Philcon 2021 – Part 1

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A smaller ‘haul’ than some years…

The weekend before Thanksgiving 2021 I headed out and did something I’d done dozens of times before, but not at all since the pandemic. I went and attended a science fiction convention in person. I was excited to see the convention was actually going to happen. I understood the rules going in… prove that you had your vaccination AND wear your mask properly the entire time you’re attending. It’s a private event, you know the rules. I was also excited to see those rules in place. It was wonderful feeling to be headed out again.

The con itself was… small. I suppose this was an expected thing given the pandemic and the number of people that don’t want to deal with the chance of catching something. The sense I got was of a con that was even smaller than that. Small enough that I fear for the future. It was also a very gray convention. I know that I am a contributing factor to this, but it just felt… old. There are other cons out there that are making an effort to keep up with the times. Panels are changing, recordings are being made and an online presence is being maintained. I don’t know what it would have taken to have a multi-platform con, but that really felt like it could have been attainable this year with such a small gathering – and it wasn’t. There were the motions of ‘the way it was’ but somehow it felt hollow.

The hotel felt empty, old and more than a little shabby. Peeling wall coverings, worn furniture, foggy windows and wheezing air handlers. Nobody cleaned my room while I was there. The door lock access card needed to be reset 3 times despite all my efforts to keep the magnetic key far from anything else on my person. The door didn’t close properly, and required attention more than once. The bar was closed early and the ability to just… gather and chat felt far more limited than it should have. The place felt as old as the con.

All of this could have added up to a miserable experience. It didn’t. A number of friends gathered and got to spend time talking about, showing off and selling various aspects of the things we all love. Yes, the dealer room was still there and so was the art show. There was live music. The folks that attended made the con special. I still had the opportunity to chat with amazing creators. I got to chat with the music guest of honor about butterflies painted on overalls. I got to talk art show set up with an artist that only recently moved to the area. I went to dinner with friends, laughed and generally had a fantastic time.

The dealers room was less full this year. Some folks couldn’t be there. Some folks retired or simply went out of business during the pandemic. I was grateful to see those that were there. I met some fantastic creators and did my level best to support them (yes, I blew out the budget). I suggest you head out and support these creators too. I picked up an eye, you should check them out you might like what you see. I also grabbed a 3d art piece as a gift, along with a very geek oriented gift for somebody this year. One of my favorite conversations was with the guys running Questbourne. A place that does more than just sell you an *.stl file and hopes you can print it. I plan to be picking up more from them in the very near future.

One of my favorite parts was seeing the premier issue of a new magazine from Fortress Publishing. Mendie The Post Apocalyptic Flower Scout issue one was on the table and ready to get out there. My story “Peach Pirates” is in this issue, along with some small humor bits tucked in other places. It’s a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to seeing more issues. You should definitely check it out!

Flower Scouts!
Issue #1 out now!

The convention and the hotel had a lot of issues that could have made for a weekend worthy of complaint. It was the opposite. The staff – both convention and hotel – seemed to have everything in hand and things ran quite smoothly. Any time there was a line, it moved quickly. Nobody seemed to have unresolved issues, and that’s probably far better than many would expect for a return to a live convention. People were friendly. People were interested in the panels. There was laughter and fun and a generally good time. I had a great weekend and I’m already looking forward to next year.

Part 2 – The Panels – coming soon!

You Should Be Watching

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This post was originally published in Watch The Skies November 2021 edition.

Maya and the Three

Cabra Kan

From the Netflix description: A spirited princess with the heart of a warrior embarks on a mission to fulfill an ancient prophecy and save humanity from the wrath of vengeful gods.

I have always enjoyed stories of the magical and fantastic. Swords, sorcery, prophecies and epic battles get my attention every time. This new cartoon series Maya and the Three checks all those boxes. The art is beautiful. The story has excellent pace even with short episodes. There are deep emotions, epic battles and moments of true humor. I had no intention of doing the classic Netflix binge, and then sat there and devoured the whole series.

One of the best parts of this show is the reality of the characters. There are indiscretions (read – cheating on your spouse), emotional confrontations, and genuine repercussions from all the fighting and battles. Nobody comes out of this story unscathed. Without giving away specifics, not everyone makes it to the end of the series.

To paraphrase one particular character, “There’s a word for folks that always do heroic things…”

“Heroes?”

“Dead.”

Netflix lists this show as a children’s cartoon, but I believe this is definitely aimed at a middle year student level. That is not to say this traditional coming of age story can’t be watched by adults. It indeed should be watched by adults. In fact, my hope is that enough people watch it to keep the studio in a mindset where they will produce more and more stories like this. You should be watching Maya and the Three.

Check out the trailer:

Live and In Person!

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That’s right ~ for the first time in what seems like forever, I’m headed to a science fiction convention live and in person. Philcon is being held the weekend of November 19-21 this year, and they’re doing it in person. Thankfully, I still make the list of people they’ll tolerate as a guest.

PHILCON!

They have strict rules in place about vaccination and mask wearing, but they are not actually any different than where I work. I’m glad they’re serious about keeping their participants safe. They certainly don’t seem to be holding non-attendance against anyone that would normally be there either. It will definitely be an interesting journey.

While I’m there, my schedule so far includes 4 panels:

 Start Time      Duration      Room Name      Title
Fri 7:00 PM 50 Min Plaza 2 Setting the Scene: Ambience for GMs
Fri 9:00 PM 50 Min Plaza 2 Writing Branching Narratives for Game Play
Sat 1:00 PM    50 Min        Plaza 2          The Harry Potter Kids Have Grown Up               
Sat 7:00 PM    50 Min        Plaza 2            Architecture in Worldbuilding   

I’m very interested to hear what other things will be going on and hopefully reconnect with a number of friends while attending. I’m also looking forward to digging back into the writing business. I’ve allowed my writing to sit idle for far too long a time.

A full report to follow!

Off Course

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I’ve been getting a number of rejections on my written work lately – and that’s to be expected as part of the publishing industry. Any number of those things I mark on a list and work out where else they can be submitted.

Sometimes there just isn’t a good fit. The thing I created is tailor made for one specific time or place and just won’t become something else. An open call for creators to make course catalog entries was one such instance.

Imagine a university opening to become another or alternate version of the infamous Miskatonic University located someplace other than Arkham. What would the course selection look like for a place like that? This was the assignment. Here are the entries I submitted for “Advanced Cthulhu Studies” at this university:

SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE

ARC 135: ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN AND GRAPHICS

Explore the fundamental issues of spaces, perception of spaces, scale and habitation. Emphasis is placed on ordering principles, pattern recognition and figure ground relationships. Build on graphical representation with an emphasis on observational symbology, aesthetic color choices and drawing presentation.

ARC 212: MASONRY II

PREREQUISITE: Poe; Amontillado

Gain additional skills and practical knowledge of masonry wall systems. Active interpretations of heat applied flashing, mortar selection and weep vent installation. Gain knowledge of residential construction inspection timing, effects of climate on drying time and STC (sound transmission classification).

Purchase of additional materials (casks) may be required.

STR 301: ADVANCED STRUCTURAL SYSTEMS: ALLOWABLE STRESS DESIGN

Prerequisite: Euclidean Geometry, Plasticity

Combine classical thermodynamics with plasticity and high yield functions. Allow the numbers to flow and discover numerical dissipation and pliability factors. Blocking, buckling, transient and steady state response combined with thermal creep. Emphasis on temporal stability and consistency. Galerkin meshfree imposition of boundaries and domain limits explored. Calculate how much your structure may flex under varied circumstances.

What sort of courses would you create? Who would you expect to see in class?

Expensive Art

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Many years ago I wrote up a post here about this bonkers concept for creating a Dune movie that I’d caught wind of on the net. I went and found the documentary and consumed it. I was enthusiastic about the concept at the time.

In the intervening time it has been pointed out that the creator of this concept brought out some very problematic things about how he created his art. Creating art using rape is NOT acceptable. It is probably a very good thing that his vision never actually made it all the way to the point of filming.

All that being said, I would still love to see the mythical book that was created to showcase the concept for this film adaptation. With all the attention being given to Dune again, one of the ultra rare books has popped up and will be sold at auction.

IF I had the money, I suspect I would have gotten in on the bidding, just for the chance to check out some of the artwork inhabiting that book. Maybe someday they’ll market a digital version and we’ll get a chance to peek at the art from some masterful creators.

Check out the article about the auction here.

Dune – the meme

Flash Prompt – Flying Castle

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Artist
Jamie Diaz Alvarez https://www.instagram.com/_1000___words_/?fbclid=IwAR3imt72R0i9VpWeJdbYho73R0l7rkf7cGYh6FOe6D5M_5OBHmrSQY3cwEQ

We have seen what the traction league has come to. We watched the battle for survival and the losses suffered by those who chose to simply fortify the mountain in place. We have combined the great engines and the mountain. We shall be safe in our fortress. We shall rule the sky.

You Should Be Watching

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This was originally published

Visions

Star Wars is a cultural phenomenon. It has become part of the culture of media. The first film hit screens more than forty years ago. Lately the franchise has come under new ownership. These new owners have pushed forward with many, many new works in the universe of Star Wars. There’s a lot out there, even for fans. I have considered myself a fan for a very long time. I was exactly the right age when the first movie hit theaters. I scrambled to get action figures and play sets as a kid and spent seemingly endless hours pushing my imagination out to all the various places in the Star Wars universe. The movies are deeply entrenched in my personal nostalgia along with all the entwined media. I can effectively say that I’ve ‘always’ been a fan.

I’m also a fan that just doesn’t want or need to devour the seemingly unending supply of hot off the presses Star Wars stuff. Maybe I’ve outgrown certain aspects of the story telling. Maybe the abundance of available material has taken the shine off the whole thing. I could just be tired of seeing the same old thing. This ennui is at the very root of this recommendation.

Star Wars, only done as anime. Imagine taking a team of amazing story tellers and artists from an anime studio and saying, “Go – play in our universe. Make something great”. That is precisely what they’ve done. Now streaming on Disney+ (because I think they own everything?) Star Wars Visions gives us seven all original stories in the same galaxy, using the same background and the same legendary ‘Force’. The stories vary in style, but never lack in beauty. The art is amazing. The stories are fresh. The look of it all is straight up anime. They’re short, so you can sneak them in between other things, or you can easily binge them. I would suggest one at a time, to give each the attention it should have. I think this may even be a way to draw new fans in; fans that might not have given a tired old franchise a chance otherwise. You should be watching Visions.

Check out the trailer:

Walk the Walk

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Claiming something and doing something are two different things. I have told any number of people that I have the ability to walk to work at my new place of employment. This is an entirely true statement. It is another thing altogether to actually walk the walk as the saying goes.

So I did it. I walked to work today. I learned a number of things along the way.

First, walking to work should be a matter of personal and environmental health, but actually comes down to schedule and payload. Walking to work requires that I adjust my schedule. Takes me about a half an hour to get there. That’s significantly longer than when I take the car AND totally limits my ability to react quickly / get someplace quickly in an emergency. It also limits how much stuff I can drag with me. Packing my dress shoes, lunch and other stuff into a bag and slinging it over my shoulder doesn’t make for a lot of carrying capacity, as opposed to just tossing stuff into the back seat and then grabbing it again on arrival.

Second, there’s a bias to driving. There are certain things that are simply part of how I consider things when I’m driving. One example is my mask. Masks are required when entering the building I work in. I don’t think about it because my mask is always in my car and I just grab it and go… only I didn’t bring the car. Guess where my mask is? Yeah, still in the car. Had to pick up a temporary mask at the desk on the way in. I realized I forgot something else I needed today. When driving, I’d think very little of popping out at lunch time, doing what I needed and getting back. Today? Not so much. What I forgot is staying at home.

Third, and this is where it gets gross, is environmental concerns. I’m lumping stuff together here as it relates to being active and being outside. No, walking to work shouldn’t qualify as ‘active’ but it’s still a physical activity. It’s an outdoor activity, so the weather the time of day and other people (and their pets) all become part of the equation as well. Bluntly, even when I’m just strolling someplace – I tend to sweat like Conor McGregor at a spelling bee. When I got to the office, I was sweaty under the backpack I was using to carry stuff. I was also outside and it was a damp, foggy morning. I felt pretty damp by the time I got in the building here. It was dark out when I left. I took extra care in crossing any streets. Then there were all the pet owners out with their dogs. There were quite a few – and I had no desire to deal with them. There weren’t any who stayed on my side of the street while I was walking, but the… remains of one such walker were in clear evidence on the sidewalk. Sidestepping that was important. I don’t want to show up at the office smelling like poo.

Once I got up to my desk it actually took me a few minutes to adjust, change shoes, and generally pull myself together after my stroll. Some of the “adjustment” stuff might get easier with practice. Some of it might not. The only way to know, is to walk again… although probably not tomorrow. There’s someplace I need to get to right after work and walking there just isn’t going to cut it.

What I need to figure out next is how to record myself speaking while I take this time to walk. I have a friend who does a ‘cast of his morning walk every day. I’d love to use that time while walking to help push creative things ahead on this page. Hopefully this will continue to be a thing. I’ll keep you all posted!

Flash Prompt – Haunting

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Artist Stefan Koidl

We must haunt him.

Wake him. How can we haunt him if he will not awaken to see us? Touch him.

We cannot. There is a barrier.

Shake him. Move the barrier. Quickly, our time is short.

We cannot. The barrier defies us. He sleeps the sleep of the exhausted. He will not acknowledge us.

Perhaps he is shaken already. Perhaps his struggles outweigh us. We must move on.

We move on.

You Should Be Watching

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This was originally published in the Watch The Skies fanzine, September 2021 issue.

What If…

When I’ve worked on my recommendations for this little column each month I’ve tried to find things that are bent toward the (potential) interests of this group, but also slightly off the beaten path. These things might not be your preference, but should certainly be worthy of consideration. I’ve tried not to go for the obvious, splashy things out there.

This month is a break in that trend. The Marvel Cinematic Universe is pervasive in pop culture. The series of movies and shows that have the common, unifying thread of a group of comic book super heroes has been with us for a solid decade now. The story lines, the characters, the massive tent pole films that seep into all the nooks and crannies of the genre are familiar. Perhaps they are familiar to the point of apathy. The MCU could be running the very serious risk of over saturation with the sheer number of films and shows it’s dumping forth for mass consumption. The omnipresent super hero genre has kept me away, until now.

The house of mouse has an animated show based around the stories of these well known super heroes called “What If…” that gets directly to the heart of the science fiction and fantasy genre. The title of the show is the very essence of what makes SF/F great. The best stories always ask that question. What if? Can we go back and change things? How would that have worked out if one tiny thing changed (butterfly effect anyone)? It’s a terrific mental exercise. The MCU has now combined that concept with stunning artwork to make a series of short animations. These stories give us the characters we’ve come to know viewed in very different lights. Asking the simple question “What if…” and following through with things like having the Ravagers pick up T’Challa rather than Peter Quill or having a serial killer remove Avengers before they start their journey to being a hero.

Yes, viewing these episodes does actually work out better if you’ve seen and / or are familiar with the films that have been put out in the long series from Marvel. The stories are short (averaging about a half hour each) and only give us glimpses of what might have been. It’s those glimpses that make it work. The animation is at exactly the level you’d expect from a world leader. There’s a lot of great stuff in there. This series is definitely one you should be watching.

Check out the trailer here: