Photograph by Carrie Jensen

Tracy Newby, dressed as a starship trooper (right), prepares to escort speakers into the reception of the Silicon 2001 sci-fi and fantasy convention on Friday evening.




SiliCon Returns

Sci-fi convention rematerializes in Sunnyvale after three-year hiatus

By William Jeske

A small, annual Bay Area tradition made a comeback like a UFO abductee returned from beyond after a three-year hiatus.

Fantasy and science-fiction fans invaded the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, located at 1250 Lakeside Drive, to resume of the annual SiliCon.

Why the three-year absence? Any number of theories arise.

Maybe there was a transporter accident and they ran out of guys in red shirts to go investigate.

Or, more realistically, it was caught in an anomaly in the space-time continuum.

Actually, SiliCon's former owners, Shawn and David Blanchette, who operate the science-fiction specialty store "A Wrinkle in Time," located at 1016 Morse Ave., couldn't dedicate enough time or energy to continuing it.

Yet one former SiliCon attendee felt a great disturbance in the Force. Dann Lopez arranged to buy SiliCon from the Blanchettes for what he said was $100 and the promise that the Blanchettes would be SiliCon's vendor liaison for the next three years. The deal also guaranteed three tables of vending space.

SiliCon held its opening ceremony the evening of Oct. 19, when Lopez took the podium in the Sheraton's banquet hall, where Stormtroopers acted as ushers and Klingons stood around the stage.

"I've waited 17 months to say this--Welcome to SiliCon!" Lopez exclaimed, striking a macho pose, dressed as Superman.

Cartoonist Phil Yeh, founder of the Cartoon-

ist's Across America and the World literacy campaign, was the toastmaster.

"The world needs more art and humor, especially now." Yeh said, "I sincerely believe that art can be used to change the world."

Also on hand were actor Tim Dunigan, from Wizards and Warriors and Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future, who was escorted by space marines from Starship Troopers.

SiliCon's guest writer Lillian Csernica entered being escorted by three young maidens dressed in extravagant robes, holding pennants and spreading rose petals in their wake.

"I'm so glad to be here tonight," Csernica said regally. "SiliCon is back!"

MAD Magazine cartoonist Sergio Aragones also extended his appreciation for being invited, as did "Fan Guest of Honor" Jerry Perkins.

Sunnyvale mayor Jack Walker was scheduled to attend but couldn't make it, so Lopez read a mayoral proclamation written precisely the way the late British author Douglas Adams wouldn't. The proclamation stated that the week of Oct. 21, 2001, is officially Science Fiction Week.

Lopez closed by expressing gratitude to his staff and to all the SiliCon loyalists.

"This is the greatest achievement of my life," Lopez said. "But it is not just my convention; it's all of ours."

What separates SiliCon from other science fiction conventions is its size.

"It's a smaller convention," Shawn Blanchette said. "It's more like old friends getting together." Blanchette said she travels the country year-round going to conventions.

Maureen Starky, SiliCon's co-chairperson, said that traditionally the annual weekend-long event only drew about 500 people.

"But we try to have workshops that emphasize writers' rights and artists' rights, especially for online fan fiction," Starky said.

In addition to workshops, SiliCon hosted screenings of fan-made Star Wars movies, provided by the South Bay Star Wars Fan Club.

A highlight for Lopez was a charity auction, which he said raised nearly $800 for Juvenile Diabetes. Lopez, a diabetic since 1996, struggled with the change in diet and lifestyle.

"But I thought, 'What about kids?'" he said. "I mean, to become diabetic at such a young age, that's just robbery."

Some other rooms far from the hotel's lobby and vendor's room were dedicated to 24-hour activities. One was for nonstop screenings of anime. Another was used by musicians experimenting with "filking," which Lopez defined as taking well-known folk songs and replacing the lyrics with science fiction or fantasy themes.

Another room was for nonstop strategy gaming, which at any particular time was quite gamey.

This apparently is nothing new since SiliCon's website has a Game Room page with a clause asking conventioneers to "please remember that personal hygiene will be encouraged."

Lopez said the website, www.siliconventions.org, should have photos posted in December along with information on next year's SiliCon.

"We expect double attendance next year," Lopez said. "I had strangers come up to me thanking me for bringing SiliCon back."

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