made-up principalities. C.R.O.F.T. Celtic Reenactment of cover-up is tried. But by whom? And how tion Dave Davis They are all romantic adventures that Fellowship and Trades is Phoenix based can Lt. Sinclair prove it? , 602-955- This is the first military sci-fi legal were extremely popular in their time.) 9446; or Ron Harvey Reenactment group specializing in the I take it you have never heard of most western European renaissance. As an org- thriller that I have ever read, and I , 602-863-0284 for of these. Pity, they are just so fun anization, it is our goal to promote felow- enjoyed it a lot. In fact I liked it so much I more info or impromptu juggling lost track of time while I was reading it Well, they were a product of their time sessions. ship while researching lifestyles and of course, the turn of the century...when trades concurrent with the Celtic Peoples and stayed up most of the night to finish everything was in foment and so much we from 400 BC until 1746 AD. Although it. Mr. Hemry has well developed, ARIZONA LANBASHERS LEAGUE engaging characters, an interesting story take for granted was new: electricity, A collaboration of computer gaming most members claim Scots, Irish or Welsh telephones, moving pictures, an-cestry and do Celtic re-enactment, it is line, and a plausible crime. I would enthusiasts, the Arizona LANbashers airplanes...Charlie Chaplin, Picasso, our intent to open participation to anyone strongly recommend this book. - William League throws quarterly LANparty B. Whitmore Isadora Duncan. A time of political events. Between parties, support is given with an interest in period crafting and upheaval and American Jingoism to local groups who wish to advertise their enter-tainment, no matter what his/her and...... I’ll shut up now and return to the own gatherings. We have no set genre of ethnicity. The sense of being a real village book in hand. “The Prince Commands” games and play anything from strategy surround-ing Croft is vital to promote a deals with an orphaned young boy named games to first-person shooters to driving/ feeling of family and fellowship which Michael Karl raised by a martinet of a flying simulations. No annual member- was a reality in earlier times. Croft is a guardian in the US. Michael Karl is really ship is required and admission to an event family-oriented and kid-friendly heir to a tiny principality called Morvania ranges from $5-$15. See our webpage for organization.C.R.O.F.T. members can be and when he least expects it, he is taken current events. Email: found demon-strating in events such as from his Spartan, militaristic upbringing [email protected] Web: http:/ the Highland Games, Scarborough Fair, Musty Tomes and thrown willy-nilly into a struggle for www.lanparty.com/all/ VoiceMail: 602- and the Arizona Renaissance Festival. the throne of Morvania between monar- 306-9339 Web page http://www.crofters.org chists and Communists. Michael Karl meets an American adventurer there who THE AWAY TEAM: The Away Team, THE DARK ONES (Dark-wunz) n. 1) I Want the Stars is not all he appears who takes up with the is a general sci-fi appreciation group that An organization formed for the expression by Tom Purdom Prince, saving him from assassins. The meets once a month for discussion of and exploration of various cultural themes with American appoints himself the prince’s various sci-fi news regarding several including, but not limited to, the Dark Demon’s World companion to Morvania. mediums to include: television, movies, Ages and the Renaissance through forms by Kenneth Once in the tiny Balkan country, there video, books, comics, magazines, collect- of art including, but not limited to, Bulmer, Ace Double, 1964 is the mysterious Black Stefan and the ing, and so forth. The meetings are painting, drawing, writing, photography, Werewolf and his wolf guard, a whole comprised of news, review and comment, spoken word, and acts of characterization. There’s this superpowered alien race that passel of evil Grand Dukes and palace BBS/computer news and help, meeting 2) a member of this organization. 3) Infor- goes around the galaxy, finding different conspirators. And whatever happened to new members, video presentations, mation available at www.darkones.org races of intelligent creatures, and keeping Urlich Karl, the real heir to Morvania? games, and socializing fun! Food and them on a planet. The name of the aliens Trust me, this is all High Drama and drinks are provided, via a $3 munchie fee DAYSTAR HOLT Arizona’s first and is the Borg. They take on a crew of really quite entertaining. (per meeting) to compensate the host. longest-running Elfquest fan club. Daystar earthmen who have been fighting a And the characters are pretty black (No other fees are involved.) The elec- meets to talk about EQ and related stuff, telepathic species called the Horta. From and white and earnest and....well, spunky, tronic home of the Away Team, is the develop characters, publish stories in our there the details diverge enough that plucky, etc. Lightspeed Space Station BBS at (520) ‘zine Playelf and create an annual probably no royalties had to be paid by You can read it quickly, it is only 255 325-6674.... Member ages for the group calendar. Other common interests include Star Trek producers. But is this in fact an pages. range from 13-40-something with both music, belly dance, camping and of overlooked source for the series? It was reprinted in March of 1983, male and female members. Other activi- course, SF. Membership is free (18 or The cover blurb says “were they cosmic which is when I first read it. My current ties include null-modem link gamefests, over) and is attained by group vote after teachers - or galactic plotters?” These copy I got on Amazon. It was worth the group theater movie viewings, convention you attend two meetings or holt-related Borg are ultimately the opposite of the few bucks for shipping. trips and more. Have sci-fi fun in a get-togethers. Meetings are usually the Trek Borg, so opposite that one might Now, if I could find one originally relaxed, low-structure environment. NO first Saturday of each month; for more wonder if mere reversal inspired the Trek published in 1934. - Sue Martin RUBBER EARS ALLOWED!! For info, call Tom or Janice at (602) 581- creation. questions, you can call the BBS, or write 2258. They have a website up at http:// Then consider Bulmer’s novel on the flip to: LSS c/o R. Martin; 2522 N. Sparkman members.home.net/jeanderson/ side. Its cover blurb is “crash landing on Blvd.; Tucson, AZ 85716 daystarholt.html no-man’s planet.” Inside we read “The Foragers had found him and brought him BASFA Local Tuscon science fiction THE EMPIRE OF CHIVALRY AND to Archon, now the Controllers were group that puts on TusCon. Contact us at STEEL, INC. The Empire of Chivalry teaching him.” Let’s see, that’s Borg, PO Box 2528, Tucson AZ 85702-2528 and Steel specializes in the general Horta, no-man, Archon, and Controllers. or [email protected]. recreation of the culture of the Middle How many name matches does one need? our website at home.earthlink.net/~basfa/ Ages inc-luding all of the Art Forms, Who says Hollywood writers don’t read? Events (Feasts, Tournaments, Ceremonies - Mike Griffin and Wars) and Combat Arts covering the ( Continued on page 19 ) Page 18 ConNotations Volume 14 Issue 6 Club Listings ( Cont’d from page 18 ) Horror film. PFFS has been in existence Bird of Prey, roaming the desert looking for 25 years, meeting every 6 weeks in for battle. Are the Fed’s too soft, looking years of 800AD up to 1650AD and any mem-ber’s homes. Dues are $10 per year. for combat, feel the call to glory. This is location within Europe or its explored Mem-bership includes newsletters, an the ship for you. Member-ship in the territories. For more information contact annual film awards and various outings. SFCOM is free! To join DSSF or the Sto- Bart Smith (Phoenix) (602)937-6995 or For information, contact PFFS, P.O. Box Vo-Kor a nominal fee for the national Leonard Bird (Tucson) (520)742-2432 34023, Phoenix, AZ 85067 or call David clubs involved and uniforms. For further Web: www.galandor.org Storck at (602) 274_7404, e_mail: information contact President John [email protected]. Nelson at (602) 409-7169 or on the HELLMOUTH CENTRAL, a new internet at; [email protected] or group for fans of Buffy the Vampire RAGE ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST check out our web site. http:// Slayer and Angel, as well as the charac- A Live Action Theatre Troupe based out www.thesfcom.com ters and actors who play them, is being of the ASU campus in Tempe, AZ. It is formed in Central Phoenix. For additional dedicated to the game Werewolf: The SFACE (Speculative Fiction And Com- info email [email protected] Apocalypse by White Wolf publishing. puter Enthusiasts) Phoenix College’s one Contact Mike McLaughlin at (602)461- and only connection to the worlds of THE JEDI KNIGHTS Meetings are the 5842 or write 1730 W Emelita Place speculative fiction, including science 3rd Sunday of each month. For more #2025, Mesa AZ 85202-3144 or fiction, fantasy, and horror as well as table information call Carol Alves, Publicity, [email protected] top, live action and internet gaming, (760)244-9593 or write Jedi Knights, c/o SFACE also serves as a guide through the Jim Lowerre, 12291 Meade Street, RAW GAMES (Role-players & Internet - both teaching basic use and Garden Grove, CA 92841-3629 Wargamers, Inc.) Role-players & utilizing as a source of speculative fiction. Wargamers, Inc. is the Valley’s oldest For more info contact Dr Ray Bromley at LEPRECON, INC. One of the two role-playing and wargaming club. bromley.ray@ a1.pc.maricopa.edu. The Phoenix area corporations that put on Currently meeting at 8159 W. Weldon in SFACE Web site is found at http:// yearly con-ventions. Best described as SF/ Phoenix every Sunday from 3pm-9pm www.pc. maricopa.edu/departments/ F gene-ralists with a main thrust into SF/F (except during conventions and other studentact/organizations/sface/ art. Guests are welcome. The meetings special events). Open to new members - are quarterly on the second Saturday of call (602) 849-9515. www.rawgames.org SHADOWKEEP BBS Intelligent Febr-uary, May, August & November conver-sation, awesome graphics, unless otherwise notified. August is the REBEL LEGION - JUNDLAND stupendous door games, unworldly annual meeting where board positions are OUTPOST The Jundland Outpost is a filebank, RPG forums, QWK message deter-mined. For more information, write small band of Rebels which form a part of system and online RPG BBS-mode-rated PO Box 26665, Tempe, AZ 85285; call the rapidly growing Rebel Legion. games! Our BBS is mainly RPG oriented Mike Willmoth, 480-945-6890, Email While it's main focus is Star Wars and we offer many services to GMs and [email protected] costuming, much like it's 501st counter- players. No fees neces-sary for users who www.leprecon.org part the Dune Sea Garrison, the Jundland post intelligent messages! $5 in credits to Outpost's mission is to brighten up the new users. Over 20 conferences and 10 MIB The Men in Black is the official lives of children and Star Wars fans of all doors to choose from! Shadowkeep BBS - organization of field operatives for Steve ages across the Phoenix Metro area and PCBoard 15.2/M - US Robotics 28.8 Jackson Games. They attend local con- eventually other parts of Arizona as well. Modem. Phoenix, AZ (602)245-0919; ventions to demonstrate and promote Members also make appearances with Connect at 2400-28800 products of Steve Jackson Games. The other Star Wars organizations as part also schedule demos in local gaming of a joint effort to help with Charities and THE SOCIETY FOR CREATIVE stores. If you have a gaming store or events around Arizona. ANACHRONISM The kingdom of and behind the scenes at local and convention that you would like to have If you have an event you would like us to Atenveldt doth lie in the state of Arizona. regional Science Fiction Conven-tion official Steve Jackson Games represen- appear at, please contact us at Within the fair kingdom can be found six masquerades. They meet on the last tation at, please contact the MIB Arizona [email protected]. Baronies: Atenveldt, Mons Tonitrus, Twin Sunday of each month at various mem- Cell Leader at [email protected] Moons, SunDragon, Tir Ysgithr and Ered bers’ homes in the greater Phoenix area. SAMURAI OTAKU ANIME CLUB Sul. For more information on any of these For details. Southwest Costumers Guild, ORANGE COUNTY SCIENCE The Samurai Otaku is a group of fans of or for general information on thy past PO Box 39504, Phoenix, AZ 85609 or FICTION CLUB meets last Wednesday anime, manga, and Japanese pop culture. tomorrows thou mayest contact Mistress Randall Whitlock at [email protected] of every month (except Dec.) We Meet-ings are held every Saturday night Myrddina o Dolwyddelan (Terry or www.southwestcostumersguild.org frequently have author guest speakers. at 6pm at Samurai Comics, 5024 N. 7th Schwartz) PO Box 584, Sonoita AZ You’re all welcome St.. Mem-bers discuss anime and manga, 85637 (520)455-5835 Email: SPACE ACCESS SOCIETY Space to come if you’re in the area. We meet in work on a web comic, discuss fund [email protected] www.atenveldt.org Access Society’s sole purpose is to Fullerton, about 5 miles north of Disney- raisers, and schedule club events. After promote radically cheaper access to space, land. For more details ph. Greg at [949] each meeting the club views selected THE SOUTHWEST COSTUMER’S ASAP. We think it’s possible within ten 552-4925 or send a message to our anime DVD’s and plays games. Open to GUILD The Southwest Costumers Guild years, with a little luck and a lot of hard listserve [email protected] new members. Contact Moryha Banks— is a loose organization of persons inter- work. Join us and help us make it happen! (602)265-8886, ested in all facets of historical, cultural, SAS membership is $30 for one year, PAReX is a non-profit, just for fun moryha!samuraicomics.com science fiction, fantasy, and humor which gets you emailed Space Access organization dedicated to the proliferation costume. Members are often seen on stage of robotics as a hobby. Monthly meetings SCIENCE FICTION CONTINUUM ( Continued on page 20 ) will be held and will be announced under The Science Fiction Continuum: An the Meeting Information page, http:// Independ-ent Star Trek and Sci-Fi club in What is CASFS? www.parex.org/meetinfo.htm. All Phoenix, AZ. The SFCOM is an active What is really behind putting on a convention? What the funds raised by a conven- interest-ed persons are invited to partici- club that participates in Local Phoenix, tion used for? Why not attend a meeting and find out? We’re the sponsor of pate. We are currently in the process of and South-western Star Trek and Sci-Fi ConNotations, CopperCons, HexaCons, SmerfCons and other conventions. We are getting organized and becoming an conventions and movies. The SFCOM has a charitable, non-profit organization that exists to further science fiction, fantasy official organization with tax status. Web three different divisions. The SFCOM and science fields in Arizona. CASFS currently meets at the JB’s Restaurant at page: http://www.parex.org/ E-mail itself, a free group where fun is the name 2560 W Indian School Rd in Phoenix (NW corner of I-17 and Indian School). The Contact: John Kittelsrud, of the game. The Deep Space SolarFlare meetings begin at 8PM and are held on the last Friday of the month Jan. Through [email protected] (DSSF) an active member club in the Sept. And on the second Friday of the month Oct through Dec. Everyone is invited International Federation of Treker’s (IFT). to attend two meetings as a guest (non-member). Membership rates are $12/year THE PHOENIX FANTASY FILM This group is based on DS9 (a space plus an initial $3 application fee and rates are pro-rated for the amount of the year SOCIETY A Phoenix based club interest- station). And the IKV Sto-Vo-Kor remaining. For more info Call: Stephanie L. Bannon (602)973-2341 Webpage: ed in the entire realm of SF, Fantasy and (Independent Klingon Vessel). A Klingon www.casfs.org email: [email protected] Volume 14 Issue 6 ConNotations Page 19 Club Listings ( Cont’d from page 19 ) T.H.E.M. is ASU’s science fiction and WESTERN SCIENCE FICTION LepreCon 31, PO Box 26665, Tempe, AZ fantasy club. Weekly meetings are held on ASSOCIATION (WesternSFA) A non- 85285, Phone (480) 945-6890, Updates the instant they pass final edit, the Arizona State University campus, with profit corporation that sponsors the [email protected] Web http// plus discounts on our annual confer-ence dates and places to be announced after the ConRunners seminars and is sponsoring www.leprecon.org/lep31 on the technology, politics, and busi-ness semester starts. For more information, the 2004 Westercon. Dedicated primarily of radically cheaper space trans- [email protected] to educational activities relating to Phoenix ConGames (Phoenix AZ) July portation, featuring leading players in the www.themonline.org literature, music, and visual and perform- 21-24, 2005 Hilton Phoenix East. For field. Email us at: Space.Access@Space- ing arts, especially in the genres of more info www.iceescape.com Access.org Web page: www.space- TUCSON FAN ALLIANCE E-Mail science fiction, fantasy, costuming, access.org/ Address is [email protected] or gaming and science. Applicants for HexaCon 15 (Tempe, AZ) August 507, [email protected]. membership in WesternSFA must be 2005 Tempe Mission Palms, Tempe, AZ, SUPERSTITION SPACEMODELING sponsored by a current active Gaming starts on Friday and runs 24 SOCIETY is Arizona’s club for builders USS STORMBRINGER The Storm- WesternSFA member. Dues are $10 hours until Sunday 4PM. Planned events of model and high_power rockets and bringer is a correspondence Star Trek fan yearly plus a $5 non-refundable applica- include RPGA, LARP, LAN Party, CCG, those who love to see them fly. Launches club chapter of Starfleet, Intl. based out of tion fee. General Meetings are held on the Battletech and much more. Also Anime are held on the second Saturday morning Tucson AZ. The chapter was commis- first Friday of February, May, August and and a full consuite. *THURSDAY of each month in Rainbow Valley. SSS sioned as the USS Stormbringer NCC- November, usually at the home of a EVENTS for pre-registered members hosts the annual G. Harry Stine Memorial 74213, attached to Division 31, Starfleet member. Guests are welcome. For more only include Barry Bard’s Movie Pre- Rocket Launch every October. Visit Covert Operations, on 10/31/98. As of 11/ info contact Craig Dyer at WesternSFA, views and Giveaways. Memb: $15 thru www.sssrocketry.org for membership 29/98 there were 32 members. There are PO Box 87457, Phoenix AZ 85082, (602) 12/31/04; $20 thru 6/30/05, Hotel: information, directions to the launches no dues other than the $15 for joining 973-2341, Email: [email protected]. Tempe Mission Palms, Tempe, AZ (800) and meetings, and to read the monthly Star-fleet Intl.. Members are scattered Webpage: www.westernsfa.org 547-8705 Room Rates: $91 S/D/T/Q, newsletter, “Newton’s Minutes.” world wide but the primary clusters are in Info: www.hexacon.org or 623-773-1816 Tucson, AZ and Plano, TX. They don’t TARDIS is a Phoenix-based General SF/ meet on a regular basis since they are a CopperCon 25 (Phoenix AZ) Sept 9-11, Fantasy Fan Club, specializing in Interna- correspondence chapter. Their web site is: Convention 2005 Embassy Suites Phoenix North, tional media SF/Fantasy since 1983. http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Vault/ Phoenix, AZ Guests Authors Greg Keyes, TARDIS meets every two weeks at 9505/ and their contact/CO is Capt. Dave Listings Robert J. Sawyer; GhostG. Harry Stine; different locations around the valley. Pitts, [email protected]. Music Escape Key Memberships $25 thru Activities include watching videos, 12/31/04, $30 thru 5/30/05 Hotel rates discussions, parties, fund-raisers, auc- Z-PHILES are the ariZona x-PHILES. $89 S/D, $99 T/ $109 Q (plus tax) (602) tions, games, camping trips and outings. We maintain a mailing list for news and The Sixteen Swashbucklers of Gallifrey 375-1777 CopperCon 25, PO Box 62613, We also maintain an active presence at get-togethers of fans of the X-Files living One (Van Nuys, CA) Feb 18-20, 2005. Phoenix, AZ 85082, Phone(480) 945- local conventions. TARDIS publishes a in Arizona. We get together in both the Airtel Plaza Hotel, Van Nuys, CA Guests 6890 [email protected], monthly inform-ative news-letter, The Phoenix and Tucson areas. To subscribe, include Nicholas Courtney, Caroline www.coppercon.org Index File, with a national circulation send an empty message to z-philes- John, Richard Franklin, Terrance Dicks, which is included with mem-bership. [email protected] Barry Letts, new series writers Mark Annual membership is just $12.50. You Gatiss, Steven Moffat, Rob Shearman, ATTENTION can contact us at 2243 W Wagon Wheel UNITED FEDERATION OF PHOE- Paul Cornell, plus David Gerrold, Marv Dr, Phoenix, AZ 85021, Voice Mail at NIX A Phoenix area Star Trek and Wolfman, Len Wein and more. Member- This may be your (602) 864-0901, E-mail TARDIS- general SciFi fan club. We are a social ships $50 to Dec 31, $55 to Jan 31, $60 at [email protected] or visit http:// club that meets every two weeks at the door. www.gallifreyone.com; LAST ISSUE www.primenet.com/~jgeorge/tardis.html various locations around the Phoenix area. Gallifrey Conventions P.O. Box 3021, of ConNotations. The UFP has been meeting for over 25 North Hollywood, CA 91609 TEKWAR FAN CLUB Sanctioned by years of continuous activity. Dues are the series’ production companies and the $15/per year prorated when you join; no ICE ESCAPE 2005, (Phoenix AZ) ConNotations updates it’s , USA Network! It is THE information restrictions. Membership includes March 18–20 2005. Author/Publisher mailing list each December. conduit between the fans and the series! membership roster and monthly newslet- Conventionat the elegant Wyndham Hotel Fan club membership will bring you the ter. Come to any two meetings at no in the heart of downtown Phoenix. More following 1) subscription to the info filled obligation. For information, write the UFP info www.iceescape.com If you have not attended a Tek Informer newsletter; 2) official at PO Box 37224, Phoenix, AZ 85069, or CASFS sponsored event in the TekWar Fan Club membership card and call Jim Strait at (602) 242-9203. Web AniZona (Phoenix AZ) March 25-27, kit. Membership is by regular mail only page: http://www.U-F-P.org or Email to 2005 Embassy Suites Phoenix North, past 24 months (2003/2004) and the newsletter and mater-ials will not [email protected] Phoenix, AZ Arizona’s First Anime and you are not a CASFS be reproduced electron-ically. To join the Convention Guests Colleen member you may be holding action and initiate your annual member- Clinkenbeard, Aaron Dismuke, Hide-san, ship, make check or money order out for and Katie Bair Memberships $30 until 1/ your last ConNotations issue. $12.50 to: Official TekWar Fan Club 1/05, $35 until 3/1/05, $40 at the door (Membership section), 2522 N Sparkman Hotel rates $99 S/D, $109 T/ $119 Q Subscriptions are available for Blvd., Tucson AZ 85716-2417 (plus tax) (602) 375-1777 www.anizona.org, [email protected] $15 for 6 issues. (No convention phone number or mailing Generic Convention Regestration Form address is listed on the web site) Some non-CASFS groups supply their membership lists LepreCon 31 (Carefree AZ) May 6-8, Name:______2005 - Carefree Resort, Carefree, AZ and purchase a bulk corporate Badge Name:______Science Fiction and Fantasy Convention subscritpion so their attendees with an emphasis on art Artist GoH Dave may receive ConNotations Address:______Dorman; Author GoH Kevin J. Anderson; Special Artist Guest Bear Burge; Music City/State/ZIP:______GoH Mitchell Burnside-Clapp. Local Currently these groups are: Phone:______Email:______Artist GoH Sarah Clemens; Room Rates$89 S/D, $99 T, $109 Q (plus tax Enclosed is $______for ______memberships for and $9 resort fee per room) (480) 488- WesternSFA - If you attended Westercon 57 you will receive ______convention. 5300 or (888) 488-9034 Memberships are $30 thru 12/31/04; $35 thru 04/15/05 ; Volume 15 Issues 1 thru 6 (See calendar for mailing address) Kids 7-12 half price, Kids 6 & Under More info on __ Masquerade __Art Show __Volunteer __ Other Free (with Adult membership) Write Page 20 ConNotations Volume 14 Issue 6