Comic con adventures and frustrations

 

I’ve been attending science fiction and comic conventions since the late 1980s.

I’ve lost count of the number of celebrities that I’ve interacted with over the years but it numbers well into the hundreds. I’ve also lost count of the number of times I’ve seen “Star Trek” actors George Takei and Marina Sirtis in person at various conventions.

Over the years I’ve developed a love-hate relationship with comic cons. The fan in me absolutely loves them. It’s literally a chance to mingle with the stars and hang out with thousands of like-minded, costumed geeks. What I absolutely hate is the cost and the commercialization of the conventions.

It used to be that you could go to a convention for about $10 to $15 for a day. You could attend panel discussions with actors and meet them at their autograph tables where they would sign things for free and pose for pictures. Not anymore. Now it’s all about the almighty dollar. Depending on the level of membership/access you want, it can cost hundreds of dollars to attend a weekend convention, and that’s just to get in the door.

All of the celebrities charge for autographs and photos. Most comic cons now make you purchase autograph and photo tickets ahead of time online, and they ain’t cheap!

I acquired a fairly significant autograph collection in the days before the celebrities started charging. The first and only time I’ve paid for an autograph came in the early 2000s when I spent $15 each for “Star Wars” actors Anthony Daniels (C-3PO) and Kenny Baker (R2-D2).

I still enjoy collecting autographs, but I’m not likely to pay for them. That’s a con game I don’t like to play. I love going to comic cons, mostly to take pictures and sit in on celebrity panels.

One of the most significant moments in my life happened at one of these conventions. It was at the first Star Wars Celebration, held in Denver in 1999. “The Phantom Menace” was about to open and they held a huge Star Wars event featuring many of the new cast members. We were waiting in line to see one of the actors (I forget who it was) when I asked Sandy to marry me.

Moving to the Houston area opened the door for many comic con adventures in the past 17 years. Most of those have been at Comicpalooza, though that show has been a dud for the last several years. Some of the best cons of late have been in San Antonio, and there is one coming up that really has me excited. Spacecon San Antonio will be held Oct. 24-26 at the Freeman Coliseum Expo Halls. Most of the cast of the reimagined “Battlestar Galactica” will be there, along with the likes of Elizabeth Olsen, Billy Dee Williams, Brie Larson, Hailee Steinfeld, Ian McDiarmid, Paul Bettany, Jonathan Frakes, Michael Ironside, and dozens more. And oh my, wouldn’t you know it, even George Takei will be there.

What really has me excited is the “Battlestar Galactica” cast, including Edward James Olmos, Mary McDonnell, Grace Park, Jamie Bamber, James Callis, and Tricia Helfer. Several years ago there was a mini Galactica con at Comicpalooza and I missed it due to a scheduling conflict. This is my chance to make up for it.

Spacecon San Antonio has been under other names in the past, and each one has been huge and chock full of A-list celebrities. Show CEO Bob Wills, owner of The PM Group marketing agency, has routinely pulled out the stops for big name entertainers.

San Antonio will also be the location of Big Texas Comicon, which will be held Oct. 17-19 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center. It will have “Happy Days” actors Henry Winkler, Don Most and Anson Williams, along with notables such as Jason Isaacs, Priscilla Presley, Tori Spelling, and Soleil Moon Frye.

Locally, the College Station Comic Con will be held Sept. 13-14 in Bryan at the Brazos County Expo Complex. Much smaller than its big-city counterparts, this year’s show features voice actors Leah Clark, Macy Anne Johnson, Aaron Campbell, Jack Broadbent and Molly Searcy. Most of them are well known for their voice acting in anime cartoons and video games.

Looking back over the years, the one celebrity that I interacted with the most was the late Peter Mayhew, who is best known for playing Chewbacca in “Star Wars.” He lived in Texas and regularly attended area conventions. He even used one of the photos I took of him for his Facebook profile picture.

One of my more memorable experiences came in 2023 at GalaxyCon Austin when Richard Dreyfuss flipped me off. He was joking around while I was taking his picture. I had just lowered my camera when up came his middle finger. I just missed getting what may have become my most viral photo ever!

Oh well, such is life. Who knows what opportunities await in San Antonio and beyond.