Fall 2000 ConNotations Volume 10, Issue 3 The Quarterly Science Fiction, Fantasy & Convention Newszine of the Central Arizona Speculative Fiction Society

grams that have revolted against their creators. In This Issue SF Tube Talk Other episodes will see the crew 24 Frames encounter a generational Klingon ship Movie News & Reviews by Lee Whiteside that has been travelling from the Alpha News & Reviews Quadrant to the Delta Quadrant for Star Wars Episode II Casting SF Tube Talk SF Tube Talk - 10.3 many years. Rumors about other epi- by Lee Whiteside ...... 1 sodes include Tom Paris getting the Star Wars Episode II began filming in 24 Frames...... 1 On the Star Trek front, there’s not Delta Flyer II into some sort of competi- Australia in late July and with that has FYI...... 2 much new news on the future of the tion ala the Pod Race in Star Wars come a lot of casting announcements CASFS Business Report...... 2 franchise. In speaking to the press during Episode One, Seven of Nine dealing with from the official Star Wars web site. As the summer TV Critics press tour, her and the Borg children's human reported last issue, Hayden Christopher AZ Pro News Brannon Braga said that he and Rick imperfections, Tuvok investigating will be taking on the role of the teenaged by Daryl Mallett...... 3 Berman were still in the “early conceptual crimes against Maquis crewmembers, Anakin Skywalker in the new Star Wars Musical Notes stages” of developing a concept for the and The Doctor dealing with the Delta movie. New actors with recognizable by Tom Tuerff...... 4 new Trek series, likely to debut late in Quandrant equivalant of an HMO! names are Christopher Lee as “charis- ConClusion...... 6 2001. “We want it to be ‘Star Trek’ at its B5 Letterboxed on SciFi matic separatist” and Jimmy Smits (L.A. In Our Book (Book Reviews).....14 core, but we also want it to ... change the There’s some news in regards to Law, NYPD Blue) will portray Sen. Bail concept to a radical degree,” Braga said. Babylon 5 and its moving to SciFi in Organa of Alderaan (Leia’s future Speical Feature “It’s not enough to plop another captain in late September. The series will be adoptive father). Other actors include a starship. Not to sound pretentious, but screened in letterboxed format, making Ayesha Dharker (Arabian Nights) as a The Dark Ones it’s got to be something that takes ‘Star regal leader, Temuera Morrison (Once by Chameleon ...... 10 Trek’ into the 21st century.”The new Were Warriors) as a bounty hunter, series is being developed for Paramount Marton Csokas (Farscape, Lord of the Convention & Fandom television with it not yet clear if the show Rings - Celebron) as a planetary leader, Club Listings...... 17 will be on a broadcast network (either Jay Laga’aia (Draco on Xena) as a UPN or CBS, both owned by Viacom now) security guard, plus many others in small Convention Listings...... 19 or via first run syndication. roles. We’ll also see other familiar Convention Registration Form.19 On the subject of the tenth Star Trek characters in their younger days, includ- movie, the official Star Trek web site ing Bonnie Piesse as Beru, and Joel Art Work (www.startrek.org) has reported that John Edgerton as Owen Lars, the couple who Logan (Bats) will be the primary screen- Sherlock...... 12, 16, 19 raise Luke on Tatooine. Sue Dawe ...... 16, 18 writer on the upcoming film. Other films Returning from the first movie will be that Logan has worked on include the Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan Kenobi, screenplays for Any Given Sunday and Natalie Portman as Padme (listed that Gladiator, as well as the original HBO way on the Star Wars web site, not as the movie RKO 281. Queen), Ian McDiarmid as Palpatine, movies. Reportedly, Connor is appearing Tentatively scheduled for a Thanksgiv- Pernilla August as Shmi Skywalker, more as a mentor to Duncan, as Sean ing 2001 release, Rick Berman recently © PTN Samuel L. Jackson as Mace Windu, Connery in the first film. Reprising their told the official Star Trek Communicator Frank Oz as Yoda, Anthony Daniels as roles from the TV series will be Peter magazine that the new movie will feature use of the live action footage filmed with C-3PO, Andy Secombe as Watto, and Wingfield as Methos and Jim Byrnes as “a very action-oriented story that revolves a wide-aspect ratio as glimpsed in the Ahmed Best as Jar Jar Binks. There’s Joe Dawson. Duncan must go up against around a remarkable villain. A higher opening credits. Kicking off Babylon 5’s lots more casting info and continuing Kell (played by Bruce Payne) who has percentage of this film will take place in move to SciFi will be that months edition production updates on the official Star quasi-supernatural powers and doesn’t outer space than in our previous films.” of the Sciography series featuring Wars site at www.starwars.com, as well care about The Game or the rules of the Voyager started filming its seventh and Babylon 5 on Sunday, September as fan sites like www.theforce.net. immortals. final season early in July. Thanks to a 24th.Babylon 5 will start running daily No real news on the Lord of the Rings Cinescape Online report on Voyager on SciFi at 7 pm ET / 4 pm PT on movies other than that production is The X-Men Movie producer Ken Biller, we have some hard Monday, September 25th. continuing in New Zealand until the end From Four Color to Wide Screen: An news on the new season. They'll resolve You may know that Jerry of the year. Occasional pictures of some Uncanny Experience some of the ongoing storylines such as “Garibaldi” Doyle is running for the of the sets have turned up on various fan By Shane Shellenbarger Janeway's single-minded quest to get her House of Representatives in California as web sites and a featurette was screened at crew home, the Tom Paris/B'Elanna the Republican candidate on a pro-space the San Diego ComicCon. Reports are I’ve been reading X-Men comic books romance, Seven of Nine's quest to regain platform. He’s also been working on that some filming is being done in remote on and off since they were introduced in her humanity, Harry Kim getting a chance setting up a Babylon 5 revival that locations where they have to helicopter in 1963. Professor Charles Xavier’s School to captain his own starship, and a revival would continue the story of Babylon 5, most of the actors and support crew. for Gifted Youngsters and the collection of the Starfleet/Maquis conflicts. We'll filling in the time between the end of The fourth (or is it the second?) High- of misunderstood adolescents who were also see another episode or two featuring Season 5 and “Sleeping in Light”.He lander movie finally has a firm release secretly mutants struck a cord in my pre- Reg Barclay and Counselor Troi, and claims many of the actors are interested date of September 1st. It stars Adrian pubescent heart and it remains one of my November will see a two hour movie and that Straczynski would still be the Paul (Duncan) and Christopher Lam- favorite Marvel Comic Book series. I featuring The Doctor when Voyager main writer. Time will tell if any of this bert (Connor) with the story continuing could identify with the anguish of being encounters a group of self-aware holo- ( Cont’d on Page 8 ) more from the TV series than the other ( Cont’d on page 13) Volume 10 Issue 3 ConNotations Page 1 FYI CASFS Business Report Who’s Who This Issue BOOK DISCUSSION GROUPS Faithful Reader, David Hungerford and Nick Schumacher. Editor: Stephanie L. Bannon We have two monthly book discussion June brought elections, and lots of I hope you’ll join me in congratulating Co-Editors: Craig L. Dyer & Sue groups going, one at Glendale Public each of them. Martin changes. I’m pleased to welcome new Graphics Editor: Craig L. Dyer Library on the first Thursday of each members to both procedural and board If you missed HexaCon 10, you missed Film & Video Reporter: Barry Bard month and another at Barnes and Noble positions. a great party—I hope you’ll make up for Staff Writers: Pam Allen, Barry Bard, in Metro Center on the fourth Thursday David Hungerford has taken up the it by showing up at CopperCon in Michael Griffin, Bob LaPierre, Daryl of each month. Upcoming books are: fearless leadership of the chaos of CASFS September. Unfortunately, Philip Jose F. Mallet, Shane Shellenbarger, Tom GLENDALE PUBLIC LIBRARY: 1st with his election to the presidency. Lee Farmer had to bow out because of a Tuerff, Lee Whiteside, Randall Thursday of each month Whitlock, Mike Willmoth Whiteside gets the notoriously cushy job serious illness in his family. Award- August 3: So You Want To Be A Wizard Layout & Design: Stephanie L. Bannon of Vice President. Brian Korn gets to winning author Poul Anderson has by Diane Duane Keeper of the Mailing List: Craig L. sign the checks as Treasurer. And yes, graciously agreed to step in as Guest of Dyer and Doug Cosper Sept 7: RedWall by Brian Jacques Honor. Please join us at CopperCon and Oct 5: The Naked Sun by Isaac Asimov I’m still frantically typing in the corner. Contributors: Chameleon, Pete Manly make him feel welcome. Labeling Crew for Volume 10 Issue 2: Nov 2: Wizard’s First Rule by Terry On the board side, Jeff George kept his Until next time, Stephanie Bannon, Robert, Sharon, & Goodkind seat on the board, and will be joined by The Frantic Scribe Elizabeth Barber, Frances Burns ,Craig Dec 7: Freedom’s Landing by Anne Dyer, Ray & Pinkie Gish, David & Angel McCaffrey (602)973-2341 What is CASFS? Hungerford, Bob & Lori LaPierre, Sue & Jo For more information on the Glendale Martin, Gary Swaty group contact Sue Martin at (623)939- If you would like CASFS to sponsor a What is really behind putting on a convention? About ConNotations: ConNotations is 7815 book discussion group near you, please What the funds raised by a convention used the fan published newszine of the Central contact Stephanie at (602)973-2341 Arizona Speculative Fiction Society BARNES & NOBLE METRO CEN- for? Why not attend a meeting and find out? INFORMATION LINE: For up to date (CASFS) an IRS-recognized 501(c)3 non- TER: 4th Thursday of each month We’re the sponsor of ConNotations, information on each month’s CASFS and profit organization. Circulation is esti- August 24: Officer Cadet by Rick Shelley CopperCons, HexaCons, SmerfCons and other fan sponsored sci-fi related events call mated at 4,000 readers for this issue, Sept 28: Harry Potter & The Goblet Of conventions. We are a charitable, non-profit Fire by J. K. Rowling (602)973-2341 and select option 7 for a primarily CASFS members and attendees organization that exists to further science of recent AZ sf/f conventions. Oct 26: Daughter Of The Blood by Anne pre-recorded message. fiction, fantasy and science fields in Arizona. Subscriptions: The newszine is currently Bishop NEW CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING CASFS currently meets at the JB’s Restaurant COLUMN - After many requests, we will sent free of charge to anyone who has Note: November and December discus- at 2560 W Indian School Rd in Phoenix (NW attended a CASFS or LepreCon sponsored sions will move to the third Thursday of beginning running personal type ads, so corner of I-17 and Indian School). The convention in the last two years and to all the month if you are looking for a fannish type room meetings begin at 8PM and are held on the CASFS members. Subscriptions are avail- Nov 16: Stardust by Neil Gaiman mate or have something to sell of fannish last Friday of the month Jan. Through Sept. able. Cost for a four issue subscription is: Dec 21: Lord Of Light by Roger Zelazny interest feel free to submit an ad. Cost And on the second Friday of the month Oct USA: $10/bulk, $15/First class; Canada & For more information on the Barnes & will be $5 for up to 25 words and 10 cents through Dec. Everyone is invited to attend two Mexico $15/First class or Europe $23/ Noble group contact Stephanie at for each word thereafter. meetings as a guest (non-member). Member- airmail. Raeuest rates for other countries. ship rates are $12/year plus an Copyright: Articles, fiction, photos and initial $3 application fee and artwork in this issue are copyright © of the rates are pro-rated for the author/artist and cannot be reproduced in amount of the year remaining. any manner without their written consent. If For more info Call: Stephanie no author or artist is credited the artwork or L. Bannon (602)973-2341 article is copyright ©of the Central Arizona Webpage: www.casfs.org email: Speculative Fiction Society. [email protected] Publication: Publications dates are cur- rently April, June, August & December. Publication date of this issue is 06/26/2000; mailing date is 06/31/2000 Advertising: ConNotations reaches approx. 4,000 science fiction, fantasy, gaming and horror fans throughout the Phoenix metro area, the Southwest and nationwide. Our ad rates are:Back cover/ $150, $100/full page; $70/two-thirds page; $50/half page; $35/one-third page; $25/ one-fourth page; $18/one-eigth page. More information can be obtained by contacting Stephanie L. Bannon, Email: [email protected] or [email protected] or Mail: PO Box 62613, Phoenix, AZ 85082- 2613 Phone or FAX; (602)973-2341 Submission Info: Writers and artists are encouraged to submit work for publication. 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Page 2 ConNotations Volume 10 Issue 3 Resolution; The Internet Everywhere Mock. And I will be GoH in September just published my novel Year Zero, and PRO NOTES Summit; The World Bank International at the Strannik SF Convention in St. the 300-copy edition is nearly sold out; by Daryl F. Mallet Conference on Credit Reporting, The Petersburg, Russia.” my U.S. agent, as usual, refused even to Procter & Gamble Innovation 2000 Trade Beverly Friend tells us, “I’m up to my try to sell it, so this is the one and only Hello from Tempe, Arizona again. It’s Show, The “Out of the Box” Pentagon- ears preparing the Academic Track for chance to see it. I recently completed a been a pretty nice summer here so far, Potomac Institute Brainstorm, SAP Chicon 2000, The 58th World Science collection of short stories translated from with almost enough rain to make us TechEd 2000 - Las Vegas and The Fiction Convention, scheduled for the French of Jean Lorrain, called happy. We had a nice Leprecon in Library of Congress Speaker Series (June Chicago over Labor Day Weekend.” See Nightmares of an Ether-Drinker. It’s Scottsdale, AZ, with John DeChancie as 2000).” http://www.chicon.org/ for more informa- under consideration at Ash-Tree Press, our GoH, Lubov as our AGoH, and From across the Pond, John Clute says: tion. for whom I’ll be introducing a collection Larry Vela as our Local AGoH, and “The only thing to report is I’m publish- Philip Kaveny and Dr. Janice M of stories by Vernon Lee. I also delivered Hexacon, the gaming convention in ing an SF novel next year…Appleseed, Bogstad, who was just promoted to Full the Brian Craig novel The Wine of Arizona, with Steve Jackson as the GoH. from Orbit/Little Brown UK, 2001.” Professor, are in the U.K. to present a Dreams to Games Workshop. I just got a The travel season has begun; I’m off to Paul Cook reports: “I have a main- workshop on “Internet Resources for quarter of a job (it’s 0.25 of a full-time Minneapolis/St. Paul for Diversicon and stream novel called Thinking of You, that Medieval Scholarship” for The Leeds post) teaching Creative Writing at King to visit friends and wolves, and then to will be available in September from International Medieval Congress, the Alfred’s College, Winchester.” Chicago for the World Science Fiction Xlibris Books (a print-on-demand largest such meeting in Europe. Bogstad Sean Alan Wallace says: “In late July, Convention. publisher). And I’ve just finished an SF will also be presenting on the work of a Wildside Press acquired from Philip The ever-gracious Brian Aldiss says: novel that will take me about another year Medieval Chinese woman’s poetry. Harbottle the title license to Cosmos “On Thursday, 29th June, I drove over to and a half to polish for my publisher. I Kaveny has been working, along with Dr. Books, a publishing company based the City of Reading (it is pronounced also am still writing classical music Elizabeth Anne Hull and Dr. Beverly jointly in the United States (through ‘Redding’). At the University of Read- reviews for amazon.com.” Friend, to develop an academic track of partner Wallace) and the United Kingdom ing, I was installed as an honorary Doctor New anthologies out or about to be programming for The World Science (through Harbottle). The Cosmos of Literature (D.Litt.). My presenter was published by Ellen Datlow include: Fiction Convention. Kaveny also made a inventory, including Fantasy Annual and Professor Edward James, the professor Black Heart, Ivory Bones (with Terri guest appearance on the syndicated titles by John Russell Fearn, Philip E. of history who also edits Foundation. He Windling)—the last of our adult fairy television show Midwest Book Review. High, E. C. Tubb, Darrell Schweitzer gave the assembled audience a lucid and tale anthologies (Avon); Vanishing Acts— The ever-delightful Louise Marley tells and many other British and American generous summary of my career. Interest- SF anthology on the theme of endangered us: Terrorists of Irustan just came out in authors will be published by Wildside ingly, he stressed the value of my critical species (Tor); A Wolf at the Door (with mass market reissue, and has been under the Cosmos Books imprint. work, in particular, Billion Year Spree, Windling)—a fairy tale anthology for 8- nominated for The Endeavour Award. It Wallace has been named Senior Editor for which challenged and changed thinking 12 year olds (S&S); The Year’s Best is also on the preliminary ballot for The Wildside Press and will select, edit, and regarding the field. For the occasion, I Fantasy and Horror: Thirteenth Annual Nebula Award and was long-listed for oversee all books in this line. In addition wore a silken academic gown of cream Collection (with Windling; St Martin’s The Tiptree Award, as well as being to science fiction, Wallace is working to and scarlet and a velvet academic hat. Press, August 2000). I bought Jonathan selected by Voya Magazine—a journal for expand the Cosmos Books line to include Champagne followed. My family were Carroll’s new novel, The Wooden Sea, as young adult librarians, which was a scholarly and reference nonfiction titles. present to support me. I am now slowly Consulting Editor for Tor. Also bought surprise!—for its Best-of-1999 List. My Wildside Press will release between 80 recovering from this event!” Congratula- Paul McAuley’s next two novels for Tor: new novel, The Glass Harmonica, comes and 120 books next year under the tions, Brian! Or, should I say, Dr. The Secret of Life is the first. I’m editing out in September, and signings and Cosmos Books name. Wildside Press, Aldiss? “SCI FICTION” full time for scifi.com. events will be announced at the end of the with more than 200 books released over David Brin reports: The “Out of Time” One original story a week and one classic summer.” She will also be appearing in the last year and another 300 under series of SF aimed for Young Adults reprint every other week.” Chicago for Chicon. contract, remains one of the leading (Avon Books) finished its first run with Artist Max Espinoza is “waiting to James A. Moore “sold another novel, print-to-order publishers in the science novels written by Nebula winners Nancy hear about my new play, and when a Fireworks, to Meisha Merlin Press. It’s fiction, fantasy, and horror fields. Its Kress, Sheila Finch and Roger McBride theatre will produce it.” tentatively scheduled for February or titles include books by such popular Allen.” Created and edited by Brin, they Know who has the most interesting life March of next year. Once upon a time, it authors as Anne McCaffrey, Alan Dean have won several awards and seem to be a on the planet? Alan Dean Foster. He was going to be printed by Borealis, but Foster, Chris Bunch and Mike Resnick. real hit with teen readers. Foundation’s says he’s “just back from three weeks in that was a while back. I’m currently Wildside is owned by best-selling science Triumph, completing the “Second Brazil.” He comments: “Look for working on another novel, Serenity Falls, fiction writer John Gregory Betancourt, Foundation Trilogy” and tying up many PepsiCo’s deal with Antarctica Beverages which is a sequel of sorts to Under the who has been nominated twice for World of the loose ends in Isaac Asimov’s of Brazil to result in a major ad campaign Overtree. But only in that one of the Fantasy Awards for his publishing work. universe, has appeared on several to sell Americans on the delights of characters makes a reappearance. ‘The Wildside Press can be contacted at P.O. bestseller lists. Startide Rising was guarana soda. Guarana comes from a Bedlam Anthology’ has been pushed back Box 45, Gillette, NJ 07933.” optioned by Paramount Pictures and small red berry, infuses a soda that tastes to early next year instead of October as Michael Whelan reports: “My output Mace Neufeld, producer of Hunt for Red like a slightly sweeter ginger ale, contains originally planned.” has been slowed quite a bit since I was October. “Interestingly, what’s really three times the caffeine in a comparable Artist Ruben Gerard is still creating diagnosed with prostate cancer last burgeoned lately has been my career as amount of coffee, and is the national soda new strips on his book featuring Penny March. I have been seeking alternate ‘futurist consultant’ and public speaker. of Brazil.” Interesting. Guarana, of and Wade. opinions and looking into my various I’ve done keynotes for several major course, popping up in other drinks, like Artist Martina Pilcerova sent me options over the past few months and this corporations lately, plus government Sobe and Arizona Brand. Foster contin- information that Istrocon, the Slovakian has taken up much of my time. [Michael] agencies whose leaders seem deeply—and ues: “While in the Pantanal, I fulfilled a Science Fiction Convention’s website can settled on Memorial Sloan Kettering intelligently—interested in possible dream of swimming with the giant South be found at http://www.istrocon.sk Hospital, where [he underwent] surgery future opportunities and failure modes. American otter (see pictures on my Joan Slonczewski has a new book, this May 18th. I’m looking forward to Recent public speaking events include: website: www.alandeanfoster.com).” Brain Plague, being released from Tor recovering as quickly as possible so I can The California First Amendment Coali- Regarding his writing: “Dirge, the Books in August. The topic is: “What if get back to painting! I currently have tion (September 1999); The Institute for second book in ‘The Founding of the alien microbes could give us whatever our five works in progress… Because of the the Future: Outlook Project Exchange Commonwealth Trilogy,’ was the June brains imagined—at a price?” above, then, I’m afraid I don’t have a lot (October 1999); The Association of hardcover from Del Rey. I will have Artist Scott Vaughn says he is “avail- to report. I’m painting mostly for the two Information Technology Professionals short stories in the upcoming anthologies able as a freelance illustrator in any galleries who sell my artwork: “Tree’s and “1984: Orwell & Our Future” at The Star Colonies, Far Frontiers, and subject, for personal commissions, and Place” in Orleans [Cape Cod] Massachu- University of Chicago Law School Warriors Fantastic, all from DAW Books. any erotic art.” See his website at: setts, and Glass Onion Gallery here in (November 1999); The Bar Association I’m presently working on a ‘Montezuma www.doitnow.com/~dalek7/scott.htm. Danbury, Connecticut...though I get in an Conference on Alternative Dispute Strip’ novel for Warner, titled Voiding the Brian Stableford writes: “Sarob Press ( Cont’d on page 12 ) Volume 10 Issue 3 ConNotations Page 3 you, that’s because it’s from a song called that makes one think of giant, tap- think he’s just in it to gross you out, Musical Notes “Carrot Juice is Murder,” by the Arro- dancing clams) and a Rocky Horror which is fine by me, too.) gant Worms, which Dr. Demento has cover. I’d love to hear an entire set by Performing on this disc are the cream of By Tom Tuerff been playing pretty regularly for the last these guys. California filk: Julia Ecklar, Heather ten years or so. While that version does Arizona’s own Leslie Fish checks in Alexander, Kristoph Klover, Kathy Well, folks, it’s summertime, and for not appear here, it’s covered quite nicely with two songs about leather and alien Mar, Leslie Fish and a bunch more. some reason, filk CDS are blooming by Clam Chowder, a three-person group abduction, and my favorite new filk act, Quite often, they’re singing parodies to everywhere, and creating quite a mess on who I guess you could call the “featured” Ookla the Mok, sing about Aquaman their own tunes, which adds to the fun. my spacious desk here at ConNotations act on this disk (they get four songs). It’s and the lack of bathrooms on the Enter- The whole thing is very well-played and world headquarters. interesting their songs all receive thun- prise. professionally recorded, kicking off with Don’t know if you’ve ever been here, derous applause by what sounds like A word to the folks at Kludge: if you “Acts of Parody,” a song written to but this entire magazine is written, hundreds of people. This is somewhat off- find yourselves doing a second printing, Katherine Faber’s “Acts of Creation.” designed and printed in a building putting when the next song rolls around fix all the typos! One performer, Bill This song is one of the highlights of the overlooking the Caribbean on a small and it sounds like the only audience for Roper, is also identified as “Bill Rope,” disc; a down home, guitar/banjo/har- private island off Jamaica. We’re all paid the next guy are three bored people in a Richard O’Brien’s name is spelled monica hoot. handsomely to sit around and write about bar across the way. wrong, and other little nitpicky errors Nobody appeals to me more than stuff, and the oceanside view from every One thing I’ll say about this album is kinda get in the way. someone who can write a great song office window is a definite plus. that it shows that when filkers really want Otherwise, this one is definitely worth about a splattered cat. Kanefsky is now As I type this, I’m sitting in the nude on to impress people, they’re as good as any your money. my friend for life, after having written the beautiful white sands watching “Rude other performer in any other type of So, too is “Roundworm,” (three-and-a- “Nobody’s Moggy Lands,” a parody of an Boy,” my hired rasta, trick the tourists musical genre. This CD almost sounds half stars out of four), from Prometheus Eric Bogle song. It is sick, it is crude, it out of their last 20 bucks. like a song contest. Everybody’s perform- Music, but there is a caveat. is wonderful. Anyway, with the scenery as nice as it ing at the peak of their abilities, and This CD is the brainchild of Bob Not to be outdone, Kanefsky also sends is, it would normally be tough to break when they don’t have much ability the Kanefsky. Like a lot of filkers, Bob up Mar’s song “Velveteen,” turning it away and write about CDS at a time like writing is still right up there. Producer writes parodies of other people’s songs. into a song about necrophilia, as observed this, but hey, that’s what they pay me six Dorsey has a good ear for finding good What sets Kanefsky apart is that he writes from the point of view of the victim. Very figures for. songs and great performances. filk songs based on other people’s filk nice. I’ve got two CDS here, and both are The aforementioned Clam Chowder is songs. So going in, you get the feeling If you need a laugh, by all means pick worth your attention. quite a find, although soprano Chris that you’re about to listen to a 60-minute this CD up. You can get it at First, there’s “Screams of the Veg- Patterson is a bit overwhelming at times. private joke. Fortunately, Bob K. doesn’t songworm.com if you can’t wait for the etables” (three stars out of four), a Together, though, they sound quite a bit let that happen. next con to roll through. “various artists” collection assembled by like the Weavers, with Patterson their While each of these songs are indeed Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to mix Scott Dorsey for Kludge Audio. It Ronnie Gilbert. They have a great parodies of well-known (to some) filk up the margaritas for the staff meeting. features 17 songs from 10 different variety of tunes, too - in this bunch we get tunes, each one stands on its own, so if See ya later. artists, recorded at different times and the one about veggies, a madrigal about you’re not familiar with the song being Tom Tuerff is a Phoenix-based writer (rather obviously) in different rooms at lawyers, an old English fighting song (the spoofed, it doesn’t matter. You will still who writes about filk for ConNotations WorldCon in Baltimore, 1998. percussion is a bit too close to the mikes get a laugh out of it, which is what whenever anybody is brave enough to If the title of the CD sounds familiar to on this one, causing a rather odd sound Kanefsky wants. I think. (Sometimes I send him a disk. You can write to him at [email protected]. Book Crazy Radio KCTK 960 AM Saturdays at 12 noon

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Page 4 ConNotations Volume 10 Issue 3 Volume 10 Issue 3 ConNotations Page 5 historian. He was scheduled to arrive pack up the bid stuff for the party. We for about an hour before rotating back to ConClusion Friday sometime after Bob & Lori, but arranged with Jane & Scott Dennis, Fo’ our normal positioning. Site Selection instead came in Saturday due to a Paws, to take us to the condo with empty closed at 5PM along with the Dealers Conolulu: The 53rd Westercon problem with his airlines. So, when Bob luggage and wait for us to load them with Room. We packed up our stuff and A Review, by Mike Willmoth & Lori arrived Friday afternoon we party supplies. Before we did that we headed up to the suite where John & oriented ourselves to the area, investigat- took our stuff upstairs (upelevator, Ruth were staying. Bruce & Elayne Westercon is the West Coast Science ing which stores were nearby (a 24 hour actually) and emptied them out. Scott joined us whereupon we opened the ballot Fantasy Convention. This year’s grocery was 2 blocks away) and even drove us to the condo, we filled our bags box and began to sort votes. It became Westercon (#53) was in Honolulu, visited the con hotel. I picked up my with food and beverage, then had him clear pretty early that we had lost the bid. Hawaii, and was known as Conolulu. It badge while Bob & Lori had to wait to drive us back to the Sheraton. 6 blocks By the time we had tallied all the votes, was run by a couple based in San Fran- process their transfer memberships. on foot with food and drink in luggage we did lose. There were 198 ballots cast. cisco (the Daugherty’s) who thought it That’s when we found out that there was was not my idea of fun. Thanks again, 2 were invalid (no known memberships would be great fun to hold a Westercon only a single track of programming! We Scott! We set up for the bid party which in Conolulu, 1 for each bid). 2 voted for there. A majority of voting fans agreed also heard that only about 200 fans would was starting at 9PM. The bid stuff was No Preference, 1 for Roswell and 1 for when in 1998 Honolulu defeated Phoenix be at-con, making this Westercon about mostly on a table as folks entered the Chico. LA got 112 while we got 80. for the bid to hold the 2000 Westercon. It the smallest on record. I introduced Bob party while the chips, salsa, casserole, They got more than half. We congratu- was held Saturday July 1 through & Lori to the Site Selection folks and the margueritas, and sodas were in the living lated them and offered to sell our party Tuesday July 4 at the Sheraton Waikiki Dealers Room folks and our competition, room area. We even used the posters for supplies to them for half rate. They Hotel on Waikiki Beach. Bruce & Elayne Pelz, from Los Angeles. table cloths on the coffee table and dining graciously accepted most of our stuff. We Guests-of-Honor were Author Dan We were shown to our bid table, next to room table. I ran downstairs then visited Con Suite to give them what Simmons, Artist (Photographer) Ctein LA, in the Dealers Room. There were (downelevator) to the Opening Ceremo- we had left, but they also refused the and Fan John Lorentz. John was also only 7 dealers scheduled and the Art nies taking place on the lawn. It was margueritas. The Dennis’ gratefully on staff with his wife, Ruth Sachter, due Show, Ctein’s Photography Exhibit, was catered but all the food was gone. Drinks accepted them and we were free to to the last minute work requirements of at the rear of the room. Site Selection were via a no-host bar. Suddenly, the mourn. Down on the second floor we another group of Portland, Oregon, fans, was across the room from the bid tables hotel brought out more food. I managed commiserated together until some who were scheduled to handle Site and next to the Boston in 2004 Worldcon to fight my way to a few chafing dishes supportive fans came by to thank us for Selection (voting). Although the Chair, bid table. Next to us was the Seattle in and taste the salmon appetizer along with our efforts. They gave us some advice Kathryn Daugherty, insisted that John 2003 Westercon bid table. We wandered some other things which I never figured from their perspectives. We then left to not do any work, he insisted that it was down the floor to find the programming out. When I spotted Bruce & Elayne I do dinner and crash. no trouble. John was the one who rooms before heading out to dinner. hung out with them for a bit. Bruce Some more events that we didn’t attend stepped in at LoneStarCon 2 (1997 Saturday morning we hit the beach and mentioned that Conolulu should start a due to the bid were: Dan Simmons Worldcon in San Antonio, TX) and went swimming before diving into the new award in honor of the guests and call Reading, Mars Pathfinder: A Status streamlined registration so that folks con activities. Once we got cleaned up it the locust award. I had to laugh as Report, Simmons GoH Speech, Ctein’s could get their badges earlier than the we visited the grocery store nearby and that’s exactly what it looked like when Art - A Closer Look, Costuming Far original system could. bought supplies for the bid party that fen moved on the food dishes. I returned From Home. The Sheraton Waikiki was right on the night. I was amazed that we could fit the to the party suite whereupon we headed Monday was a long day. We were still beach. The function space used for the 3 of us and 2 grocery carts into our out for a quick bite of food. We returned mourning our loss, but satisfied that we con was on the second floor with Regis- condo’s elevator. After unloading in the in time to open up and I talked for 2 did the best we could. Lots of attendees tration next to the Dealers Room / Ctein kitchen I took the carts back and we straight hours. We had lots of folks come congratulated us for doing a great bid. Photo Exhibit / Fan Tables in the Kauai began to prepare what we needed. I by the party and we outlasted LA’s party John & Ruth encouraged us to go for Room and the Maui Room, which housed cooked a southwestern dish, tamale pie by 30 minutes. However, due to the small 2004. The Pelz’s did the same. So did Regency Dancing / Locus Awards casserole, for eating or dipping. Bob number of attendees we still had ½ of our the Chair of Conolulu. I attended the Banquet / Masquerade. On the other end made salsa from fresh ingredients. While supplies remaining. Well, if we won the Westercon Business Meeting where the of this floor were the Programming rooms he finished up and waited for my casse- vote we wouldn’t have to buy much. I let voting results were made public officially. which housed the Convention Office role to finish baking Lori & I headed for Bob & Lori stay in the suite while I Bruce announced that their convention (ConOps) and a couple of rooms for the con with luggage full of con-related returned to the condo to crash. would be known as Conagerie, It’s A regular programming. The Con Suite stuff. We reached our bid table and Some of the events we missed due to Jungle Out There. They then moved on was located on the 31st floor and over- began to set up. I sent her over to site our schedule included the History of to regular business. The Westercon looked the bay, Waikiki Beach and selection while I organized the maps, Westercon, What’s It Like To Be A organization dropped Sturgis’ Rules of Diamond Head. brochures and booklets we brought. Writer In Hawaii, 1999 in Review, Order to return to Robert’s Rules. They After losing the vote for 2000 the Besides a laminated Cassini: A Status Report. officially thanked the Daughertys for Western Science Fiction Association layout map of the Sheraton Mesa Hotel Sunday was the big day. It started with their efforts in a successful convention in regrouped and bid for 2002 Westercon. and the Mesa Convention Center (our bid a formal bid presentation as part of the Hawaii, but stopped short of asking them One month out from this year’s site) we also had maps of the Phoenix schedule. John Lorentz gave Bruce and to do it again, this time on Maui. There Westercon the Bid Chair, Pat Connors, area and Arizona. The Mesa & Phoenix me 15 minutes each and then we’d move were also lots of other boring details that had to resign due to health reasons. I was Convention & Visitors Bureaus had on to questions from the audience. Bruce I will leave for the reader to research. I elected to take his place and headed the loaded us down with literature to con- started and I finished. I had lots of missed Hugh’s Soviet Space Disasters, team going to Hawaii to present the bid to vince folks that we were a real destina- answers up front, visual aids, etc. Bruce but had seen it at numerous cons. I the fans there. The team going also tion. Bob & Lori bought some cactus didn’t. We then fielded questions. What would have liked to see Is Electronic regrouped and I was joined by Bob & candy that we set out to snare fans. They restaurants are nearby? How about Publishing The Wave Of The Future Or Lori LaPierre. Lori is originally from also bought a stuffed Kokopelli to display stores? How much does parking cost? The Death Of Publishing, but the title Hawaii and this trip also gave her an on our table. I met up with the Facilities Our bid smoked LA’s on just about was so long that it was over by the time I opportunity to get together with her Director for Conolulu who handed me everything but temperature. After it was finished reading it. I did catch the family again after the bid was over. Bob two room keys for the party suite. The over I had many fans come by and Upcoming Worldcon bid presentations. & Lori have plenty of food & beverage convention was kind enough to give each congratulate me on doing a great job, Chicago (2000), Philadelphia (2001) and experience at local cons, so I felt confi- bid a free night in a suite for a bid party. better than LA. I thanked them and San Jose (2002) had representatives to dent that we could host a great bid party. This helped out greatly in keeping our asked for their votes. Most had already give quick summaries. No one was I left for Honolulu on the Thursday costs down for the party! voted for us. I returned to the bid table present from either 2003 bidder (Toronto before the con. We had arranged for a After chatting with quite a few fans the and relieved Bob. After he got some or Cancun). Boston was there for 2004, condo near the hotel which would handle Dealers Room closed. Bob arrived in things done he relieved me so I could but Charlotte wasn’t. UK had a rep for the 3 of us and a friend of mine from time to put up party flyers and help us relieve Lori at Site Selection. I was there 2005 and announced that they will be Canada, Hugh Gregory, a space flight (Cont’d on page 7 ) Page 6 ConNotations Volume 10 Issue 3 ConClusion (Cont’d from page 6 ) departure. I returned home Thursday ing out alternatives to get there I discov- figure out where we had seen each other morning, had lunch with my wife who ered that flights to Albuquerque were before. I think we concluded that it was bidding for Glasgow again, but as a UK picked me up at theairport, and went to much less (~$100) for a 1 hr flight. Since Baltimore’s Worldcon (Bucconeer) in bid. There were also rumors about Japan bed to get some sleep. we’d have to rent a car either way we 1998. Another fellow was from Tempe for 2006 and Melbourne for 2007, but no So, who else was at the con besides decided to fly to ABQ and then drive 450 covering the event for an online horror e- reps were there to either confirm or deny. those already mentioned? Steve Forty, miles to DEN. We flew up on the day zine that I can’t remember the name of. We know LA wants 2008 Worldcon (year Fred Patten, Larry Niven, Fred before the con only to find my luggage One woman had been walking the floor at of the rat, again). Duarte, Janice Gelb, G. David Nordley, missing. I chose the earliest flight on Comic Con in San Diego last year or so, After dinner the Masquerade started up. Charlie Brown, Gardner Dozois, David purpose so we could get an early start and was spotted by a director, placed in a This was a very unusual Masq. It started Hartwell, John Hertz, George R. R. play tourist on the way north. Unfortu- movie and ended up helping to produce out with tacky gifts on display followed Martin, Jerry Oltion, Tappan King, nately, we had to wait until the next flight it. She now helps make independent films by a contest where the audience picked Beth Meacham, John O’Halloran, Ben from Phoenix to retrieve my luggage. The of horror for a non-profit organization. I which one they thought the most tacky. Yalow, Tom Doherty, Saul Jaffe. Lots nice man in America West baggage then spotted the Chair of next year’s From there we held the tacky shirt of others not on the program like handling was kind enough to give us WHC in Seattle, Paul Carpentier, and contest, including one Hawaiian shirt of Phoenix’s own Eileen Phillips and Joe lunch vouchers so we enjoyed a fine found out how things were going for red and white with a target on the back Bethancourt, Seth Breidbart, Jordan Mexican food meal there in the airport them. I managed to obtain my badge, pick (Star Trek theme). Once the show got Kare and Mary Kay Kare. It seemed a for very little out-of-pocket money. The up my Program Book, Pocket Program, started there were only a few entries. The lot like a SmofCon, not so much as a car was upgraded to a full size including hotel floor map, attendance list and other funniest was Babylon 5-O with Centauri Westercon. Considering that the last 3 a GPS system, which was fun to play with handouts before wandering back to man and woman in Hawaiian shirts, Westercons have averaged 1500 attend- and came in real handy in getting around volunteer some more. Minbari in same and Kosh fully decked ees, this one was really really small. But downtown Denver. The hotel was interesting. There were out like Steve McGarret from Hawaii we had fun nonetheless. We just didn’t It took us about 8 hours to get there, but two halves across the street from each Five-Oh. It was pretty funny. LA hosted win the bid for 2002. we made a stop at Castle Rock to visit the other. The eastern half had all the their victory party in Consuite tonight, so Next year the Westercon will be in outlet stores. Sony had a store there and function space for the con (which was a we made our appearance and congratu- Portland. Then Los Angeles. Seattle we had hoped to find a refurbished digital fraction of the total available) while the lated them again. We received further seems to be the only bidder for 2003 at camera we were interested in, but to no western half had the Hospitality Room. encouragement for bidding 2004 and this time. And we’re interested in 2004. avail. We also opted to stay at a motel They were connected by a bridge on the thanked them all. We then left for the Maybe someone else is, maybe not. We’ll rather than the convention hotel due to 2nd floor over the street. Registration was condo. see. the cost. Once we got into town I punched south of this bridge in the foyer along The final day of the con we hit the in the address and the GPS led us right to with the freebie tables. East of reg was beach again. After cleanup Bob & Lori World Horror Convention 2000 Review it, even speaking to us which way to turn the ballroom where Opening Ceremonies decided to hook up with her parents, so I By Mike Willmoth and so on. After checking in we back- was held that evening as well as the Mass went to the con for the last events. I tracked to find a Cajun restaurant we Autographing Party, the HWA Bram missed the Kathy Oltion Reading, What This year’s World Horror Convention spotted on the way in, Pappadeaux, which Stoker Awards, etc. Next door was the Are Editors Actually Doing?, How Much (WHC) was held May 11-14, 2000, in closed 5 minutes after arriving. However, Dealers Room with mostly book dealers, Good Do Writers’ Workshops Do? and Denver, Colorado, at the Adam’s Mark they were nice enough to serve us despite but some jewelry, clothing, etc. I was caught the last event as it was ending, Hotel downtown. Guests-of-Honor our tardiness. tempted to buy some collectible science The Year In Review In Space with Ctein, include Dan Simmons (Toastmaster), Thursday of the convention we traveled fiction books, but decided to keep Hugh Gregory and Bridget Landry. Harlan Ellison (Grand Master Award), around downtown to orient ourselves. We expenses in line and resisted. Afterwards I grabbed Hugh and we hit Peter Straub (past Grand Master found the hotel, the big shopping mall Upstairs from this was the Silver Room the buffet at the hotel for lunch. It Award), Melanie Tem & Steve Rasnic (Cherry Creek Shopping Center) and the where some programming occurred with overlooked the ocean, the pool, and the Tem (Writers), J. Michael Straczynski Tattered Cover bookstore across the audio/visual needs. North of the bridge bikinis. Lunch in Hawaii was truly (Media), Graham Joyce (Overseas), street. It was 4 stories of heaven. If you were the three smaller rooms for pro- paradise. Since he was heading out that Rick Lieder (Artist) and Ellen Datlow ever make it to Denver you should visit gramming including readings, Green night we said our goodbyes to the con (Editor). Other participants include C. this marvel. We had lunch nearby at the Room and Art Show. In the other tower folk and went back to the condo. Bob & Dean Andersson, Randy Ashburn, Canyon Café before I was dropped off at was Hospitality on the 8th floor and was Lori were just leaving with her parents, Lawrence Barker, Trey R. Barker, the con hotel. Once inside I found quite good food-wise. I understand that so I got to meet them. They were staying Jennifer R. Baumer, Steve Beai, Jean- virtually nothing open, but many areas the same woman ran it as at until Friday while I was heading out late Daniel Breque, Phil Brucato, Denise M. being set up. I stuck my head into Green MileHighCon. I got to meet her while Wednesday. Hugh took off and I had the Bruchman, Edward Bryant (Chair), Room, which was used as a volunteer helping unload her car to transport condo to myself. I left a message for a Michael R. Burns, P.D. Cacek, Carnell, center, and asked if they needed help. I supplies upstairs. I never got to eat at the friend from online hoping to hook up Darktales Publications, Dawn Dunn, was directed by Thea to lend a hand in hotel otherwise or partake in the lounges, with before I left, then went out to eat. I GAK, Cindie Geddes, Mark Graham, the art show next door. Once there I but I did take a look around over the hit Con Suite one more time for good Christie Golden, Rain Graves, Paula assisted in them setting up the art panels course of the weekend. measure and found our margueritas Guran, Rhias K. Hall, Chad Hensley, and got to tape down plastic trays over The con got started in the evening with there. It seems the Dennis’ couldn’t Michael T. Huycks Jr., Charlee Jacob, the buffet counter holes for a work area Opening Ceremonies. I had to leave in finish them off, either, so they gave them Brian Keene, Seth Lindberg, Perianne and office. From there I went back into the middle of it when my wife arrived to to Con Suite. I ate and chatted with fans, Lurie, Anya Martin, Mark GR and folded name placards. They were pick me up. We then did dinner and I a group of us watched Alpha Centauri McLaughlin, Philip Nutman, Stewart having trouble printing new ones, so I dropped her off at the motel to return from the balcony, spotted turtles in the O’Nan, John “Jack” Passarella, helped get that going before the black ink later in the evening to the con hotel. surf (before sunset). I even caught the Garrett Peck, John Pelan, Tom cartridge ran out. We shifted gears and I Other events that day were Outside the fireworks on the western end of Waikiki Piccirilli, John R. Platt, Ken Rand, Joel ran next door to art show to print the rest Envelope: Magic Realism, Neo-Gothic, & by walking through the hordes that S. Ross, Wayne Allen Sallee, Darrell as needed. As a side benefit I made Beyond; An Hour with GoH Ellen descended on the beach. Schweitzer, Bill Sheehan, Margaret several new friends, several from Denver, Datlow; Hillbilly Horror!; readings by On Wednesday I managed to meet up Ballif Simon, Thomas Strauch, Lucy one from Fort Collins, CO, and one from Hodge/Streeter/Golden/Kasturi/ with my friend from online, a native Taylor and John Wooley. Atlanta, GA. Lebbon/Christian/Bruchman/Jonas/ Hawaiian whom I had never met before, When planning the trip to Denver Once things settled down I headed over Hyde; Halden Wofford & The Hi- and she gave me a tour of Oahu before earlier this year we talked about driving to registration which began to hand out Beams (live music and dance); Morbid heading to the airport. It turns out she up, then decided to fly. Unfortunately, badges and sell memberships. Rather Curiosity Open Mic; and Late Night w/ had a lifetime membership in the Red any flight from Phoenix to Denver was than wait in line all that time I sat down Ed Bryant. I spent some time in Hospi- Carpet Room of United airlines, so we extremely high (~$400 direct, ~$300 and chatted with some pros. One, Ken tality, then the Hyde reading before hung out there and chatted until my puddle jump) for a 2 hr flight. In check- Rand, was very nice and we tried to (Cont’d on page 12 ) Volume 10 Issue 3 ConNotations Page 7 SF Tube Talk ( Cont’d from page 1 ) Trachtenberg, a 14 year old actress most Witchblade on TNT famous for her lead role in Harriet The Debuting on Sunday, August 27th on comes to pass. Spy and as Penny in Disney’s Inspector TNT will be the Witchblade pilot movie X-Files Mulder Lite Gadget movie. She will be playing based on the Top Cow comic book series. With the formal renewal of The X-Files Dawn, a teenager with psychic powers It stars Yancy Butler as New York comes varying reports on how many who gets involved with the Scooby Gang detective Sara Pezzini who obtains an episodes David Duchovny will actually and is a little sister of sorts to Buffy. She ancient, intelligent, living weapon called appear in as Fox Mulder. Some rumors also develops a crush on Xander. But the Witchblade. Also starring is David are that he would appear in the first don’t be afraid that she’s there just for the Chokachi as detective and former surfing couple of episodes of the new season cute factor, according to Joss Whedon in king Jake McCartey, Eric Etebari as the starting in November and then disappear Entertainment Weekly, “The WB mysterious Ian Nottingham, Anthony until February sweeps. Others are that he certainly didn’t say, ‘Can you add a Cistaro as the enigmatic billionaire © Scifi won’t appear at all until then or that any moppet? Everyone likes a moppet! Dawn Kenneth Irons, and William Yun Lee as early in the season appearances will be of is not there to be cute and cuddly.”As to Sara’s partner, detective Danny Woo. The series up for the full season order of 22 the flashback type. what the overall storyline of the season movie deals with Sara’s coming into episodes. If you don’t have SciFi, you can In the meantime, Scully wil have to go on will be, there’s not much to report. contact with the Witchblade for the first still catch the series in syndication, without Mulder. Since she and Skinner Over on Angel, we’ve got the surprise time and her experiences as she learns running on stations covering 75% of the are now pretty much believers, if reluc- reappearance of Angel’s sire, Darla, about it and learns to use it. Irons is country with the episodes being two-three tantly, the show obviously needs a non- during the season finale. Expect to see obsessed with it, having attempted to use weeks behind the ones airing on SciFi. believer in the mix. This will bring some flashbacks to Angel’s early days as it but he was rejected by it since it only SciFi also announced that they are on a new regular, not specifically Scully's a vampire and maybe some flashbacks to works with women. He uses Nottingham picking up Roger Corman’s Black partner, but another agent brought in to more recent, pre-Buffy, events in Angel’s to manipulate Sara in the hopes that he Scorpion TV series starting early next ihelp nvestigate Mulder's disappearance. long life. can control her, and thus, the Witchblade. year. Corman produced an entire season Actor Robert Patrick (Terminator 2, The Over in the Xenaverse, there’s some at his own expense based on TV movies Sopranos) will join the cast as Agen John changes afoot in the aftermath of the that he produced for Showtime. The Doggett, a former NY Police detective Twilight of the Gods storyline. The series stars former Miss Kansas Michelle and US Marine, who is a "blue collar season will start with a two-parter dealing Lintel as the straight-laced cop by day man's man and a knee-jerk skeptic," with Lucifer coming to Earth to fulfill the who turns into sexy crime fighter Black according to X-Files creator Chris prophecy of Xena’s eternal damnation to Scorpion at night. The series also stars Carter. Other actors reportedly in the Scott Valentine and will feature Adam running for the role were Chris West (Breathtaker), Lou Ferrigno Noth (Law and Order, Sex & The City), (Slavemaster), Soupy Sales (Professor Bruce Campbell (Jack of all Trades), Prophet), Charles Fleischer (Dr. Hart Bochner (Anywhere but Here) and Praktus), Frank Gorshin (Clockwise), Lou Diamond Philips (Picking up the David Landers (Greenthumb), and Pieces) Playmate of the Year Victoria Silvstedt For those of you not too excited about a as voluptuous villainess, Hourglass. Mulder-less X-Files, there is The Lone In new shows this summer, SciFi Gunmen spinoff series to look forward to debuted their monthly Sciography series in January on FOX. It stars the three guys in July with a show on Battlestar behind the Lone Gunman conspiracy © TNT Galactica. In August will be one on newsletter, Byers (Bruce Harwood), ©Scifi Quantum Leap, and September will see The movie follows relatively closely the Langley (Dean Haglund) and Frohike Hell and Xena and Gabrielle have to Babylon 5. Other shows in the works initial storyline of the comic book, but (Tom Braidwood) as well as the thwart Lucifer in order to save the world. include ones on The Incredible Hulk, presents it in a much more realistic mysterious Eva Del Harlow (Zuleikha After that, they meet up with Gabrielle’s The Twilight Zone, and The Bionic fashion than the comics. This makes it Robinson). In the pilot episode, the trio sister, Lila, and learn what has happened Woman. The producers have been much more accessible to the casual deal with a government anti-terrorist to Gabrielle’s family in the past 25 years. talking to the shows creators, actors and viewer, but may disappoint the die-hard conspiracy that plans to crash a jetliner They head off to North Africa with fans to present an informative show comics fans. The skin revealing outfits into the world trade center in order to Gabrielle intending to take revenge on dealing with the history of each of the Sara wears in the comics are not evident boost arms sales. Byer’s father is appar- those who have been responsible for her series they are covering. in the pilot, although they could turn up ently killed to cover it up and a lot of the families misfortunes. After that they’ll Also starting this summer is the if the show goes into a series. As with the episode focuses on Byers finding out the head North to Germany dealing with weekday S.C.I.F.I. World, which will comic, the movie is played seriously, with truth about the whole thing culminating Wagnerian themed episodes meeting up feature daily six hour mini-marathons of little in the way of humor or light with them averting the disaster. The show with Beowulf. In guest stars, look to see different TV shows with a theme setting. moments. Since Sara is dealing with the definitely has a more humorous edge to it, return appearances by Alti, Aphrodite Check SciFi’s web page for schedules. murders of her father, her best friend and especially with Frohike as the show’s and Ares. Any appearances by Joxer will Farscape has been confirmed for a her partner in the movie, she doesn’t literal fall guy (he gets dangled from a likely be flashbacks since Ted Raimi is third season and is currently well into the have much reason to joke around or even winch, slips on a wet carpet and falls face not under contract for this season and his second season on SciFi. There’s not a lot smile. The production is high quality, first into some mud).Langley is the least character will stay dead. Eve and Virgil of advance info on the episodes, but they although some of the fight scenes are developed, pretty much over-reacting to will likely be in the season’s early continue to try to do different things. done more with creative cutting and things and getting upset when he can’t episodes but won’t be seen much after They will be looking back via flashbacks shadows than real action. I’d give it a hack into things .We don’t really get to that. at what happened with Zhaan at the thumbs up for what its intended to be, see enough of Harlow to get a good In other RenPic news, there is conflict- beginning of the season when we pick up although its appeal may not be as broad feeling for how her character will fit into ing reports on the status of Bruce several weeks after the events in the first as TNT was hoping for. the weekly series. The pilot is an enjoy- Campbell’s Jack of All Trades. Some season finale .In the currently airing three SciFi Expands Original Shows able hour and will make for a good say it will not continue past its first parter, we got a return visit from The debut of The Invisible Man in alternative to the other network’s fare on season, which will end this fall. Campbell Scorpious and learned about the origins June set records for viewer ship for SciFi Thursday nights, but may not appeal to has said that things are still in negotia- of Moya. with over 1.5 million households tuning enough viewers to keep it going. tion. Cleopatra 2525 will definitely SciFi will be finishing up the second in. The ratings have kept well above the Buffy & Angel continue but will not likely expand to an season of Lexx in early August and will channel’s average and SciFi recently Buffy’s new cast member has been hour if Jack is canceled, but would be finally be airing the first series of four TV announced that they have picked the announced, and it is Michelle paired with another new half hour show. ( Cont’d on page 9 ) Page 8 ConNotations Volume 10 Issue 3 SF Tube Talk (Cont’d from page 8 ) John Harrison. The mini-series will be a black hole. Not all of the original 4,000 on screens throughout the ship, hear her able to follow the original novel in much member crew survives and Captain Dylan voice coming from computer consoles, movies that set up the series each night more detail than the theatrical movie, Hunt (Kevin Sorbo) must pull together a droids and robots, see her as a holo- on August 7-10. They will then immedi- filming at many exotic locations and one new crew to help in his efforts to restore graphic projection and eventually she will ately move on to the third series, with the of the largest sound stages in Europe, chaos to the collapsed United Common- have a human-looking body to interact umbrella title of “Fire and Water” on Barrandov Studios in Prague. wealth. with the crew. We may even see her th August 18 . This is a 13 episode season Over on the USA Network, they’ve Left over from the original crew is Tyr interacting with herself as she works out with a continuing storyline which finds started up a couple of new genre half hour Anasazi, a Nietzchean first officer played solutions to problems. the Lexx crew trapped in orbit around series on Sunday nights. The first is “The by Keith Hamilton Cobb. Cobb’s six- The series is filming in Vancouver from two warring planets, Fire and Water. At War Next Door”, which was originally foot-five height makes him taller than May to December, so that they won’t the start of the season, the Lexx has run titled “Kill, Kill, Kill”. It’s about two Kevin Sorbo and enables him to be the have to deal with winter for any location out of food and needs to eat but there isn’t spies who spend each episode trying to genetically engineered human that is a shooting. Within the show, it will be kill each other, with one of them succeed- Nietzchean. He’s one of the few remain- explained that as humans were terra ing. But at the start of the next episode, ing Commonwealth officers left on the forming planets, they used pine trees a they are both alive. It sounds like a live lot, thus the Vancouver forests can double action Spy vs. Spy crossed with South for many alien planets and it will look a Park’s Kenny to me. The other half hour lot nicer than the rocky planets seen in is Manhattan, AZ, which is about a New the original Star Trek. York cop who moves to a small town in Wolfe has not said much yet about the Arizona where strange things happen. actual episodes we’ll see at the start of the New Network & Syndicated Shows this season, so there’s not much to report on Fall that end. As it gets closer to the debut in There’s not much yet to add to news early October, the official website at about the other new shows debuting this www.andromedatv.com should have more © Scifi fall on the networks and in syndication. any available. The crew put themselves FOX’s “Fearsum” has changed it’s name into suspended animation while Lexx to “Freakylinks”, I assume to identify drifts for 4,000 years, being awakened the show more with its online website when the ship gets trapped in orbit (www.freakylinks.com). Reviews of the ©Tribune Entertainment around the two planets. Guest starring in pilot episode have not been very favor- ship, thus he is very dedicated and loyal a continuing role is Nigel Bennett able. Other network shows debuting this to Hunt. (Forever Knight) as Prince, the ruler of fall are James Cameron’s “Dark Angel” In talking with Space.com, Wolfe said Fire. Prince, of course, would like to see (FOX - Tuesday), “Night Visions” (FOX “Very few of the regular characters are the Lexx destroy Water, and people from - Friday), Freedom (UPN - Friday), and trained military officers and they have a Water feel the same about Fire. Stan, Zev, “Level Nine” (UPN-Friday). Debuting in lot of attitude. They are not very disci- and Kai travel back and forth between syndication are “Queen of Swords”, plined. They don’t always follow the both planets, meeting some familiar “The Immortal”, and “Sheena” (Check orders given to them. They never say faces, and finding out more and more your local listings for stations and times). “sir.” They rarely say “captain.” They ©Tribune Entertainment about these two planets that make’s them Andromeda Preview Part Two never salute. They’re never in uniform. start to wonder what is really happening Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda It’s just a different feel. They’re definitely details on the actual episodes. The weekly there. This series also has a good amount looks to be following even more in the a bunch of scurvy dogs. They all have interviews with Wolfe on Space.com of nudity and sexual content, which will footsteps of the original Star Trek. In their own agendas, which really gives a should continue as well. Getting a stream likely get blurred or excised by SciFi. addition to scripts from head writer/ nice charge to scenes where they may of info on the series as it films is highly Coming up December 3-5 will be the producer Robert H. Wolfe and his discuss different options to solve a reminiscent of the early days of Babylon six hour miniseries Frank Herbert’s writing staff, they have scripts lined up problem.” 5 when Straczynski was constantly Dune, presented in wide-screen format. from science fiction and fantasy authors Beka Valentine (Lisa Ryder) is the updating fans about the progress of the The cast will feature Alec Newman, Walter Jon Williams and Stephen Captain of the freighter Eureka Maru, filming of the show. Matt Keeslar, Saskia Reeves, Ian Barnes with other authors to be an- which rescues the Andromeda. Beka is a For more news, schedules and SFTV info, McNeice, PH Moriarty, Julie Cox, nounced. survivor who was born and raised on the check out www.sftv.org, webmastered by Italian screen icon Giancarlo Giannini In the opening episode, the Andromeda Maru and has been scrambling her entire Lee Whiteside. as the Emperor and Academy Award- will endure a time-warp caused by the life. The alien crewmembers will be more winning actor William Hurt as Duke interaction between the ship’s anti- mysterious than the human ones. Rev Leto. The film is written and directed by gravity generator and the event horizon of Bem (Brent Stait) is a reformed Magog alien, and Trance Gemini (Laura Bertram) is of unknown origin within the show. All she will say is that she is purple. Wolfe say’s we’ll likely not find out more about her origins until much later in the series, keeping her origins and motivations a mystery to the viewer and the crew. Seamus Harper (Gordon Michael Wolvett) is the engineer on the ship, who comes with a lot of attitude. He also has a plug on the side of his head that he can use to plug in various programs. He’s also got a bad immune system, so he’s prone ©Tribune Entertainment to getting sick a lot. And he’s also in love with their sentient ship Andromeda. Andromeda will be embodied by Lexa Doig in various forms. We’ll see her face © Scifi Volume 10 Issue 3 ConNotations Page 9 history. The name was popular. Charac- gaming awards. Later they discovered and exciting children’s programming at The Dark Ones: Past, ters evolved in “The Challenge Book”. that by the time they were done gaming the last DarkCon. Each house party we Present and Future Darkyr, Kretin, Shadowstalker, Wilgar, and wanted to socialize all of the conven- throw now provides off site kid’s activi- Mordaryn and Knight Rider (now known tion parties were winding down. They ties for parents who wish to attend a Dark as Night Flier) met and adventured decided to throw a party that started after Ones party. There have been birthday CopperCon 20 marks the Dark Ones together in the book. 10 pm. They made a few posters, got two parties for children of the Dark Ones and th 10 year anniversary of throwing parties Then came the fateful day when one of boom boxes (set at either side of the room D.O.A.s and other fun events. Darkyr has at Conventions. In true Dark Ones the players suggested that they have an to create stereo sound) and put beer in the shown a special talent for entertaining the fashion we plan to have a big party at this actual barbecue to coincide with one bathtub. A few people wandered into the children (still being a child himself). year’s CopperCon to commemorate the taking place in the book! A time and party. “There’s beer in the tub, help Last year the Dark Ones began a event. Most people don’t realize that place was settled upon and what followed yourself.” A guest was told. The man “Dinner Club”. Each month a group of there is a lot more to the Dark Ones than lead to the first Dark Ones parties. came out with a Michelob in his hand an people go to dinner together. We try out a group that throws great parties. The The Four Crown Alliance and Sanctu- amazed expression on his face. This new restaurants each month. We look for Dark Ones have evolved over these last ary group had REAL BEER not some cheap restaurants with atmosphere and excellent ten years from a handful of gamers who They became great friends and even canned stuff, but nice bottled beer! The food. So far we have tried thirteen wanted something to do after the Game roommates. Darkyr named their house Dark Ones were hooked. Throwing great restaurants, from champagne brunch at Room closed to a diverse group with fifty “Sanctuary”. They gamed a great deal, parties is a lot of fun! the Top of the Rock to Italian at members. Interests now span subjects like but they also explored other diversions as Incorporation Mancusos and my personal favorite, computer programming, costuming, well. Mordaryn, Raven, Rhowyn and In 1993 The Dark Ones decided that seafood at the Salt Cellar. gaming, science, science fiction and Shadowstalker began “The Four Crown they needed to formally become a We have now started The Dark Ones fantasy movies and literature as well as Alliance”. The members of this sub-group corporation. They wanted to throw a Travel Club. A group of us went to organizing and running larger events of the Dark Ones were fighters. They had Convention of their own. They needed Mexico City this year and explored Aztec such as conventions. tournaments in the back yard at Sanctu- legitimacy to do that. They became The ruins and the city. We plan to go to The Challenge Book ary. Many of the people who fought in the Dark Ones, Incorporated on June 6, 1993. Europe in the next year or two, and Asia The initial group formed through “The Alliance are now fighters in the SCA. The Dark Ones have Bylaws like any two years after that. Challenge Book” which was a series of Shadowstalker has stated that the Dark other corporation. We are a 501(c)(10) DarkCon notebooks kept at the Game Keeper at Ones might have become an SCA “not for profit” consanguineous (fraternal In 1995 a major dream for the Dark Metro Center. “The Challenge Book” was household if they had known of the SCA & sororal) organization. Ones came true. The group threw its own an ongoing Dungeons and Dragons type when they formed. The Family convention. It was not just a gaming campaign that was literally played by The First Convention Party The “Dark Ones” were a tight knit convention, but a well rounded conven- gamers who would come to the store, read Shortly after they met, a friend took family. When new people wanted to join tion with two tracks of programming, con past entries by other players and add their Night Flier and Shadowstalker to their the group the “Dark Ones” faced a suite, hucksters room, art show, banquet own adventures to the book. Most of the first convention. They wandered around dilemma: How to grow yet not lose the and of course a Dark Ones party. It was players had never met, and kept their the game room amazed. “That looks like feeling of family within the group? In my first convention in the valley. I had “book identities” a tightly guarded secret. a lot of fun” they said, “wish we could 1993 Lefty Two-Blade came up with an been in Phoenix less than a week when At one point Kretin coined the name play.” idea, a second level of membership. The my mother handed me a membership and “The Dark Ones” for the adventuring By their next convention they were Dark Ones Associates (D.O.A.’s) were sent me to the con (don’t you wish your group they traveled with. The rest is running tournaments and winning born. That “Dead Man’s Party” 13 people mother was as cool as mine?) I went and became D.O.A.s. Joining loved it. I have been to a lot of Cons over the Dark Ones family was the years including seven Worldcons, a now a two-stage process few Balticons, Darkover, etc. and I am involving paperwork and speaking honestly when I state that getting the official opinion DarkCon ranks up there with the best. of all the other members. For DarkCon 1999 a gem of a hotel was The Dark Ones Diversify discovered in Chandler, a Phoenix The Dark Ones help suburb. Everyone that I spoke with people move as fundraisers agreed that DarkCon 1999 was a great for their events. We have convention. It will go down in history as helped over 20 people move the “Best kept secret in Arizona” that within and around the year. Valley. DarkCon 2001 is currently in the Shadowstalker of the works. We will have full Programming Dark Ones was the first to for all types of interests. Programming gather the group together to will include a large Gaming area, a attend movie premiers. Banquet, a Masquerade, an Art Show and Over 150 people went to all the other trimmings of a great conven- the “Star Trek: Genera- tion. The Special VIP membership tions” Premier. Most package will allow you to get the “Royal recently we gathered over Treatment”. 400 people to attend “Star The 10th Year Anniversary Dark Ones Wars I, The Phantom party at CopperCon 20 this year will be Menace” on its opening amazing. Please stop by and say hello. day. Buy a DarkCon T-shirt and buy a As the group has gotten membership at the $20 price. Have a older the inevitable drink and some munchies. Dance into the occurred. We bred. So night. several of the new parents This closes the first ten years; watch in our group, notably for us as we march into the future... Candles and Ozzy, have Chameleon D.O.A. thrown children’s events. (Edited by Shadowstalker O.T.D.O. and Candles offered innovative Darkyr O.T.D.O.)

Page 10 ConNotations Volume 10 Issue 3 Mesa in 2004 Westercon 57 Bid July 2-5, 2004

Arizona has not had a WesterCon since 1992 and we are EAGER to host another one. We’ve hosted many different conventions, from WorldCon (1978) to WesterCons (1982. 1988, 1992) to World Fantasy Cons (1985, 1991) and World Horror Cons (1994, 1998), three regional conventions per year, and lots of experience on regional conventions throughout the West. Now it is time for us to host another Westercon but we cannot do it without YOUR HELP.

We need to hear from YOU by September 30, 2000

Please support our bid for the 2004 Westercon and help us bring Westercon to Mesa. By becoming a member of the bid you can make your voice heard. Currently, we are plan- ning 4 levels of support:

Pre-supporting memberships: $10 Friend of the Bid: $50 Sponsor: $100

We also are looking for those interested in supporting the bid in an ongoing manner via monthly dues. Each level of support has it’s own advantages. Check our website or see us at CopperCon for details.

You can contact us at: Mesa in 2004, PO Box 67547, Phoenix AZ 85082, or Craig Dyer at (602)973-2341 or Email: [email protected] or Mike Willmoth at (480) 945-6890 or Email: [email protected] Send check or money order to: Mesa in 2004 Westercon Bid, PO Box 67547, Phoenix, AZ 85082 PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY

Name: ______Address: ______City/State/ZIP: ______Phone: ______Email: ______Volume 10 Issue 3 ConNotations Page 11 present to do so. We then closed the Ellison had really crossed the line. The ConClusion (cont’d from page 1 ) (cont’d from page 3 ) meeting to just board members and day before I heard nothing but glowing Pro Notes heading back to crash. discussed details on a number of things reports about his generosity towards Friday events started at 10AM with related to the conventions. From there I volunteers, even forcing some to attend illustration here and there. The last one I Sturgeon’s Law: Why Is There So Much ran into a friend who had attended the the brunch he was in and eat despite not did was for Joan Vinge’s book Tangled Really Bad Horror Fiction Out There?; GoH Brunch earlier. Apparently JMS having tickets. Yet, the next day he was Up in Blue, published by Tor Books. The Making A Living As A Writer (which I overslept and missed it. He later made it fighting a headache and exploded at these next one will be for Tad Williams’ next heard was quite good); The Color Of up by taking those who came to see him same folks when asked for his book to be novel in the Otherland series. I believe it Terror: Illustrating The Dark Fantastic; out for drinks. That was very kind of him autographed. I was very disappointed in will be titled Sea of Silver Light. Awards Mining The Subconscious: Where Do to do so. I managed to get some lunch his attitude towards his fellow profession- and stuff? My painting “The Reach” won Ideas Come From?; The Bookshelf That and stick my head in a few events before als, too. the latest Spectrum Gold Medal for Drips Blood: Morbid But Useful Refer- Closing Ceremonies was started in the So, on that note, the convention ended. Unpublished Painting. I had a couple of ence Books; Subtlety In Horror; An Hour foyer near reg. All the GoHs had name I helped break down the various areas of pieces selected for the latest Society of On The Dark Side Of GoH J. Michael placards with a podium off to the left. the convention, pack up Hospitality in a Illustrators show, but they had both been Straczynski; HWA Workshop, Session 1; Chair Ed Bryant started things with rented truck, and went out to dinner with sold and were thus unavailable to show. Meet The Pros / Autographing; Interna- some music and announcements. The fellow volunteers. We unwound together The year is still young, though, and I tional Horror Guild Awards; The Details next Chair was brought up to promote and had a great time. I got back to the have high hopes for the upcoming Are In The Devil: Satan’s History & Seattle next year. Toastmaster Dan motel early, managed to get some sleep months! My web site, Evolution; Edgar Allen Poe One-Man Simmons took over with introductions of before packing the next morning for the www.michaelwhelan.com, registers an Show; Artists Reception with Wine & each guest before brief speeches by each. long drive back to New Mexico. We knew amazing number of hits per month, Cheese Tasting; The Haunted Spaceship: Notably, Harlan Ellison was not sitting that there was a fire at Los Alamos which has been very gratifying. Glass Horror & Science Fiction; and up with them, but instead was in the rear Laboratory, which might affect the Onion Graphics continues to sell prints Straczynski On Tape (video presenta- of the audience. When it came down to freeway, but it turned out to be open all and posters of my artwork, but we are tion). We played tourist during the day, only Harlan left Simmons found that he the way. It was shut down for about an seeking a major distributor/publisher to so I arrived at-con in the late afternoon. I had moved in behind him rather than at hour due to a smaller fire, but that was take over the limited edition end of attended the mass autographing. After the table. The Toastmaster then turned squelched before we arrived. We took 7 things. In the past several months, I’ve going out to eat at a restaurant on the over the podium to Ed Bryant who hours to drive back which put us in about done three lectures or slide shows for art 16th Avenue Mall (pedestrian with introduced Harlan. Ed then awarded him 2.5 hours early. So, we repacked stuff, educators and other groups, and I helped busses) with some other volunteers I with the Grand Master Award (which checked in, ate dinner (at the same judge the last Society of Illustrators managed to catch the last two events Harlan said looked like his first mother- Mexican restaurant) and flew home. Once annual show, but I haven’t been able to before returning to the motel. in-law) as well as a laser carved box with there we unpacked enough to crash and attend any conventions since the World Saturday started with An Hour With toy figures inside. Apparently Simmons go back to work the next day. Fantasy Con last year. [I had a great GoH Melanie Tem; 90 Minutes With had suggested different contents but In summary, the trip was fun. Denver is time there, I want to say!] Since then, GoH Harlan Ellison; An Hour With Bryant resisted the temptation. Harlan a neat city and we didn’t have nearly I’ve had to cancel any plans for conven- Artist GoH Rick Lieder; Town Meeting then gave a talk about the condition of the enough time to explore it. The convention tion appearances for the time being. On The Future Of The Dark Fantastic; hotel on his sinuses and his wife’s, the was well run overall and the Chair When my health improves I’ll see what Navigating Hell: Putting Place In Your temperature of the rooms (referring to a received a standing ovation when it my schedule will allow.” Michael also Horror; You Are What You Read: meat locker), the attitude of the attendees ended. Next year’s con should also be a wanted to thank all of his fans for their Research & Recreational Reading; when asking for his books to be signed good one with quite a lineup of GoHs. It interest and appreciation in his work. Breaking The Barrier: How To Get (apparently the autographing lines were will be held over Memorial Day Weekend Janine Ellen Young, author of the Published; HWA Writers Workshop, long and they were cut off before every- (May 25-28, 2001) due to hotel availabil- cyber-thriller, Cinderblock, will be Session 2; readings by many writers; art one got theirs signed only to be ap- ity. Check out WHC2001 via email using attending the San Diego Comic Con over show tours by Jill Bauman and Alan proached later by many), the elevation [email protected] or follow the link the weekend of July 20-23. She will also Clark, both past Artist GoHs; HWA and aridity of Denver, etc. He was from the WHS site be at World Con 2000 in Chicago Bram Stoker Awards and Banquet; On remarkably negative and unappreciative (www.worldhorror.org) when it becomes (Chicon) over Labor Day weekend, where The Air: Melanie & Steve Rasnic Tem’s about it all. I later found out that available. You can also contact me for she will be promoting her new book, The “Mama” - adapted for ‘radio’ by Trey Simmons and Ellison had tangled in a more information. Bridge. One reviewer said: “Take Carl Barker; and the 5th Annual Visceral previous event so ferociously that Ellison I hope to see some of you there. Sagan’s Contact and the most lethal Horror Grossout. left the room before it was over. Knowing Mike Willmoth contagion that Robin Cook ever imag- I arrived late again after touring Simmons as a gentleman from WHC94 [email protected] ined and you might come close to what around, doing lunch, etc. I ended up (Phoenix) where he was one of our 480-945-6890 Janine Ellen Young has accomplished playing a board game, Seafarers of Author GoHs I must conclude that here. The Bridge is, at once, science Katan, with some friends/volunteers fiction at its best—complete with all that while Neil Gaiman gave a 3-hour we’ve come to expect of the genre—and a marathon reading of his new work. The very personal story of understanding and entire text. Without stopping. We heard hope brought to the reader through fully the crowd erupt when it was all over and realized characters.” we were down the hall quite a ways. That’s it for now. If I’ve missed I had to be at the convention Sunday anybody, I’m sorry, and please pass this early (9AM) for the World Horror Society along to your pro colleagues (artists, Board Meeting. This is where the current writers, actors, etc.) and have them let us convention updates the board on how know what we’re doing so we can things have gone and receives comments. publicize it! Additionally, future cons are represented such as Seattle in 2001 and Chicago in 2002. Seattle was selling memberships there, updated the board on some of the known details, etc. Chicago is still negotiating with hotels and may or may not be downtown. There was supposed to be a bidder for 2003, but no one was © Sherlock Page 12 ConNotations Volume 10 Issue 3 the forth issue: Chris Claremont. In late Pryde, aka Shadowcat. From 1992-1998 characters. This film capitalizes on this (cont’d from page 1) 24 Frames 1977, John Byrne took over the Pencil- saw the welcome introduction of an ani- fluidity by moving characters ages for- different in a society that rewarded con- ing duties. The characters were also un- mated X-Men series involving Professor ward and backward in time: Rogue formity and condemned the unconven- dergoing transitions. Marvel Girl, who X, Cyclops, Jean Grey, Rogue, Wolver- (Anna Paquin) is seventeen and so is tional. Cyclops, Marvel Girl, The Angel, had become known only as Jean Grey, ine, Jubilee, Storm, Gambit, Beast, and Bobby, who we are led to believe will Iceman, and the Beast were all characters was transformed in 1976 into Phoenix, others such as Cable, Apocalypse, and later be known as Iceman. In another with whom I could identify. when she merged with an alien life form Magneto. This series was the most suc- scene a tongue-in-cheek nod is made to My interest in the X-Men waxed and of awesome power. By 1980, Phoenix was cessful translation of Marvel characters the comic books, when Wolverine states waned until the release of Giant-Size X- so out of control that Claremont wrote from the pages of the comic book to the that he can’t believe that the X-Men go Men in May of 1975. Written by Len the multi-issue story saga of the Dark small screen, just as X-Men: The Movie out in public wearing costumes that re- Wein and drawn by Dave Cockrum, the Phoenix in which Jean Grey pays the ulti- is the best translation to the movie screen. semble black motorcycle racing leathers issue introduced the Native American, mate price for the megalomaniac nature With a good plot, dialogue, and suffi- to which Cyclops replies, “What would Thunderbird (killed off in the third issue of the alien life force within her. cient action, X-Men: The Movie, is a you have us wear, yellow Spandex?” of the new series); the Russian superhero, The 1980’s saw the introduction of new treat for X-Men fans and action/adven- The rest of the characters are closer to Colossus; the Kenya born, Storm; the mutants. John Byrne created Kitty Pryde, ture fans alike. While the film doesn’t their comic book counterparts. Wolverine furry blue German who could teleport, who could pass through solid matter and pay slavish obedience to characters and (Hugh Jackman) is the wisecracking, Nightcrawler; and reintroduced the Cana- was the youngest X-Man at thirteen. He situations introduced in the comic books cigar-chomping, anti-hero we’ve come to also originated the Canadian version of know, but he only remember snatches of the X-Men, Alpha Flight. In 1982, The his creation as Weapon X. Professor New Mutants debuted Karma, Cannon- Xavier (Patrick Stewart) is the calm, ball, Sunspot, Wolfbane, Psyche, and in cool, collected, but impassioned mentor of 1984 Warlock was introduced. Issue #100 the group. Storm (Halle Berry) is quiet saw the end of The New Mutants, but the until provoked and then you don’t want to characters became charter members of the fool with “Mother Nature.” Cyclops new mutant group, X-Force. The Febru- (James Marsden) has a quiet leadership ary 1986 introduction of X-Factor revital- quality about him and with his special ized and revised the original X-Men (Cy- visor and scarlet tinted glasses worn clops, The Angel, Iceman, and the now throughout the film the actor won’t have animal-man Beast) including the previ- much trouble with over-enthused fans ously deceased Jean Grey, aka, Marvel bothering him. Jean Grey (Famke Girl/ Phoenix. April 1988 saw the intro- Janssen without the trademark auburn duction of the paperback for Excalibur, a tresses) shows off her telekinetic and tele- mutant team with a bit of humor included pathic abilities to good use, with no hint © Fox © Fox former X-Men Kitty Pryde and of the Phoenix rising. Magneto (Ian dian Weapon X, Wolverine; who had Nightcrawler, with the first issue of the and plays fast and loose with the history McKellen) is a villain that you can un- originally appeared in The Incredible comic book in October 1988. In Novem- as portrayed in the books, this movie is derstand: his passion to protect his fellow Hulk #180. The series had been revived, ber of 1988, the first issue of Wolverine true to the tone and feel of the books. The mutants blinds him to the damage he is but the real impetus to the book was was published. comics conveyed a sense of fluid ex- doing to his own cause. Sabretooth Wein’s assistant who started contributing In 1989, “Pryde of the X-Men” was an change between what was real and what (Tyler Mane) is little more then a mind- material in the second issue and had com- animated show that revolved around Kitty might become real especially when time less killing machine with more than a pletely taken over the writing duties by travel changed the lives and deaths of the streak of sadism. Mystique (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos) uses her shape-shifting

ability to good purpose, which is to say evil ends. Toad (Ray Park) leaps about and darts out his 12-foot tongue more of- ten then Gene Simmons of KISS. Senator Robert Kelly (Bruce Davison) gets a taste of his own prejudices when he be- come the first human guinea pig for Magneto’s plan to change the world. This film is well worth the price of admission and I give it six adamantium claws up. http://www4.x-men-the- movie.com/, http:// www.x-men.com/ flash.html, http:// www.eonline.com/Fea- tures/Features/Xmen/ (Cont’d on page 14)

Volume 10 Issue 3 ConNotations Page 13 edy “Absolutely Fabulous”), the chickens 24 Frames (cont’d from page 13) step up their escape plans when the In Our Book Tweedy Farm begins a conversion to a CHICKEN RUN: No Dumb Clucks chicken pot pie enterprise. Their chances Black Heart, Ivory Bones By Shane Shellenbarger improve (or so they think) when an Edited by Ellen Datlow and Tern American flying rooster named Rocky Windling I first discovered the work of Aardman Roads (voice by Mel Gibson) drops into Avon Books, 369 pp., $13.50 Animations creators, Peter Lord and their lives. Can Rocky teach them to fly Nick Park, while attending an animation before they all become chicken potpies? This trade paperback is the sixth of an film festival in 1989. “Creature Com- You’ll have to trot out to your local the- anthology series on new fairy tales. It forts” is a stop motion clay animation ater for the answer. includes big names like Joyce Carol short film about Zoo animals with a twist: Oates, Neil Gaiman, Tanith Lee, and the audio portion is culled from actual Charles de Lint. Nine male and 11 interviews with people on the street and female authors have created 20 tales, in nursing homes. This funny and clever taking new spins on familiar classics such two rogue counselors (Matteo is one of piece won the 1990 Oscar for Best Ani- as Rapunzel or Goldilocks. Sometimes them), two evil elves (one male and one mated Short Film. funny, serious, erotic, always entertain- female) , two swamps to conquer (both After “Creature Comforts”, Aardman ing, these stories are not just to put full of undead creatures that live on Animations went on to produce the Oscar children to sleep at bedtime. They are magic) , two evil superbeasts (one lives in nominated short films “Adam”, “Wats written to be read rather than to be a swamp) , two amnesiac females Pig”, and “Humdrum”, but they are best spoken. In short, they are works of (Tzigone is one of them) . The style known for the Nick Park creations, literature, with the freedom of expression shows details we could expect of RPG Wallace and Gromit. Wallace is a dim- battles, such as who can carry what but-loveable inventor and Gromit is his © Dreamworks weapons and fight what creature. That long suffering-but-loyal dog. Parks first didn’t detract from my enjoyment of this adventure with these two characters was “Chicken Run” is a delicious film filled story, though. - Michael Griffin “A Grand Day Out”, created over a six with humor and intelligence. Unlike year period and released in 1989 while Disney’s “Dinosaur” which depicted ani- Realms of the Deep: the Threat from Park was at the National Film And Tele- mals eating each other and sent a howl- the Sea vision School, in which inventor Wallace ing child screaming from the theater in Edited by Philip Athans designs a rocket ship so that he and which I saw the film, “Chicken Run” has Wizards of the Coast, 342 pp., $5.99 Gromit can travel to the Moon and re- only slapstick violence and the one char- plenish their cheese lauder. The 1993 Os- acter who dies does so off-screen in a Realms of the Deep is a four-book series car winner, “The Wrong Trousers” finds subtle manner. I would recommend this in the Forgotten Realms setting, based Wallace and Gromit involved with film to all and advise theatregoers to wait that fairy tales exemplify. The human upon the publisher’s role playing games. techno-trousers and a chicken imperson- through the end credits for the aperitif. condition can be examined and illumi- This third book in the series is a depar- ating penguin named Feathers McGraw. Bon Appetite! nated, but there is no extra baggage as ture from the other three. Instead of a The 1995 Academy Award for Best Short http://www.aardman.com/makingof/ with mythology, no semi-religious novel, we get 12 stories by different Film went to “A Close Shave”, where in http://www.reel.com/ purpose. Scholars debate which came authors, proceeding in chronological Wallace and Gromit have to battle a reel.asp?node=chickenrun first, fairy tales or myths, and which order through half a calendar year. The sheep-rustling dog who isn’t what he ap- http://www.chickenrun.co.uk/ developed into the other. Perhaps the two calendar itself is presented in an appen- pears to be and who is misusing forms are unrelated, depending on how dix. The stories fit in with the main plot Wallace’s latest invention: a sheep shear- Upcoming Releases one wants to define them. That too is up ing machine. Aardman Animations also for academic debate. This book includes a worked on Peter Gabriel’s 1986 music August 4: The Hollow Man , Space bibliography which can direct you to Cowboys scholarly sources and lots more books of August 11: Bless the Child modern fairy tales. It also has author bios August 18: The Cell, Godzilla 2000 and story afterwords by each of its 20 August 25: The Art of War contributors. It’s as if it were a special Sept 1: Highlander: End Game issue of The Magazine of Fantasy and Sept 15: Urban Legend 2: Final Cut, Science Fiction. Higher praise I cannot The Exorcist (re-issue) make. Michael Griffin Oct 6: The 6th Day, Get Carter, Im- The Magehound poster by Elaine Cunningham Oct 13: Lost Souls Wizards of the Coast, 312 pp., $5.99 Oct 27: Blair Witch 2, Little Vampires of a sea-based invasion of the land of Nov 3: Red Planet, Charlie’s Angels Faerun. All three novels in this series are Wizards of the Coast publishes fantasy © Dreamworks Nov 10: Little Nicky by Mel Odom, and he contributes a short books which tie in to their role playing Nov 17: How the Grinch Stole Christ- story here, too. Odom’s short story uses games. This is Book One of the Counse- video, “Sledgehammer” and on the cur- mas one of the main characters in the series, lors and Kings series, part of the Forgot- rent Chevron gas station commercials. Dec 8: Vertical Limit the conqueror Iakhovas. If you like lots ten Realms setting. While the RPG All of this leads up to their feature length Dec 22: Seed of Chucky, Dracula 2000 of action against a variety of sea crea- flavor is obvious in the battle scenes, the film, “Chicken Run”, a delightful movie Dec 29: Shadow of the Vampire tures, this book stands on its own quite story telling is still top notch, bringing in filled with homage’s to everything from Release date unknown - Bedazzled, The well. - Michael Griffin motivated characters. The main pair are “The Great Escape” to “Star Trek” Crow: Salvation “Chicken Run” is the story of a group of Matteo, a young member of the school of British chickens who are trying to escape non-magical counselors, and Tzigone, a the slavery of egg laying imposed upon young woman who is a freelance thief them at Tweety’s Farm. Lead by Ginger with magical abilities. When she’s not (voice by Julia Sawalha best known as seeking after her family origins, Tzigone Saffy in the 1992 British situation com- shadows Matteo and saves his life a lot. The author does a lot of things in pairs: ( Cont’d on page 15 ) Page 14 ConNotations Volume 10 Issue 3 In Our Book ( Cont’d from page 14 ) in Vimes absence was weak and uninter- she’s his long-lost sister, the Greek myths company “recovers” lost art treasures and esting. Luckily, these scenes weren’t too also have a couple of sister rescues. Just makes investments in the past. To save The Fifth Elephant long and didn’t detract from the events in to make the tales interesting, throw in a the expense of having people travel back By Terry Pratchett Uberwald too often. bit of sacrifice, maybe a betrayal or two to do these things a single expedition was HarperCollins; $24; 321pp. Oh, and the Fifth Elephant? A and a hairy escape to spice up the saga. sent to the Lower Paleolithic times to Discworld legend. Four elephants hold up The book is lavishly illustrated with implement another company discovery, It took me three tries to get into this the world you know, and a fifth elephant historical drawings of ancient myths and immortality. A permanent base was book. It starts off with a couple of doofus crashed into the world, splitting up the current production sketches of Star Wars established and the company set about coppers in Ankh-Morpork in Pratchett’s land into continents and forming the paraphenalia. Costumers will especially turning Neanderthal and Cro-Magnons Discworld dithering on the streets. I wonderful Shmaltzberg vein of grade A appreciate fine renderings of clothing, into immortal cyborg agents of the wasn’t in the mood for dirt-for-brains fat (along with gold and iron from its weapons, armor, helmets, insignia and company set to manipulate time for the characters. A third time got me past the bones.) Shmaltzberg is in Uberwald and amulets. Techie types will appreciate the betterment of the company and its clients. opening scene and into the meat of the one of the sources of its wealth. - Sue phantom views of land speeders and It is 1699 and Facilitator Joseph has just Martin starships showing engineering details not finished a hard assignment with the previously seen. - Pete Manly Spanish Inquisition and is enjoying a Star Wars, The Power Of Myth little R&R at the company spa, a Mayan Dorling Kindersley Ancients of Days city with force fields, hot showers, Lucas Books $12.95 Paul J. McAuley computers and all the other modern th [Avon] EOS, 404 pp, $6.99 conveniences of the early 24 century. The authors attempt to link the multi- While Joseph is here we learn more about the company and its policies as well as its part Star Wars saga to traditional myths ANCIENTS OF DAYS is the second from Viking and Greek roots to contem- methods of “recruiting” agents. book of CONFLUENCE, and the sequel Soon Joseph is off on his next assign- porary heroes and heroines. This is a to CHILD OF THE RIVER. “slick” book, only 48 pages long and ment, to save a pre-Columbian culture As a child, Yamamama, to be called from the encroaching white man., by finished in magazine format, one of at Yama had been found floating down the least five books in a set covering various posing as a god, Sky Coyote. He is book, which was very satisfying. river with his dead mother and a few aspects of the the Star Wars phemenon. accompanied by his protégée, Mendoza, This is only the second book of the machines. Adopted by the Aedile [the Obviously, the books are aimed at fans who is still annoyed over an incident Discworld series I’ve read. (The other local magistrate] he is raised as a son, his who want more details on their favorite during an assignment in Elizabethan being “Small Gods,” which I enjoyed). differences un remarked. Now a young screen characters. England and there is a sub-plot dealing According to the press material, Pratchett adult, he must find his bloodline among While the authors think Star Wars with the company and its eventual plans is the most popular writer in England; the ten thousand bloodlines seeded in this represents one of the great mythic stories, for the cyborgs. 1% of all books read in England are artificial world. all they showed was that Lucas chose well All in all, I enjoyed this. The juxtaposi- Pratchett’s. It’s an impressive fact, and I But everyone wants him, to be the when borrowing mythic ideas. They do tion of the modern technology against the can see why. messiah for the “unchanged” and carefully explore the elements of myth ancient cultures they are trying to save This particular novel is almost 90% aboriginal peoples, to be a tool of war for was interesting. The characters are dialogue, with no chapters, just breaks. the Department of Indigenous Affairs in fleshed out, even many of the minor This means you can read this really their bloody civil war, and ancient hidden characters. And the author doesn’t make quickly. And enjoy it. powers who want control of the future. the prehistoric culture or people idiots, The tale concerns a new Low King of Yama must survive, as the last scion of either. They have a very well developed the dwarves in Uberwald, a darkly the builders, to learn the powers he didn’t society, one many present day Califor- forested, mountainous area near Ankh- anticipate. and find his identity as the end nians can relate to. Morpork. Some conservative dwarves are of the world approaches. Things seem to be left hanging a little not happy about this; afraid the new king This is an epic. entertaining, fast in the end, hopefully leaving the door will be a bit too non-traditionalist. So moving, with complex characters and open for a sequel, or perhaps a series of plots abound and people are murdered ideas in a remarkably vivid world. I look adventures for Facilitator Joseph. This is and the Scone of Stone (for the regal rear- forward to the next installment. A must a keeper and I would enjoy seeing more. - end, and an absolute necessity for the for those who like ideas with their action Stephanie Bannon coronation) is stolen. Sam Vimes, also starting with heroes. The parallels and fun. - Pam Allan His Grace of Ankh-Morpork must betweek Luke Skywalker and King Europa Strike represent his city at the coronation. The Arthur are explored from their humble Sky Coyote Ian Douglas Patrician, Lord Vetinari of Ankh- beginnings, early recognition of natural Kage Baker Avon Eos, 403 pp. $6.50 Morpork feels he is just the man. It also abilities, overcoming great odds to Avon Eos, $5.99, 292 pps helps that Commander Sam Vimes is a meeting a mentor or advisor such as Obi- Europa Strike is Book Three of The very able police officer (unlike some of Wan Kenobi or Merlin. Having been In the twenty-fourth century a research Heritage Trilogy, but can stand alone. In his staff) and will be able to get to the provided with a powerful weapon (light group, Dr Zeus, develops a method for Europa Strike, the next generation of bottom of all the murders and shenani- saber or sword) and a means of transpor- time travel. Unfortunately, it turns out to space marines are called to Jupiter’s gans going on in Ankh-Morpork and tation (either a starship or a mighty be prohibitively expensive and, of course, moon to guard a scientific camp touching Uberwald. He has able assistants: his wife horse), the hero is off and ready to go you can’t change history. In order not to Europa’s frozen boiling ocean where an Sybil, the dwarf Cheery, Angua the adventuring. Usually his first adventure is waste the discovery of time travel the alien artifact has been found “singing “ werewolf and Detritus the troll. Oh and where he meets his faithful if bumbling under the ice cap. China, now having there is Captain Carrot and Gaspode the sidekick. Just as Don Quixote has his reunited the territory it had lost, wants talking dog. In Uberwald we have a tee- Sancho Panza, Luke has his droids. This the alien technology enough to go to war. totaling vampiress, more werewolves, formula has been followed up through They ambush the ships in space, and the dwarves and the vicious Wolfgang with Sheriff Andy of Mayberry and his Lab on Europa. The few marines that delusions of grandeur. It’s the usual band fumbling Deputy Barney Fife. make it to the surface must defend of Discworld oddities and flavorful Heroes also need a talisman, usually Europa, as the congress votes to let them characters. from a missing parent. Thor had his die. An illegal rescue attempt is mounted When the book focused on Vimes and hammer and Luke Skywalker has an old by the marines on Earth knowing it may his efforts in Uberwald, the book really light saber. They also get to rescue a end their careers if it does not end their cooked. But the secondary plot, dealing princess (who will be eternally grateful). lives. The marines hold the line with high with a by-the-book sergeant made captain Although in Luke’s case he later finds ( Cont’d on page 16 ) Volume 10 Issue 3 ConNotations Page 15 In Our Book ( Cont’d from page 15 ) inbred for psi powers. The Traders for Speculative Fiction: the Newest, Latest, tolerance for pain. Anyone not an Aristo Next Anthology of Eube is considered a subhuman slave Edited by A Hack by the Traders. Any Press, 500 pp., $6.99 The Heir to the Skolian Empire is cybernetically enhanced Primary [admi- Look out, authors over 3b years old! ral] Sauscony Valdoria, a fighter pilot. There’s a new generation of trendy young On leave on the neutral planet of Delos, writers, ready to rebel against all of the she meets Jabriol Qox, heir to the trader established forms that used to be hip. In throne, who has been illegally bred foe this first of a new series, edited by the psi ability to break into the Skolian Net. prolific Mr. Hack, the new breed demon- He could not only conquer Skolia, but strates their superb skills at adapting to lead to the enslavement of the human © Dawe the latest discoveries in science, leapfrog- races. Sauscony must determine if he ging over all of the cliches of the past. casualties, while inventing weapons and should live or die. They must find a third These camp followers have grabbed the strategies to survive. option to prevent the destruction of both lab coats’ tails and swung the bandwagon But the Singer awakes, and contacts the their worlds. [ As Tina Turner sings clearly in front of the march of progress. Invasions AI of the marine commander, and comes “What’s Love Got To Do With It.] New classics crowd each other between Nancy Holder alive. Who, or what, is the singer? How In The Radiant Seas, They are discov- the covers. Who will forget the tale of Eos Science Fiction, 243 pp., $5.99 will it respond to the war? What does it ered and Jaibriol taken back to Eube and ‘The Plastic Cup’, a piece of litter that bode for the future of Earth? used as a drugged puppet leader after the becomes the last thing left after the Invasions is Book Three of the This quintessential military space opera is death of his father. Sauscony must hide universe collapses? And you’ve never Gambler’s Star series. It will stand alone. a page turner, and leaves itself open to their children, take over the Skolian read a story about quantum When the League Of Decency took over continue the space marine saga with leadership, and rescue her husband before nanotechnology before. Or how’s about a the earth, Six families,[ Mafioso] took another trilogy. For lovers of military Sci- the traders enslave the world. time paradox that proves that we’ve over the moon. If anyone wanted to have Fi, and action this is a gotta read, The basic plot would seem to space already read this book? That’ll certainly fun, a trip to Moonbase Vegas was in specially if you read Semper Mars, and opera, but tight plotting, and intense be true by the time this new generation is order. You want it, got cash’ to spend , Luna Marine - Pam Allan characterization throw the books into a the old generation. And who comprises whole new dimension. The scientific you got it. Everything goes by the this new brood? One third of the authors families rules including vendettas. Want Primary Inversion speculation seems to be based on sound are male, one third female, and another to muscle in? Forget about it. But the Tor, 317 pp ,$21.95 physics, but the fictional world glows third brazenly refuse to disclose their rules are changing since Hunter Castle The Radiant Seas with the growth and humanity of its gender. Such bold innovation shows in dropped in, and started building Darkside Tor, 487 pp, $6.99 characters. I couldn’t put them down. If their style and technique. Don’t miss this Vegas. Lowly bagman for the tacky Both by Catherine Asaro you like the Honor Harrington series one! - Michael Griffin [David Weber] You’ll love these. If you Borgioli family Deuce McNamara has become “Godfather to the Moon. Earth Primary Inversion begins a series don’t, I suspect you’ll love them anyway. has declared war on the Moon, and the [without a series title] that is continued in I can’t wait for the next installment. If I League of Decency is taking over. The Radiant Seas. I am reviewing them had stars, I’d give them five. These are Contracts are out. Deuce’s wife, Sparkle together although either can be read as an keepers. - Pam Allan de Lune, Showgirl and kick boxing independent. Although continuation is champion, takes off with Hunter Castle not noted in the jacket notes, the door is and takes the Kids along. left open at the end of The Radiant Seas. What’s a guy to do, especially with Primary Inversion is set in a far future Earth and every family targeting you, and where faster than light travel is provided the !kth are planning an invasion using your kids to test the jump gate. and only Deuce can stop them. It’s enough to make a sober gambler throw in his cards. But the Deuce ain’t Godfather to the Moon for nothing. He contracts a contingency marriage with the Mormon general leading the rebels who thinks he is the messiah, and with the help of an alien [D’inn] sets off to save mankind, wife, kids, and anything else. Earth catches him, he is dying, and still gets away with the help of his friends to charge the jump gate as the !kth Invade. But what if reality is on the other side, by the inversion drive, and communica- and all of this just a game with vastly tion is instantaneous using the psi bigger stakes. What if the !kth are the powered Skolian Net. The human race is prototype for the devil, and the D’inn for represented by three groups, The every- angels. Is all of this a scam? day human [the Allied Worlds] who Nancy holder writes a quirky, witty neither believe in Psi phenomenon, or the adventure with the use wise guy linguis- sadistic activities of the Traders [the tics that reminds me of the old Damon Eubean empire]. However the traders © Sherlock Runyan stories [and Newyorkese] You have been enslaving the Skolian’s can’t help liking the characters who’s © Sherlock [providers of the Skolian Net] for the quirks invigorate the plot. Well written, pleasure they draw from the psi-enhanced with fast action, you’ll want to read the pain. The Skolians have been bred, and whole series. I really would like to see a book four - Pam Allan Page 16 ConNotations Volume 10 Issue 3 enthusiasts, the Arizona LANbashers range from 13-40-something with both address: [email protected] Club League throws quarterly LANparty male and female members. Other activi- events. Between parties, support is given ties include null-modem link gamefests, EARTHLINK SCI-FI CLUB SF to local groups who wish to advertise group theater movie viewings, convention generalists with some focus on comics Listings their own gatherings. We have no set trips and more. Have sci-fi fun in a and environmental issues. Meets at genre of games and play anything from relaxed, low-structure environment. NO various conventions and occasions. (EDITOR’S NOTE: Please check your club strategy games to first-person shooters to RUBBER EARS ALLOWED!! For Publishes a quarterly newsletter called listing for errors. Please send corrections and driving/flying simulations. No annual questions, you can call the BBS, or write Cosmic Wavelengths. For information updates to the editor in writing or via email) membership is required and admission to to: LSS c/o R. Martin; 2522 N. Sparkman contact them at 8508 E. San Lorenzo, an event ranges from $5-$15. See our Blvd.; Tucson, AZ 85716 Scottsdale, AZ 85258, or call Nohl Rosen ADRIAN EMPIRE A medieval and webpage for current events. Email: at (602) 991-8847. renaissance recreationist club. Sword- [email protected] Web: http:/ BASFA Baja Arizona Science Fiction fighting, arts, banquets, masquerades, www.gibbed.com/all VoiceMail: 602- Association, a non-profit organization. THE EMPIRE OF CHIVALRY AND dances. meets every Wednesday night 306-9339 Puts on TUS-CON Convention annually. STEEL, INC. The Empire of Chivalry from 7-10pm at Encanto Park. All are and Steel specializes in the general welcome. Free. For details, call THE AWAY TEAM: The Away Team, CENTRAL ARIZONA SPECULA- recreation of the culture of the Middle (602)582-6990. is a general sci-fi appreciation group that TIVE FICTION SOCIETY, INC. Ages including all of the Art Forms, meets once a month for discussion of (CASFS) The non-profit corporation that Events (Feasts, Tournaments, Ceremonies ARERIAL MIRAGE JUGGLING various sci-fi news regarding several puts on CopperCon conventions, and Wars) and Combat Arts covering the CLUB International Juggling Associa- mediums to include: television, movies, SmurfCons, HexaCons, occasional years of 800AD up to 1650AD and any tion affiliate club meets 7-10pm Wednes- video, books, comics, magazines, collect- regional cons, and publishes Con- location within Europe or its explored day evenings at Encanto Park. No dues, ing, and so forth. The meetings are Notations. Best described as SF/F territories. For more information contact everyone welcome. All levels skill comprised of news, review and comment, generalists with a strong bent towards Bart Smith (Phoenix) (602)937-6995 or exchange in many areas of object ma- BBS/computer news and help, meeting literary SF/F. Guests welcome - meets at Leonard Bird (Tucson) (520)742-2432 nipulation. Devils’ Club meets Fridays new members, video presentations, 8pm on the last Friday of each month in 5pm north of the Hayden Library on the games, and socializing fun! Food and January thru September and the second INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD ASU campus. For more info, call (602) drinks are provided, via a $3 munchie fee Friday in October, November and OF JEDI KNIGHTS Members of the 585-7623, or write 2326 E. Electra Lane, (per meeting) to compensate the host. December at JB’s Restaurant, 2560 W. Tatooine Base have revised the Interna- Phoenix, AZ 85024. (No other fees are involved.) The elec- Indian School in Phoenix, AZ. Write PO tional Brotherhood of Jedi Knights, a not- tronic home of the Away Team, is the Box 62613, Phoenix, AZ 85082-2613 or for-profit fan club dedicated to Star Wars. ARIZONA LANBASHERS LEAGUE Lightspeed Space Station BBS at (520) call Stephanie L. Bannon (602)973-2341 Membership is $8.00 U.S. and/or $11.00 A collaboration of computer gaming 325-6674.... Member ages for the group for information. Web www.casfs.org (Canada/foreign) and includes a member- ship packet consisting of a one year THE DARK ONES (Dark-wunz) n. 1) subscription to The New Jedi Times An organization formed for the expres- (published 6 times a year), membership sion and exploration of various cultural card, IBOJK charter & bylaws informa- themes including, but not limited to, the tion on Jedi studies and a free gift. Dark Ages and the Renaissance through Checks should be made to either Patty forms of art including, but not limited to, Vance or Elizabeth Laignel. For further painting, drawing, writing, photography, information send a self-addressed, spoken word, and acts of characterization. stamped envelope to: The I.B.O.J.K.; P. 2) a member of this organization. 3) O. Box 5459; Glendale, AZ 85312-5459; Information available at (602) 978-9314. or call either Patty or Lilly at (602) 843- 8303. May the Force show you the way of DAYSTAR HOLT Arizona’s first and the Jedi! longest-running Elfquest fan club. Daystar meets to talk about EQ and INTERNATIONAL FEDERATION related stuff, develop characters, publish COUNCIL Meets every 1st and 3rd stories in our ‘zine Playelf and create an Saturday of the month. Meeting at the annual calendar. Other common interests Westridge Mall (75th Ave. and Thomas include music, bellydance, camping and Rd. Phoenix, AZ. The IFC is regimental of course, SF. Membership is free (18 or (Using Ranks and structured simmialrly over) and is attained by group vote after to ST) but has social events as well. you attend two meetings or holt-related Attends local Creation And Trek Produc- get-togethers. Meetings are usually the tion Cons, and ST Movie premiers. POC first Saturday of each month; for more for IFC is A/Fleet Admiral John Nelson info, call Tom or Janice at (602) 581- (602) 934-3987 or by voice mail (602) 2258. They have a website up at http:// 409-7169 or c/o P.O. box 14370 Phoenix, members.home.net/jeanderson/ AZ 85063-4370. E-Mail: Bnelson502 daystarholt.html @aol.com Membership Approx 35-50. The Bi-Monthly newsletter is Cactus Log. DESERT LURKERS Tucson based Babylon 5 fan club. Meets and communi- THE JEDI KNIGHTS Meetings are the cates via listserver over the Internet. 3rd Sunday of each month. For more Anyone with e-mail access can subscribe information call Carol Alves, Publicity, to the Desert Lurkers by sending e-mail (760)244-9593 or write Jedi Knights, c/o to [email protected] and putting Jim Lowerre, 12291 Meade Street, “subscribe” (minus the quotation marks) Garden Grove, CA 92841-3629 in the subject line. Interested people can contact Alexander Goodrum at E-mail

( Cont’d on page 18 ) Volume 10 Issue 3 ConNotations Page 17 Club Listings ( Cont’d from page 17 ) SCIENCE FICTION CONTINUUM THE SOUTHWEST COSTUMER’S T.H.E.M. T.H.E.M. is ASU’s science LEPRECON, INC. One of the two The Science Fiction Continuum: An GUILD The Southwest Costumers Guild fiction and fantasy club. Weekly Phoenix area corporations that put on Independent Star Trek and Sci-Fi club in is a loose organization of persons inter- meetings are held in the Memorial yearly conventions. Best described as SF/ Phoenix, AZ. The SFCOM is an active ested in all facets of historical, cultural, Union, with dates to be announced F generalists with a main thrust into SF/F club that participates in Local Phoenix, science fiction, fantasy, and humor cos- after the semester starts. For more art. Guests are welcome. The meetings and Southwestern Star Trek and Sci-Fi tume. Members are often seen on stage information, contact Erik Wennstrom, are quarterly on the second Saturday of conventions and movies. The SFCOM and behind the scenes atmost local and email: [email protected] Phone: 480-968- February, May, August & November has three different divisions. The SFCOM regional Science Fiction Convention 5257.To subscribe to our listserve, unless otherwise notified. August is the itself, a free group where fun is the name masquerades.They meet on the last Sun- send a message to them- annual meeting where board positions are of the game. The Deep Space SolarFlare day of each month at various mmbers’ [email protected]. determined. For more information, write (DSSF) an active member club in the homes in the greater phoenix area. For PO Box 26665, Tempe, AZ 85285 ; call International Federation of Treker’s details. Southwest Costumers Guild, PO TUCSON FAN ALLIANCE E-Mail Mike Willmoth at (480) 945-6890 or (IFT). This group is based on DS9 (a Box 39504, Phoenix, AZ 85609 or call Address is [email protected] or Email: [email protected] space station). And the IKV Sto-Vo-Kor Randall Whitlock at (602)995-7514, [email protected]. (Independent Kilngon Vessel). A Klingon email: [email protected] or Website: THE PHOENIX FANTASY FILM Bird of Prey, roming the desert looking http://members.aol.com/souwesgld/ Z-PHILES are the ariZona x-PHILES. SOCIETY A Phoenix based club inte- for battle. Are the Fed’s too soft, looking guilg.html We maintain a mailing list for news rested in the entire realm of SF, Fantasy for combat, feel the call to glory. This is and get-togethers of fans of the X-Files and Horror film. PFFS has been in the ship for you. Membership in the STARBASE TUCSON Tucson Arizona living in Arizona. We get together in existence for 25 years, meeting every 6 SFCOM is free! To join DSSF or the Sto- based Star Trek club. For info call Geof both the Phoenix and Tucson areas. To weeks in member’s homes. Dues are $10 Vo-Kor a nominal fee for the national Wood at (520) 746-1822 or write Starbase subscribe, send an empty message to z- per year. Membership includes newslet- clubs involved and uniforms. For further Tucson ; 3314 E. Benson Hwy ; Tucson [email protected] ters, an annual film awards and various information contact President John AZ 85706. Email:[email protected] outings. For information, contact PFFS, Nelson at (602) 409-7169 or on the UNITED FEDERATION OF P.O. Box 34023, Phoenix, AZ 85067 or internet at; [email protected] or STONEHENGE BBS Enjoy over 60 PHOENIX A Phoenix area Star Trek call David Storck at (602) 274-7404, check out our web site. http:// online games including TradeWars 2002, and general SciFi fan club. We are a e-mail: [email protected]. www.thesfcom.com StarFight, The Pit, Dirty Play, Usurper, social club that meets every two weeks LORD, and Battle Grid (new, like at various locations around the PHOENIX JAPANIMATION SOCI- SFACE (Speculative Fiction And Battletech). Topical message boards, E- Phoenix area. The UFP has been ETY Local chapter of Japanimation/ Computer Enthusiasts) Phoenix College’s Mail, and Network Echoes. 1000’s of meeting for over 20 years of continu- general animation oriented fans - meets one and only connection to the worlds of files to download: utilities, games, GIF ous activity. Dues are $10/per year monthly. Membership is free, though speculative fiction, including science pictures, & more every day! Stop by and prorated when you join; no restric- optional monthly newsletter is $5/year or fiction, fantasy, and horor as well as table give us a try at Stonehenge BBS (602) tions. Membership includes member- $.50 per month. Call Tom Perry at (602) top, live action and internet gaming, 947-2223, FidoNet 1:114/120, 300- ship roster and monthly newsletter. 996-2196 or write 3241 E. Altadena, SFACE also serves as a guide through the 9600bps, V.32/V.42bis, 24 hours a day. Come to any two meetings at no Phoenix, AZ 85028. Internet - both teaching basic use and obligation. For information, write the utilizing as a source of speculative fiction. TARDIS TARDIS is a Phoenix-based UFP at PO Box 37224, Phoenix, AZ RAGE ACROSS THE SOUTHWEST For more info contact Dr Ray Bromley at General SF/Fantasy Fan Club, specializ- 85069, or call Jim Strait at (602) 242- A Live Action Theatre Troupe based out [email protected]. The ing in International media SF/Fantasy 9203. Web page: http://www.U-F- of the ASU campus in Tempe, AZ. It is SFACE Web site is found at since 1983. TARDIS meets every two P.org or Email to [email protected] dedicated to the game Werewolf: The http://www.pc.maricopa.edu/departments/ weeks at different locations around the Apocalypse by White Wolf publishing. studentact/organizations/sface/ valley. Activities include watching UNITED WHOVIANS OF TUCSON Contact Mike McLaughlin at (602)461- videos, discussions, parties, fund-raisers, A well-informed and very active Dr. 5842 or write 1730 W Emelita Place SHADOWKEEP BBS Intelligent auctions, games, camping trips and Who club. $15 yearly membership #2025, Mesa AZ85202-3144 or email to conversation, awesome graphics, stupen- outings. We also maintain an active includes four issues of their fanzine - [email protected] dous door games, unworldly filebank, presence at local conventions. TARDIS TARDIS Time Lore - written by semi- RPG forums, QWK message system and publishes a monthly informative newslet- pros and other dedicated fans. For RAW GAMES (Role-players & online RPG BBS-moderated games! Our ter, The Index File, with a national more information, contact The United Wargamers, Inc.) Role-players & BBS is mainly RPG oriented and we offer circulation which is included with Whovians of Tucson at P. O. Box Wargamers, Inc. is the Valley’s oldest many services to GMs and players. No membership. Annual membership is just 13541, Tucson, AZ 85732-3541. Also, role-playing and wargaming club. fees necessary for users who post intelli- $12.50. You can contact us at P.O. Box you can contact the president at Currently meeting at Carrow’s Restaurant gent messages! $5 in credits to new users. 63191, Phoenix, AZ 85082-3191, Voice [email protected] or the UWOT at 7th Street & Monte Vista in Phoenix Over 20 conferences and 10 doors to Mail at (602) 864-0901, E-mail TARDIS- webmaster at every Sunday from 3pm-9pm (except choose from! Shadowkeep BBS - [email protected] or visit http:// [email protected] Web page during conventions and other special PCBoard 15.2/M - US Robotics 28.8 www.primenet.com/~jgeorge/tardis.html at: http://www.azstarnet.com/ events). Open to new members - call Modem. Phoenix, AZ (602)245-0919; ~hgadlng/uwotclub.htm (602) 849-9515. Connect at 2400-28800 TEKWAR FAN CLUB Sanctioned by the series’ production companies and the ROLE PLAYING GAMES CLUB THE SOCIETY FOR CREATIVE USA Network! It is THE information (RPGC) The official gaming club of Az. ANACHRONISM The kingdom of conduit between the fans and the series! State University. Activities include: live- Atenveldt doth lie in the state of Arizona. Fan club membership will bring you the action roleplaying games, tabletop Within the fair kingdom can be found six following 1) subscription to the info filled gaming, conventions, parties, etc. Baronies: Atenveldt, Mons Tonitrus, Tek Informer newsletter; 2) official General meetings are open to the public Twin Moons, SunDragon, Tir Ysgithr TekWar Fan Club membership card and and are held every Friday at 6pm in and Ered Sul. For more infor-maton on kit. Membership is by rgular mail only ASU’s Memorial Union. Dues are $5/ any of these or for general information on and the newsletter nad materials will not semester. For more info, contact Michael thy past tomorrows thou mayest contact be reproducd electronicaly. To join the McLaughlin, 1730 W. Emelita #2025, Mistress Myrddina o Dolwyddelan (Terry action and initiate your annual member- Mesa, AZ 85202-3144, or call (602)464- Schwartz) PO Box 584, Sonoita AZ ship, make check or moneyorder out for 3144; [email protected] 85637 (520)455-5835 Email: $12.50 to: Official TekWar Fan Club [email protected] www.atenveldt.org (Membership section), 2522 N Sparkman Blvd., Tucson AZ 85716-2417 © Dawe Page 18 ConNotations Volume 10 Issue 3 TusCon 27 (Tucson, AZ) Nov 10-12, Info: AgamemCon, PMB# 330, 92 Convention 2000 at The Executive Inn. Author GoH: Corporate Park, Suite C, Irvine, CA Catherine Wells, Artist GoH: Liz 92606; Email: [email protected]; Listings Danforth, Fan GoH’s: Craig and www.agamemcon.org Stephanie!, TM: Ed Bryant. Member- ships: $30 until 10/1, $35 thereafter, HexaCon 11 (Scottsdale, AZ) July 20- Farscape Convention (Burbank, CA) children (3-12) half price. Panels, 22, 2001 Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort. Aug 5-6, 2000 Burbank Airport Hilton, Readings, Meet the Authors, Art Show, Arizona’s Largest Annual Gaming Burbank, CA Guests Ben Browder Childrens’ Zone, Video Room, “Men in Convention Memberships: $15 until 12/ (Commander John Crichton) Claudia Black” LARP, LAN Computer Gaming, 31/2000, $20 thru 06/25/2001, $25 at the door. Special Thursday night events for Black (Officer Aeryn Sun) Virginia Hey and Consuite. Artists interested in panels pre-registered members only. Info: (Zhaan) Anthony Simcoe (D'Argo) Gigi should contact Rebecca (520) 293-1455 Edgley (Chiana) plus Kent McCord and Hexacon 11, PO Box 62613, Phoenix, AZ immediately! Dealers contact Cristi at 85082 Phone: (602) 973-2341; Email: members of the production team TBA. (520) 881-3709. The Executive Inn: 333 [email protected] Holiday Inn Sunspree General Admission $17 per day advance, W Drachman, Tucson, AZ 85705, (520) Resort, 7601 E Indian Bend Road, Scotts- $20 at the door, Reserved $45 per day, 791-7551, Rooms $45 single, $50 double, dale, AZ (480) 991-2400. Rooms: $67 + Gold passes $150 for weekend. Creation and $65 suite (until Oct 10). More info: tax S/D/T/Q. Suites $100 + tax S/D/T/Q Entertainment, THE GALLERIA TusCon 27, PO Box 26822, Tucson, AZ TOWER, 100 W Broadway #1200, 85726 Webpage: http:// DarkCon 2001 Summer 2001 in Phoe- Glendale, CA 91210 (818) 409-0960 www.azstarnet.com/~basfa nix, AZ. Semi-annual fantasy and science ext. 225, www.creationent.com fiction convention. “The best kept secret LosCon 27 (Burbank, CA)November 24- in Arizona.” Check out our website at CHICON 2000/58th WORLDCON 26, 2000 Burbank Airport Hilton Guests: www.darkones.org. Updates regularly. (Chicago, Illinois) Aug 31-Sept 4, 2000 Author GoH: Orson Scott Card, Artist Rates are $20. For more information call: Hyatt Regency Chicago,. GoH: Ben GoH: Bob Eggleton, Special Media (602) 978-5592 or (602) 978-9314. Bova; AGoH: Bob Eggleton; EGoH: Jim Guest: Harry Knowles, Fan Guests: Craig Baen; FGoHs: Bob and Anne Passovoy; Miller and Genny Dazzo. Info: LosCon c/ CopperCon 21 (Scottsdale, AZ) Sept 7- TM: Harry Turtledove. Memb: $150; $40 o LASFS, 11513 Burbank Blvd, North 9, 2001 Holiday Inn SunSpree Resort. supporting. Info: Chicon 2000, PO Box Hollywood, CA 91609 Email: Author GoH: Julian May; Filk GoH: 642057, Chicago IL 60664; email: [email protected] http://www.lasfs.org/ Heather Alexander. Membership $20 thru [email protected] Webpage: http:// loscon27 Oct 1, 2000, $25 thru Dec 1, 2000, $30 www.chicon.org thru April 1, 2001, $35 thru Aug 1, 2001, The Twelfth Regeneration of Gallifrey $40 at the door. Kids 7-12 half price, 6 Bubonicon 32 (Albuquerque, New One (Van Nuys, CA) February 23-25, and under free with paid adult member- Mexico) August 25-27 Howard Johnson 2001, Airtel Plaza Hotel, Guests: Sarah ship. Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort, 7601 East, Author GoH: Walter John Williams, Sutton, Mark Strickson and Bonnie E Indian Bend Road, Scottsdale, AZ Artist GoH: Lela Dowling, Mistress of Langford from Doctor Who. Memb: $30 (480) 991-2400; Room rates are $67 plus Toast: Mary Ann Cornett A literary- to 6/30/00, $35 to 9/30/00, $40 to 11/30/ tax S/D/T/Q, Suites $125 plus tax. Info: oriented SF/Fantasy con with two-track 00, $45 to 1/31/01, $50 at the Door. Info: CopperCon 20, PO Box 62613, Phoenix, programming. Events include panels, an Gallifrey Conventions, PO Box 3021, AZ 85082, Email: [email protected] Phone art show, gaming, dealer’s room, Filk and North Hollywood, CA 91609 Phone: (602)973-2341 more. Memb: $22 until 5/31/00, $25 to 8/ (818) 752-3756, [email protected] 14/00, $28 at the Door. Discounts for Web: www.gallifreyone.com under 16. Hotel: Rooms $50 or $55 (with fridge) S/D/T/Q. Howard Johnson East LepreCon 27 (Scottsdale, Arizona) May 15 Hotel Circle NE (I-40 and Eubank), 18-20, 2001 Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort Reservations: (505) 296-4852 or (800) Artist GoH: Stephen Hickman, Author 877-4852 Info: NMSF Conference, PO GoH: Michael A. Stackpole, Local Artist: Box 37257, Albuquerque, NM 87176 Robert Ross, Music: Echo's Children. Phone: (505) 266-8905 Email: Memberships $25 through 8/31/00, $30 [email protected] Website: http:// through 12/31/00 $35 through 5/01/01, members.aol.com/bubonicon $40 at the door. Kids 7-12 half price, Children 6 and under are free when © Sherlock COPPERCON 2000 (Scottsdale, AZ) accompanied by and adult Holiday Inn September 8-10, 2000 Holiday Inn Sunspree Resort, 7601 E. Indian Bend Sunspree Resort. The 20th Annual Road, Scottsdale, AZ (480) 991-2400. Generic Convention Regestration Form CopperCon Convention Author GoH: Rooms $73 + tax S/D/T/Q, Suites $125 + Poul Anderson; Artist GoH: Vincent Di tax S/D/T/Q Info: LepreCon 27, PO Box Name:______Fate; Filk GoH: Cecilia Eng; Local 26665, Tempe, AZ 85285 Phone: (480) Authors Jennifer Roberson and Adam 945-6890 Email: lep27@leprecon.org, Badge Name:______Niswander. Memb: $30 thru 8/26/00, WWW: www.leprecon.org/lep27 Address:______$35 at the door, Kids 7-12 half price, Kids 6 and under - free when accompa- AgamemCon V (Burbank, CA) June 8- City/State/ZIP:______nied by an adult. Holiday Inn Sunspree 10, 2001 Burbank Airport Hilton, Phone:______Email:______Resort, 7601 E Indian Bend Road, Babylon 5 and SF Media oriented Scottsdale, AZ (480) 991-2400; Room convention. Guests include: Tracey Enclosed is $______for ______memberships for rates are $65 plus tax S/D/T/Q, Suites Scoggins, Alexandra Tydings, David A. ______convention. $125 plus tax. Info: CopperCon 20, PO Brooks, Bear Burge and more! Full Box 62613, Phoenix, AZ 85082, Phone (See calendar for mailing address) Science programming track Memberships More info on __ Masquerade __Art Show __Volunteer __ Other (602)973-2341 Email: [email protected] $30 to 8/31/2000; $40 to 11/30/2000; $50 or [email protected] until 5/15/2001 and $60 at the door. Kids 8-12 half price, 7 and under are free. Volume 10 Issue 3 ConNotations Page 19

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

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