Felix Silla Space City Con 2014

I was getting this autograph for a friend.  He couldn’t make the show so I helped him out.  My friend had an album from Buck Rogers that Gil Gerard and Erin Gray had already signed.  Since it didn’t fit in my backpack, I was going to hold off until the end of the day. I would retrieve it from my car, get the autograph, and then leave for the day.

Best laid plans…

I was done with all of my autographs fairly early.  All I needed was Felix Silla. But he wasn’t at his table.  I assumed he was doing photo ops or panels.  I wandered around for 30 minutes hoping to see him.  No luck.  I actually went outside and snacked and watched people for an hour or so.  It was good to sit and the weather had warmed a little.

When I came back, Felix was there but a fire alarm started.  So I dutifully left.

Miltos Yerolemou Space City Con 2014

Game of Thrones is a very well written series of books. There are lots of memorable lines and the TV show has done a great job of casting the characters and staying true to the books.

One of the characters that captured my interest was Syrio Forel. Whether a tip of the hat to Frank Herbet and Dune or totally unintentional, the character reminds me of Gurney Halleck.   

Miltos Yerolemou played Syrio well. He delivered those quotable lines with aplomb. When I got to the front of the line I saw his charisma.  Much like Kristian Nairn towered over me, I towered over Miltos.  He smiled. He laughed.  He told me what he wanted to write on my photo: What do we say to the God of Death?  Not today!

I thought it was perfect. It fit the photo.  It fit his character. It fit the reflections of Gurney Hallack I see.

After the convention I found out he held a class. He showed people what he learned about sword play for the TV series.   Normally, I avoid panels but this one seemed very intriguing. I regret missing it.

AH

Kristian Nairn Space City Con 2014

Surprisingly, one of the minor characters that doesn’t really speak in Game of Thrones was extremely popular. His autograph line wasn’t ever very deep but it was constantly filled with people and everyone wanted their photo taken with him.  There must be something going on that I am missing.

Kristian Nairn was very much the gentle giant much like his character on the show. He spent lots of time with people and talking in hushed tones that made me think the conversations were very personal.  The tattoos of stars on his temple were a surprise. You never see them on camera as his character has scars that creep down from his hairline.

He is taller than me. In fact, he towers over me at 6’10”. We exchanged a few words and he signed and I left.

Throughout the day I passed by and young girls were getting photos with him.  All with very excited faces.  It seemed the shorter the girl the more excited they were.  I had flashbacks to all of my college psych classes.  Freud came to mind but I’ll just leave it at that. 

AH

Joseph Gatt Space City Con 2014

Joseph Gatt has been on the convention circuit for a while but I’ve never gotten his autograph.  He’s another I finally picked up at this show.

In person, he’s shorter than I imagined but he is just as muscular as he looks on the screen.    As he shook my hand I asked he is ever ate bread or drank a beer.  He smiled and really considered what I asked.  He admitted to wine but not beer but only occasionally.  He also admitted he loved bread too much and had a hard time avoiding it. Then he added all things in moderation, even bread and beer.

Just like the other guests as Space City Con, he was very open to chatting.  We started talking about Banshee.  Banshee is a show I enjoy even though it’s full of excessive violence and sex and not sci fi in the least.  He wouldn’t comment about appearing in any additional flashbacks on the show.  He enjoyed the show and even with his small part he thought the cast and crew were very talented.

As he signed, he asked my name. I told him I just wanted his signature.  He paused. He told me he personalizes to keep things from being resold.  I relented. It’s not a sticking point for me.

AH

Jason Momoa Space City Con 2014

When I first entered the autograph area, Jason Momoa was the first autograph I wanted.  I figured he’d have the longest line and he was one of the big reasons I went to Galveston.

I was right; he did have the longest line while I was at the show.  About 40 or 50 people were line already in line. Before I queued up, I scan the other celebs.  Their lines were fairly short. So as is often the case, I made a game day decision.  I would come back later and hope Jason’s line was shorter.

Maybe an hour later, I passed by the table and the line was only 10 people.  Then I joined.  The line moved slowly; mostly because people hemmed and hawed over the photo selection. Jason provided a nice range of photos and several people just couldn’t decide.

As Jason Momoa waited for a couple to decide, he flexed his wrist.  He rubbed it and joked that he had to quit because he had carpel tunnel.  I smiled knowing he was teasing.  An older lady in front of him nearly panicked because she didn’t understand.  Quickly he admitted he was kidding.  I rolled my eyes in disbelief.  Some people need to get away from the TV more and experience real social interaction.

As he signed for me, I asked if he ever visited Galveston before.  He said once, to visit a relative.  He wanted to try surfing. I don’t know Galveston well, but all I could think of was the sea wall and the nasty blocks of rocks all over the shore.

Another lady behind me crowded in and said that was a stupid idea. That it was too dangerous.  Jason paused and said yeah and admitted he never really got a chance.  I took my photo and left as that lady kind of moved me out of the way.  I was done anyways but she was another person that needed to get outside more and away from the TV.

AH

Julie Caitlin Brown and Bridget Flannery Space City con 2014

Julie Caitlin Brown and Bridget Flannery were both quick signatures.  Sadly, I had nothing to say to them.  Both were nice. Both were very pretty in person.

 

Andrea Thompson Space City con 2014

The blonde hair and blue eyes still stand out for AndreaThompson.   She gave me a big smile as I walked up.  She was running herd on a young boy and another young man.  I’m assuming both were her sons.

She mentioned that it’s hard for the younger one to ‘stay put’ for long.  The older one, came right over, shook my hand, and introduced himself.

I asked if she was enjoying Texas. She said tonight was her night to check out the town. The previous night was a party night and for her, those days were past.  She was hoping to get some good seafood while in Galveston.

She was another of the guests at this show that seemed happy to be chatting with people and being social. 

AH

Peter Jurasik Space City con 2014

Peter Jurasik was sick.  He apologized for being sick and wanted people to know he was sick so he didn’t make them sick.  Even with the aches and fever he still appeared at the show to keep the fans happy.  He was a trooper.

He mentioned he was on Dayquil and was getting got lots of rest and fluids.

I picked a photo and he paused to consider which color pen would be best. He confirmed the color choice with me and then signed.

Not wanting to get sick myself or be more of a burden I thanked him and left.

AH

 

Stephen Furst Space City con 2014

Another Babylon 5 guest was Stephen Furst but to me, he’s Flounder from Animal House.

He was another very fan friendly guy.  He chatted with everyone and with the kids he handed out Babylon 5 trading cards.

I caught him off guard as I mentioned an old PSA (Public Service Announcement) he did.   With raised eyebrows, he echoed, PSA?

Yeah, I said with some uncertainty, for Diabetes.   Even thought that sentence was only 3 words, it moved from being a declarative statement to a weak fragile question.

Then he nodded, that was a while ago. Yes, I did that.

Relieved I didn’t confuse him with someone else, I thanked him and left.

AH

 

Bill Mumy Space City con 2014

Many years ago a friend got Bill Mumy for me.  While I normally don’t get duplicate signatures I do make exceptions and this was one.

I stood in the short line and the guy in front of me was excited. When he reached the front of the line, he chatted forever.  The conversation meandered all over the place but one exchange I thought was amusing.

Fan as he finally picked 2 photos to get signed:  You know, I grew up with watching Lost in Space:

Mumy with only a trace of a smile:  So did I.

Fan after a pause: ..Oh yeah…

Bill was good natured and let the fan ask his questions. Even though it took several minutes. Bill answered even when the questions moved into topics outside of the normal.

After the fan left, my 10 seconds must have seemed dull and anticlimactic.

AH

Mira Furlan Space City Con 2014

Most of the people waiting for Mira Furlan were Babylon 5 fans.  I know her more as Rousseau from Lost.

Over the last couple of years we have been at the same shows but for one reason or another I haven’t gotten her.  This was my time.  I walked up. She smiled.  I pointed at a photo and asked if I could get that one signed.  She started signing.  As I started to hand over my money I was telling her how much I enjoyed Lost and then I dropped the bills.

I knelt to pick up the money.  Since I’m getting old, getting up isn’t so easy.  With a failed smile plastered across face, I struggled to stand again.  I could see some concern in her eyes as I grunted my way upright.

I handed the money over. The photo was returned and we never said another word. Oh well. You can’t always be a winner.

AH

Gethin Anthony Space City Con 2014

Right next to Finn was Gethin Anthony.  He was just finishing up with someone as I crossed the space between podiums.   Like Finn, Gethin stood and spent more time in front of the signing area then behind it.

Since it was cold in Galveston this day, I asked how he was enjoying the cold.  With typical English pluck, he answered that ‘this’ wasn’t cold.   He mentioned the whole lot from Game of Thrones was happy to be enjoying the nice weather.  They had left cold dreary grey days and Texas weather was a nice treat.

Gethin was another very friendly actor and very generous with his time.  Again, he seemed to be really enjoying the whole experience.

AH

Finn Jones Space City Con 2014

The first autograph I picked up at Space City Con was Finn Jones from Game of Thrones.

As it happened no one is in line and I wasn’t sure if he was about to walk away.  He saw me and came out from around the podium they set up for him.  We chatted about visiting Texas and if he was enjoying it.  He was very friendly and open to just chatting.  He seemed excited to be at a convention and was intent on enjoying the ambiance.

Not wanting to overstay my welcome I picked a photo and he signed.  He turned do the next person in line and treated them just as warmly.

AH

Space City Con 2014

January had barely started and I attended my first convention of the year.  On January 4th I went to Space City Con.  Not only did they change venues, they moved further south.

Instead of a cramped hotel in Houston they used the more open facilities of the Moody Garden resort in Galveston, TX to host the show.  This allowed more elbow room as you walked through the show.  This also removed the bottlenecks as people tried to access a panel or move to the autograph area.

The show had a nice line up of guests; many from Babylon 5 and several from Games of Thrones.  While I’m not a huge B5 fan, there were too many notables to pass up. Being a huge Game of Thrones fan, I knew I could not miss the show.  

 As before, many people were cosplaying.  A couple of the more renowned players had tables. Ani-Mia and I chatted about John Barrowman’s autograph. There were several renaissance faire type vendors dealing in corsets or armor or weapons.  A nice mix of artists and even a few authors were also in the dealers’ room.

While I didn’t attend any panels, they looked to be several interesting ones.  Outside, the young ones were gaming with sponge swords and knocking the crap out of each out in an incredible display of excess energy.

Much like the previous show, I got all my autographs within a few hours. For a collector, this is ideal; I can get and get out and move on to other things.
overall a good show and improvement over the previous one.

AH

Space City Con 2013 musings

This was the first time I went to Space City Con. I think it might be just the second show they presented.

Pluses:

Sylvester McCoy.  It’s hard for get a Doctor in the US.

Their website had the info you needed, although some of wasn’t that easy to find.  I’m a big fan of who, what, where, and when.  I want to find the basics on the landing page or one click away.

A nice supporting list of celebs.

A nice amount of cosplay.

Negatives:

Crowded. The long hallway to get to some of the celebs was lined with fan tables and the panel rooms were in the same hallway. A lot of people were in a confined space.

They wanted you to buy autographs tickets at the ‘front desk’. Cash was not supposed to be paid at the tables.  Not really sure of the ‘why’ but it defeats the impulse purchase or the ‘add on’ purchase.

Determination: I’d go again if the guest list is right. They have moved to a new location. It’ll be roomier although it is an addition hour drive for me. 

 

Total aside:

I was seating outside, away from the crowd, eating a power bar and drinking my water as I waited for the clock to tick away until Sylvester McCoy ‘s signing.  I was more or less minding my own business when a young lady exited the building and sat next to me.  She was very noticeable.  Besides being very pretty, she was very tall.  Six foot tall. Her mom followed her out. Her mom was very short and not that pretty.

They were chatting among themselves and looking over their haul.  They had several autographed photos that were not being handled all that gently.  I could already see a crimp in one of them.  Both of them were tired and complaining about the size of the crowd.  Being a veteran of a few conventions, I tried not smirk in derision.

A gust of wind blew by and lifted a couple of the photos from the young cute one’s hand.  I bent over and picked one up and handed it back to her.  Then I reached into my backpack and pulled out an extra couple of top loaders.  I handed them over and told her she could put 2 photos in one plastic sleeve.

While I shouldn’t be surprised anymore, I am.  People spend a lot of money on autographs but don’t come prepared. I usually hand out one or two top loader per convention.  I just can’t bear to see a photo get bent.  That’s not to say all of my photos and posters are pristine.  It’s something that I readily notice.  It’s a rookie mistake and it shows how many rookies are out there.   

Then the chit chat started.  I’ve been known to ask a question or two in my time.  But the young cute one was ready to talk without me doing the work.  She told me about her plans for college.  I learned about her plans on moving ‘away’ (less than 100 miles from home).   I discovered what she considered trashy when a cosplayers walked outside to smoke a cigarette.  That comment surprised me most. The young cute one was wearing very short shorts. With her height her shorts looked even shorter than they were. So the distain she showed to the lady in the stilettoes and fishnets seemed odd.  These are the encounters that make conventions memorable.

AH

Sylvester McCoy Space City Con 2013

Sylvester McCoy was the main reason I attended Space City Con in Houston.  The 4 hour drive was really to get a chance at a Doctor.  Doctors from Dr Who are hard to get in the US.  They don’t do the circuit much. Age and travel become an issue.     

While the show was crowded and unorganized, I was able to get all of the autographs I considered important within an hour.  Sylvester McCoy was busy at this show. The convention had him doing photos ops and panels and what not so he wasn’t at his table whenever I popped by.

Sylvester is my second favorite ‘old school’ Doctor.  Baker is my favorite because I watched him for so many years.  I grew up with him.  I had mixed feelings about the ‘others’. They never charmed me like Baker.  Sylvester McCoy charmed me fairly quickly. Maybe because the episodes referenced back to old episodes. Maybe the show tied Merlin into the Dr Who Universe.  Maybe Sylvester seem more comfortable in the role. 

I was excited about get this signature. So I waited. And I waited some more. I hung out and made friends. Every now and then I did a swim past the signing table. At the 3 hour mark of my convention, I overheard something about Sylvester was coming back within 10 minutes.  Granted it was gossip but I acted on it. I got in line.  Yes, there was a line.  About 5 hardcore fans had been waiting in line for over an hour. I joined them.

And not 10 minutes later I was rewarded with seeing Sylvester McCoy ride a scooter to the table.  Apparently he hurt his foot and was using it to get around.  It was not a sign of an impending regeneration.

He was friendly and patient with the fans. He listened and smiled and ensured the table photo looked good before moving on to the next person.  He had a nice selection of photos to choose from.  He even had some spoons sitting on the table.

I wish I could say I was witty and we instantly started into a conversation like old friends.  I was just too excited about the opportunity. I mentioned the spoons, I mentioned seeing him recently on BBC America Dr Who Specials. And then left with my signed photo.

I slipped my photo into a top loader and then I was done. I walked back to the car and drove 4 hours home.

AH

Jason Carter Space City Con 2013

This was another Babylon 5 autograph.  I was walked up to the table as Jason Carter was holding court. A couple of people were there listening and one walked away when I joined the group.  Jason animatedly talked about a piece of fan fiction and how it got his whole character and raison d’être completely wrong.

Next Jason talked about the show and any possible future his character might have.   The others listened in bliss. An actor sharing his thoughts semi-privately is somewhat rare. Conversions like these in rooms full of fans. This was so much more intimate.

Too bad I’m not a Babylon 5 fan. 

AH

Tracey Scoggins Space City Con 2013

When Babylon 5 first came on, I watched the 2 hour premiere. I didn’t watch another episode for another over a decade.  In that time I was told how great it was; how ground breaking; how inspiring; how it was nominated for Emmys and Hugos.

It wasn’t unit I was well into my stint of unemployment that I started watching it on Netflix.  To be honest, I still don’t get the hubbub.  My life was not changed or inspired.  I haven't even been nominated for an Emmy.

And I’m sure people don’t get a lot of the shows I watch either.  Oh well.

Tracey Scoggins was one of the main characters of the show and since the show is part of our nerd culture, I wanted to add Tracey to my collection.

She had just finished with a person that was telling his life story.  He was showing her a book of other autographs he had collected and going into detail about his Starlog magazine collection and getting the covers signed.

As I stepped up it was SOOOO tempting to mimic that guy. It would amuse me but I doubt it would amuse Tracey. I didn’t do that. Instead I gave her a reprieve. I made it quick and simple and got out of the way.  With no one behind me she quickly escaped from behind the table to take a break.

AH

Don Marshall Space City Con 2013

The big decision for me was whether to get Don Marshall to sign a photo from Land of the Giants or from Star Trek.  He had photos from both. While Land of the Giants intrigued my imagination as a child, Star Trek still intrigues me now.  As a life time Trekkie, I had to get the photo from the iconic episode, Galileo Seven.

Don was friendly and eager to chat. He told me about both shows and how he recently wrote a screen play for a satisfactory ending to Land of the Giants.  He was confident he could sell the script.  I hope it sells and is made.  I would like to see that.

AH

Torri Higginson Space City Con 2013

Torri Higginson was the first autograph I picked up at Space City Con in Houston.  The show was crowded and it was messy and just sprawled across the hotel.  I found Torri’s table before I checked in.  I actually could have gotten my all of my autographs without ever getting my badge or wrist band or whatever they gave me.  But I was good; I left and stood in a long line just to be official.

When I got back to Torri Higginson’s table, she was with her handler. They seemed to be friends.  As I picked out a photo and paid, Torri asked how I was doing.  I gave her my pat line, the line I use every day, the line that made Denzal Washington laugh: I’m staying out of trouble.

Torri and her handler both smiled and almost in unison said: that was no fun.  I smiled slightly and quietly added in my dead pan way: There’s less to explain to the wife that way.  They thought that was funny and the handler leaned over to Torri and said: you ought to write something to get him in trouble with the wife.  We shared the laugh. And Torri paused to mull that over.  It took a moment to realize that was what she was doing.

I said: really, just the signature would be fine. Torri hesitated and with a mischievous smile looked up expectantly.  She seemed up to the task of getting me in trouble with the wife. She raised an eyebrow and waited for my consent.  When a beautiful woman wants to get you in trouble it’s hard to say no.  Despite the mischievous smile and alluring raised eyebrow, I refused to have her lead me astray.

I held my ground.

 She signed the photo.

Now I wonder what she would have written and if I could have posted it.

AH