I'll go as the Mr. Fusion Home Energy Reactor

January 13, 2012 2:01 AM

Come with me, time-traveler, you'll blend in well at the 1980 WesterCon.

Oh, you want to see more? Well, the flux capacitor is almost out of juice; I don't think we can make it out of the mid-80's. Let's go!

posted by troll (24 comments total)

Nice find, though I can only why some of the characters would be identified as "the robot from Saturn 3".
posted by Smart Dalek at 2:59 AM on January 13

well imagine that
posted by Smart Dalek at 3:12 AM on January 13

Vaders in training.Brilliant.
posted by veedubya at 3:18 AM on January 13

It sounds like you have a faulty brain-to-brain signal, Hector, can you adjust your antenna?
posted by troll at 3:21 AM on January 13 [1 favorite]

I just want to go in and color correct all the photos.
posted by jscalzi at 4:01 AM on January 13 [3 favorites]

Mermaid lady: would.

Mermaid Lady has a court. Mermaid Lady has people carrying her around and shit. Can you carry people around? Didn't think so. Mermaid Lady gots better shit to do than hang out with someone who can't do things for her, especially while she's looking in her mirror. Mermaid Lady would rather get her hair done, than waste time with lowlifes like you. I suggest better tactics next time when shooting for such lofty heights.
posted by P.o.B. at 4:09 AM on January 13 [2 favorites]

I just want to go in and color correct all the photos.

Do it! It's your calling in life.
posted by NoMich at 4:18 AM on January 13 [1 favorite]

Nice find, though I can only why some of the characters would be identified as "the robot from Saturn 3".

Particularly when there are photos at the end that say this is an "art project," but it's pretty clearly Hector from Saturn 3.
posted by Admiral Haddock at 4:59 AM on January 13

I feel that chemical-based photograph captures the joy-despair of SF cons more accurately that digital.
posted by DU at 5:19 AM on January 13 [3 favorites]

Just to give people an idea of what the early days of cons were like, here's "Spaced Out", the episode of The New Adventures of Wonder Woman that featured a sci-fi gathering as a backdrop; guest appearences include Rene Auberjonois, Paul L. Smith, George Cheung, Robby the Robot, and Ken Wilson as the Black Avenger.
posted by Smart Dalek at 5:55 AM on January 13

Splendid.
posted by beaucoupkevin at 6:11 AM on January 13

Whoa, Kathy Sanders is a little risque!
posted by Saxon Kane at 7:04 AM on January 13

What does it say about me, that stuff looks decently contemporary.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 7:05 AM on January 13

"Spaced Out"

That's great! The main event kicks off at 31:00.

I was interested in the Logan's Run cosplay—referred to in the show as "Logies"—so I did some googling and found this fan site that resents the term:

Logan's Run fans are NOT call "Logies" as referred to in one episode of the Wonder Woman television show, which is well worth watching for all the silly convention antics, even though it was never quite that silly. Well maybe it was.

Apparently, the writer of that episode discovered the above quote and sent the following in response:

Dear City of Domes

Enjoyed your site very very much, even though you took umbrage to my reference to "Logies" in a Wonder Woman script I penned many years ago.

I've long been a fan of Logan and was happy that we could include Logan references in that show. I had witnessed a "run" at a sci-fi convention held at the Bonvenature Hotel in Los Angeles and was absolutely fascinated by it. The WW producer, Bruce Lansbury, was able to pull some favors from the producer of Dallas producer(who has been a producer on the Logans TV series) and we were able to get several costumes and such, and Warner Bros legal dept okayed our use of Logan references which was great (especially since they wouldn't allow us to costume our lead as or refer to Superman yet Warner Bros OWNED DC Comics).

LA fan Bill Blake lent the use of his flamegun, and director Ivan Dixon took a film crew to sci-fi convention held at the LA convention Center to capture some stock footage to use (most of this is usually trimmed for commercials when aired).

Ever now and then I see some Logan's runner costume or the like on E-Bay and am sorely tempted to buy.

--Bill Taylor

posted by troll at 7:14 AM on January 13

Holy Shit Rene Auberjonois's whole look is fucking AMAZING!
posted by Saxon Kane at 7:21 AM on January 13

Man, the Mike Jittlov costume was pretty popular that year.
posted by Spatch at 7:51 AM on January 13 [2 favorites]

Aw. This is adorable.
posted by Artw at 8:14 AM on January 13

You know, it's about time the daring-space-swashbuckler-with-a-cape look came back.
posted by mightygodking at 8:14 AM on January 13

I love the more...unprofessional costumes. A Vader costume made from a motorcycle helmet. An Indiana Jones costume featuring a shirt and tie that clash to an astonishing degree. People who love the movies more than they care about obsessively recreating the look of the movies.
posted by justsomebodythatyouusedtoknow at 9:07 AM on January 13 [1 favorite]

What does it say about me, that stuff looks decently contemporary.

Hipstamatic pics!
posted by Tom-B at 9:15 AM on January 13 [1 favorite]

"Man, the Mike Jittlov costume was pretty popular that year."

Yeah, but that Roger Zelazny costume is just completely spot-on.
posted by jiawen at 10:19 AM on January 13

Come with me, time-traveler, you'll get laid at the 1980 WesterCon.

FTFY
posted by Splunge at 11:57 AM on January 13 [1 favorite]

Saxon Kane: Whoa, Kathy Sanders is a little risque!

Puffies from the Fifth Dimension.
posted by hincandenza at 12:11 PM on January 13

It exists, now: Mr. Fusion Home Energy Reactor!
posted by Kronos_to_Earth at 3:06 PM on January 13