Science Fiction/San Francisco Issue #53 October 24, 2007 Editors: Jean Martin, Chris Garcia email: [email protected] Copy Editor: David Moyce TOC News and Notes ......................................................Chris Garcia ........................................................................................................................................2 Letters of Comment ................................................Jean Martin..........................................................................................................................................3 Ten Types of Chocolate That I Expect Chris to Bring With Him on a TAFF Trip ........... James Bacon.............................................................................5 Editorial...................................................................Jean Martin..........................................................................................................................................6 A Vine Time at Vintacon.........................................Chris Garcia ........................................................................................................................................8 Garcia’s Magical History Tour................................Jean Martin....................................... Photos by Jean Martin............................................................10 SiliCon Fills Out the Doubletree.............................España Sheriff.................................. Photos by Mike Schweizer, conpix.net ..................................12 A Tale of Two Ren Faires........................................Jean Martin....................................... Photos by Jean Martin............................................................16 BASFA Minutes.................................................................................................................................................................................................................19 Bay Area Fannish Calendar ....................................David Moyce.....................................................................................................................................22 Science Fiction/San Francisco is the twice monthly news zine for the San Francisco Bay Area. All issues can be found at www.efanzines.com All articles and photos are copyright 2007 by the original creators. Used with permission. News and Notes By Christopher J. Garcia is out and there’s a lot of great discussion and with flying colors. Get well soon, big guy! Editor writing from the good people of fandom. There’s If you’re a tech nut, you should try and more talk about the most stylin’ Hugo statue of make it to the Vintage Computer Festival the 3rd Well, the October Convention rush just all-time, the 2007 Ultraman edition that Arnie and 4th of November at the Computer History happened and it was really good. There was and others seem to hate and I love along with the Museum. It’s a great event which will feature Conjecture down in San Diego which sounds folks that I tend to hang out with. Taral Wayne speakers and demonstrations, and will also give like it was a good time despite being small. I does a take-off on it with Astroboy that I think you a chance to see the wonders of the Computer had a great time at the first two and I’ve wanted looks really neat! History Museum. I’m running the Film Festival to go back ever since but timing has made it not There’s a new Chunga, though it hasn’t which will feature some great technology films. possible. The following weekend was SiliCon reached my mailbox yet. I’m excited because I You should come on down! www.vintage.org. and you’ve read about that and you’ll probably think it’s been nearly a year since we got one be reading more over the next issue or two. I had in our hands. Chunga’s one of the best zines a blast and I’m excited about next year. The final anywhere with some great writing and wonderful of the set for me was Vintacon. I have a review art, though I sometimes have trouble LoCing of that in this issue. them because it’s got such a different sensibility BayCon’s starting to get underway with than my FANAC usually allows. It’s weird that I the planning phase and things are looking good. can LoC eI or Prolapse all day long and Chunga Join our crew: And the run-up to Further Confusion is still sometimes stymies me terribly. going and it should be a great con. The hotel There are new Visions of Paradise and We are looking for writers to is sold out, so that means no BASFA party, but Busswabble up, too, though I haven’t read any cover local events, there will be plenty of other stuff going on for of them yet. There’s also a new issue of Joe certain! Major’s Alexiad, which is a fine piece of work. conventions, fan groups and There’s been action on eFanzines.com It’s the only zine in the world where you’ll get the fannish scene in general. again and it’s been good stuff. The Drink Tank monarchy news, SF book reviews, info from has maintained a weekly schedule since the the world of horse racing, and candy reviews Contact Jean Martin and Cocktail Issue and there’s been a lot of talk (from Johnny Caruthers, who happens to be Chris Garcia at about TAFF and racism and wrestling and the one of Chris Barnes’s nominators for TAFF, oh writing of Frank Wu. The latest issue is about and have I mentioned that I’m running this year [email protected] Science and features Frank Wu, SaBean MoreL and you should vote now and visit taff.org.uk?). and Robert Hole writing. Only in one zine will you find all of that! If you haven’t been reading Vegas Local SMoF and buddy of mine Michael Fandom Weekly, you’re missing out. Issue 101 Saladi had his hip replaced and came through Letters Of Comment John Purcell writes: the WorldCon’s site/host country — sure, that correct us. Well, allow me to input my 2 cents worth to doesn’t bother me — but it should not detract I’ve seen the commercials for this show the discussion on the design of the 2007 Hugo from the award itself. In my mind, that’s the a lot while watching Dancing with the Stars crux of the matter here, so future WorldCon Awards. (I’m currently out of sticky quarters, so (my current favorite TV show and the only one two Lincoln pennies will have to do.) committees should try to avoid this particular I watch religiously). I have to admit that I’m Although my reaction to the design was designer’s mistake. not as vehement as Arnie Katz and others, I Jean Martin responds: I just checked quite puzzled why the Cavemen from the Geico didn’t care for it, either. My initial reaction was, on the Internet to see what the award looks like. commercials warranted a series of their own. “Oh! That’s different,” followed by, “Who’s that Visually, I do like it. But I do agree that Ultraman Were they really that popular? I didn’t like those supposed to be?” Once somebody pointed out to is not quite recognizable and probably shouldn’t commercials at all. I haven’t seen the show yet me that it was Ultraman, then I got the reference, but I did read reviews of it and they haven’t been but I had first immediately recognized the smaller have been as prominent. Godzilla is more favorable. So it’s no surprise that it’s not going to representation of Mount Fuji. I freely admit to popular but the designer and group that decided not being an Ultraman fan — have never cared on the design probably didn’t want a destructive last. Not sure about the Chris Garcia connection. for it, to be honest — and I think the designer’s monster to represent Japan and instead chose a I think he looks more like a Hobbit (a rather tall idea to incorporate something Japanese into the superhero. Quite understandable. Mount Fuji one though) than a caveman and there is word base was fine. However, unless you are really that The Hobbit will finally be made into a movie into all Japanese stfnal thingies, Ultraman is does look quite dwarfed next to Ultraman and the rocket but then that could be based on forced with none other than Peter Jackson at the helm. not as recognizable as Mount Fuji. My personal Speaking of new TV shows, I’ve actually perspective. feeling is that the base design would have been checked out a few this season. I don’t usually Yes, it was distinctive, to be sure, and much better if Ultraman had been left off, with watch TV but there were several that caught my your listing of what recent Hugo bases have that small excellent rendition of Mount Fuji eye that had some sci fi and fantasy elements looked like was an excellent illustration of this remaining as a symbolic representation of Japan to them. Journeyman with Kevin McKidd from principle. Oh, well. Live and learn, I guess. and its culture. The Hugo Award is supposed to Rome is set in San Francisco. Kevin’s character Hey, Lloyd Penney: Already that be about the award itself — that shiny rocket, travels in time but he doesn’t know how and Caveman show is being talked about as being which each year’s Hugo must have — not about why. It’s got an interesting premise but so far one of the first casualties of the new television the host country’s biggest stfnal contribution. If it’s been plodding and dry. The people he helps season. I haven’t seen it yet, so I won’t pass that was the case, Godzilla would have been a aren’t all that compelling. It also is obviously judgment. This could be bad news for Chris better choice. not all filmed in San Francisco. He even lives in Garcia’s future in commercial television. As for Anyway. While I understand the the Victorian house that was used in the series Seth Briedbart, I’m not sure, but I thought he was rationale behind the design, I think it was indeed Charmed, which, as far as I know isn’t anywhere living up in the Minneapolis-St.Paul, Minnesota bad form to make Ultraman as big, if not bigger, near here. than the rocket. Each year’s base should reflect region. If anybody knows for sure, chime in and 3 Bionic Woman is a little bit more be David Tennant’s girlfriend), in the Marple to Chris and make sure he submits it to you intriguing but also on the dry side.