600 sci-fi fanatics make annual trek to convention for close encounters
- Publication: The Miami Herald
- Date: 1985-02-03
- Author: Mandalit Del Barco
- Page: 4B
- Language: English
They went beyond exceptional, well past extraordinary — all the way to extraterrestrial.
One was a dragon-keeper with a green face and cape; one was Lt. Saavic of the Starship Enterprise with Vulcan/Romulan ears; four were teen-age reincarnations of Dr. Who.
With 600 other science fiction fen (the plural of fan, short for fanatics), they beamed up Saturday to the hotel Biscayne Bay Marriott, city of Miami, planet Earth.
"We're the weirdest people you'll ever meet," said Louis La Rocca, 14, a member of the worldwide cult following the adventures of Dr. Who, a British television series, now in its 22nd year. La Rocca was dressed as the second Dr. Who, carried a "sonic screwdriver," and exchanged inside jokes from the show with his friends.
The Omnicon IV was the reason for their close encounter, an annual convention where they could buy Marvel comic books, fan magazines, an $80 Buck Rogers pistol, a $300 Return of the Jedi light saber and a $350 Alien head. They came to swap information on the latest special-effects technology and discuss favorite out-of-this-world movies. They met Mark Lenard, better known as Spock's father in the Star Trek series and as General Urko in Plane. Of the Apes. And they watched Japanese science fiction flicks.
"Science fiction people are open to abstract thoughts," La Rocca said. "For instance, the worst insult you could say to someone is, 'Please pass the salt.'"
His reference to a line from Douglas Adams' series, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, was hardly alien to those convention-goers who wore towels around their necks. Every cosmic space traveler knows never to leave home without a towel (protection against the ravenous bug bladder beasts from the planet Troll).
"Like, if it wasn't for science fiction, eh, we wouldn't be normal," said Kevin Edges, 22, dressed as the SCTV character Bob Mackenzie. "These conventions are, like, getting bigger every year, like, due to the space shuttle and science fiction movies. Beauty, eh?"
Beyond the dimension of memorabilia of Star Wars action figures, buttons, posters and playing cards, though, existed an interest in serving mankind.
Members of the Miami squad of the Blue Blaze Irregulars, fen of the film Buckaroo Banzai, sponsored a blood drive during the convention. Proceeds of an auction of souvenirs would later go to Wade County Child Search, the nonprofit organization that helps find missing people.
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- APA 6th ed.: Barco, Mandalit Del (1985-02-03). 600 sci-fi fanatics make annual trek to convention for close encounters. The Miami Herald p. 4B.
- MLA 7th ed.: Barco, Mandalit Del. "600 sci-fi fanatics make annual trek to convention for close encounters." The Miami Herald [add city] 1985-02-03, 4B. Print.
- Chicago 15th ed.: Barco, Mandalit Del. "600 sci-fi fanatics make annual trek to convention for close encounters." The Miami Herald, edition, sec., 1985-02-03
- Turabian: Barco, Mandalit Del. "600 sci-fi fanatics make annual trek to convention for close encounters." The Miami Herald, 1985-02-03, section, 4B edition.
- Wikipedia (this article): <ref>{{cite news| title=600 sci-fi fanatics make annual trek to convention for close encounters | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/600_sci-fi_fanatics_make_annual_trek_to_convention_for_close_encounters | work=The Miami Herald | pages=4B | date=1985-02-03 | via=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=7 May 2025 }}</ref>
- Wikipedia (this page): <ref>{{cite web | title=600 sci-fi fanatics make annual trek to convention for close encounters | url=http://cuttingsarchive.org/index.php/600_sci-fi_fanatics_make_annual_trek_to_convention_for_close_encounters | work=Doctor Who Cuttings Archive | accessdate=7 May 2025}}</ref>
