Next weekend is Philcon, a science-fiction convention held annually in the Philadelphia area. This year, like last year, it’s being held in Cherry Hill, New Jersey. And this year, like last year, I’ll be attending the convention.
My schedule for next weekend looks like this…
Friday, November 9
The Eye of Argon Reading
Crystal Ballroom Three, 11:59pm
Panelists: Oz Fontecchio (mod), Keith R.A. DeCandido, Allyn Gibson, Marvin Kaye, Kimberly Ann Kindya, Hildy Silverman
The audience competes with the panelists in Philcon’s version of the reading of this ahem “classic” work of fantasy
Notes: I’ve always wanted to do an Eye of Argon reading. It’s a bad piece of writing, on par with Eragon, come to think of it.
Saturday, November 10
Star Trek: The Next Generation at 25
Crystal Ballroom Two, Noon
Panelists Keith R.A. DeCandido (mod), Allyn Gibson, Glenn Hauman, Kimberly Ann Kindya
In 1987, Paramount Studios took the chance on creating a sequel to the original Star Trek, with a completely new cast, and distributing it as a syndicated show (something unheard of at the time). Since then, it went on to become the most successful of the Star Trek shows. We look back at TNG, and how it changed TV SF
52 Shades of DC Comics — One Year Later
Plaza III, 6pm
Panelists: F. Michael Yates (mod), Allyn Gibson, James Chambers, Glenn Hauman
Just over a year ago, DC comics rebooted their entire comic book line with “The New 52.” Barbara Gordon is out of her wheelchair, Catwoman and Batman have a ahem more-than-professional relationship, and Earth-2 is back… again. Has it been a Boom or Bust? Or maybe a little bit of both.
Has the Commercial Impact of Tolkien Harmed Fantasy?
Plaza V, 7pm
Panelists: Ellen Asher (mod), Daniel Grotta, Michael Swanwick, Allyn Gibson, Sarah Hunter
You can not blame Tolkien for his imitators, but they are there, in endless “McTrilogies”. Imitiation may be the sincerest form of flattery, but is this stifling the development of fantasy?
Sunday, November 11
Extreme Alternate History
Plaza III, 11am
Panelists: Allyn Gibson (mod), Michael F. Flynn, Sarah Hunter, Evelyn Leeper, Brian Thomas
Go beyond “a different outcome for famous battles” to other ways that history could have played out. Think how the world would really be different if something small and innocuous had occurred.
Notes: I feel really unqualified to moderate this panel, yet I’ll give it my best shot. It occurs to me that things like the Beatles not breaking up or recording another album (which I blogged about here) or the Beatles making a Lord of the Rings movie (which I blogged about here) might count.
50 Years of the Doctor
Crystal Ballroom Two, Noon
Panelists: Patricia M. Cryan (mod), John Drew, Allyn Gibson, Hildy Silverman, Susan Toker, Andre Lieven
Doctor Who is the longest running and one of the most popular science fiction show on TV. Come explore 50 years of Doctor Who and its upcoming 50th anniversary in 2013.
There you have it, my Philcon 2012 schedule.
Perhaps I’ll see some of you there!