Science Fiction/San Francisco the Twice-Monthly News Zine for the San Francisco Bay Area
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Science Fiction/San Francisco The twice-monthly news zine for the San Francisco Bay Area. Issue 10 October 19, 2005 email: [email protected] Editors: Jean Martin, Chris Garcia, Jack Avery TOC Editorial Editorial................................................Jean Martin.............................................. 1-2 By Jean Martin Yaoicon preview ....................................Jack Avery ....................................................2 eLOCs ..................................................Chris Garcia.................................................3 It’s been a busy, but fun and productive, Westercon 60 in San Jose.......................Chris Garcia.................................................4 month since Chris Garcia and I took over Dragon’s Head Inn Haunted House ......Chris Garcia.................................................4 the reins of this zine from founder, Jack A Visit with Las Vegas Fandom .............Chris Garica............................................. 5-6 Avery. But last weekend was perhaps the Chainsaw Mafia Festival Preview ...........Chris Garcia.................................................7 busiest for me so far this year! I was pretty Silicon...................................................Jean Martin, Dr. Noe, Carole Parker...... 8-16 much all over the Bay Area (I drove back Ren Faire...............................................Jean Martin.......................................... 17-19 and forth from San Jose to Foster City, Sally Ride Festival..................................John F. McGowan................................ 20-21 Mountain View, San Francisco, Oakland Animagic I ............................................Brocas .................................................. 22-23 and Hollister) covering and participating LitQuake Lit Crawl...............................Jack Avery ............................................ 24-25 in several fan events ranging from science Rivendell Picnic ....................................Diane Rooney...................................... 26-31 fiction, to fantasy, to historical reenactment. Vitnacon ...............................................Andy Trembley..................................... 32-35 So you could say I was in several time Animagic II...........................................Consplayers.com.................................. 36-37 periods and worlds for three days… and I Fabulandia ............................................Jack Avery ............................................ 38-42 couldn’t have been happier! Victorian Ghost Stories .........................Jack Avery ..................................................43 Considering I just entered the realm Blog Watch ...........................................Chris Garcia...............................................44 of fandom less than a couple of years ago BASFA Minutes ................................................................................................. 44-46 Fan Resources........................................Jack Avery ............................................ 47-55 Calendar ...............................................Jack Avery .......................................... 56-101 Continued on Next Page 1 (through the Bay Area English Regency have quite a readership. One of my friends that I didn’t make Decompression, the Society, which hosts regency dances at told me that one of her friends told her after-Burning Man block party in San BayCon), I’ve come a long way. But I’ve that SF/SF was her favorite zine! Lots of Francisco, which I hear was a lot of fun. discovered that there is still such a huge people are impressed that we are close to However, the best part for me about variety of groups and activities in the 100 pages, and find our comprehensive being in fandom is not just the events San Francisco Bay Area that a newbie calendar section (courtesy of the brilliant and activities. It’s being with people who can be involved with. The diversity is Jack Avery who also does our layout) very are all just so nice, friendly, creative and mind-blowing and can be overwhelming. useful. intelligent. I keep saying this because it’s Fortunately, there are lots of overlaps Unfortunately, I missed the masquerade true! I’ve wanted to find kindred spirits among groups, and I constantly run into and the parties at SiliCon Saturday night and they abound in fandom. There’s a the same people at different events. because I had to go to the Lord of the Rings sense of community, and we all do what At SiliCon in San Jose last weekend (see Feast (see Diane Rooney’s fantastic coverage we do because we love it. I’m very glad to the section on SiliCon in this issue for a of the event in the pages that follow) in the be a part of this family, and feel privileged more complete story), where I participated Oakland Hills. I also left SiliCon early to be reporting on it twice a month. I look in a couple of panels, it seemed like I knew Sunday afternoon to go to the Casa de Ren forward to entertaining more of you in the half the people running or attending the Faire (see my article also in this issue). I was future with our zine, and meeting you all at convention. I also met a lot of amazing so exhausted driving back from Hollister an event or convention! people including fantasy author Diana Paxson, artist Phil Yeh, photographer Danny Low, and screenwriter Wanda Yaoi fans gather for Yaoicon 2005 Kyoushi no Houteishiki. Kurtcu (who was in the Star Wars or Star The convention will include panels, Whimpers panel with me). I also finally got Fans of Yaoi, a subgenre of anime workshops, a cosplay contest, and both to meet one of my co-editors, Chris Garcia, and manga that focuses on male- animated and live action videos. who said he was born into fandom (lucky male relationships, will gather at the Yaoi is intended for a female audience, guy!), and we brainstormed on the future Westin San Francisco Airport Hotel the and most attendees will be women, of the zine. weekend of October 28-30 for the fifth although fans of all sexes and persuasions I received a number of compliments annual Yaoi-con. are welcome. Because of the mature themes, from people about the zine all throughout Guests include manga creator Kodaka the convention is for those 18 and older. the weekend, and found out that we do Kazuma, creator of Kizuna and Kusatta Website: www.yaoicon.com Science Fiction San Francisco is released on the first and third Wednesdays of each month. All issues can be found at www.efanzines.com All articles and photos are copyright 2005 by the original creators. Used with permission. Science Fiction/San Francisco is a Backnumbers Press zine. 2 isn’t going to go away. I could almost see There were a lot of folks at Silicon who eLOCs a logical argument for having a NASFiC had certainly read SF/SF, and I got to talk every year regardless of the location of to many of them. My personal favourite part Peter Sullivan writes: Worldcon - it would then be up to the was when the head of the Con, Dann Lopez, respective voters to decide whether to was chatting with an Animation fan and he Yay for the return of Science Fiction/ combine it with Worldcon where possible mentioned us as the best thing going for BArea San Fransisco! or go elsewhere. But this would require a fandom. I told them I was one of the editors Lloyd Penney’s comment that definitive answer to the “What is NASFiC and they really wanted to know more. Getting fandom has come full circle, and that the for?” debate. Or, given that this is SF people involved takes time, but getting people media fans are now declaring other fandoms fandom we are talking about here, at least to read can be even harder. It seems like we’re apostate falls in the “Sad But True” category. some competing consensuses. making a stand to get both done! It mirrors some of the things I’ve read in Hope SiliCon went well for everyone Yeah, NASFiC is weird. I’m beginning British fandom of fanzeen fans or sercon who went - looking forward to the con to realize that there are parallels with Silicon fans feeling “elbowed out” at mainstream reports in a future SF/SF. as well. Some see it as a smaller, extraneous SF cons. That’s why publications like convention that doesn’t need to happen, that SF/SF, with its implied inclusive fannish the larger, more established cons are all we agenda, are so important. Chris Garcia responds: need. I don’t know if I agree, but if they were Broadening the contributor base of just trying to do the same things that the other SF/SF has got to be a good thing, and it’s Well, we’re glad to be back, Peter! I’m cons (WorldCon and BayCon) were doing heartening to hear Chris say that folks from firmly of the opinion that we’ll be around for I’d say no, they can go away. But Silicon has the various local fandoms are beginning to a long, long time. certainly broken out a bit, is more costume gather round. Although the calendar is There’s always been a lot of debate of and media driven than BayCon (which isn’t obviously the heart of the zeen, the “front the Sercon community. They’re even ridiculed a knock on BC at all) and I think there’s room half” is just as important even for Bay Area in The Enchanted Duplicator! I’m one of for both. NASFiC has yet to discover where it people I would guess. (As a non-Bay Area those guys who firmly believes that fanzines can change and make sense, but all it takes is person, I probably focus on the “front half” can be about more than just fandom but can one successful bidder with a great idea. even