Picking Up 1986 After SoonerCon 1 in June

STAR member Larry Nemecek slyly uses his position as a reporter for the Norman Transcript to plug STAR and SoonerCon in a lengthy article in the September 14, 1986 issue. There’s a sidebar covering “Science Fiction Lingo,” but the main article features a photo of SCon 1 Chair Mike Hodge; it’s titled, “Science Fiction Fans Shed Stereotypes.”  The article in­cludes comments from STARs Mike and Tamara Hodge, Claire Stephens, and Syd Hen­derson.

SoonerCon 2 is a 2-day con, Sat-Sun, October 25-26. This “abridged” version has several advantages. Doing without Friday saves hotel costs, programming frenzy, and so on. To help convince attendees that a 2-day con can be fun, one version of the flyer reads “SoonerCon-Two — Pure Con Extract.”

Charity            Okla. Pediatric Cancer

Chair   David Means
Vice-Chair       Casey Means (née Hamilton)
Dealers            Mike Hodge
Art Show        J.R. Daniels
Charity            Mike &
Auction           Mary Powell
Gofers             Jon Powell
ConSuite         Brian Lemons
                        Carl Garland
                        Mark Shepherd

 

ŸProgramming Syd Henderson
ŸClaire Stephens
ŸPublicity Larry Nemecek
ŸGames Roger Allen
ŸGraphics Gayle O’Daniel
ŸProgram Book Mike Hodge, Tamara Hodge
ŸRegistration Tamara Hodge
ŸSecurity Mike Powell
ŸVideo Mark Alfred, Bob Higgs
ŸAuthor Guest Glen Cook
ŸToastmaster Steve Gould
ŸArtist Guest Keith Berdak
ŸComics Guest R.A. Jones
ŸFan Guests Tom & Lynette Meserole
ŸFilk Guest C.J. Cherryh

3-day rates are $10 Pre-Reg and $12 at the door. According to the August 1987 GG, SCon 2 produces $180 for its charity.

There is a lot of grumbling at this SoonerCon, mainly because of its location, downtown at the Skirvin Plaza. Since down­town OKC is (in 1986, anyway, pre-Bricktown and way pre-MAPS) D-E-D dead after dark, there’s nothing for attendees to do off-site without driving to the next galaxy.  Plus the complications of downtown traffic and parking (sigh).  Also, the ConCom receives a hotel bill for $1479.30 beyond the $2,000 already paid the Skirvin.

Keep this in mind as you peruse the back of the SoonerCon 2 Program Book, which announces that for SCon 3 “we’ll be at the Skirvin Plaza Hotel.”  This announcement is quickly pretended never to have been made, and the Club even more quickly seeks accom­modations elsewhere for ’87.

STAR has its Christmas Party on De­cember 10, and hands out awards of merit or labor. Regretfully, the only award available for mention here is the voted-on honor “Best Contributor to the Galactic Gazette,” to Mark Alfred.

October 1985 Galactic Gazette

 

It seems that I recall that this month;s cover (the "original" paper is nearly as faint as this scan) is by Paul Marek.

 

President Tamara Hodge discusses the fundraising work, selling foodstuffs at the OKC Fairgrounds.  The report from the literate Mike Hodge mentions about fifteen hunnert bucks in the kitty.

 

I cannot tell you why the above page is labeled 1984 when this Gazette is from 1985.  But you know whom to blame!



 

 

These last three pages ar by Janetta Schuch, who at the time was a foam-at-the-mouth Space Opera writin' maniac.  I wish her the best!

September 1985 Galactic Gazette

 

 

This month's cover is by Veronica Blochowiak, and makes one wonder how long it would take for the nymph's wings to dry out after a dip in the stream.

 

In fact, as you can read below, soon after this month Veronica headed out to Sunny California, all the while protesting that we didn't spook her into leaving.



 

One of the topics mentioned by Prez Tamara was star-gaving at Bob Higgs' trailer.  This actually came about after SoonerCon, at the end of 1986.  Photos will be later forthcoming.

One of the possible down sides of having zine-based newsletter is those months when few people have anything to say, such as this month's Galactic Gazette.

 

Officerly duties are almost the only content, except for the loudmouth below.



 

The framework on the above page is the skeleton for my silly and uncompleted (only 100+ pages)novel, whose working title the past twenty-five years has been Fiends and Friends from Outer Space.

 

At least my mom liked it!



1986 Halloween Party!

The STAR OKC Halloween party for 1986 was held at the home of Bob & Janetta Schuch, and these releics show some of the participants ...

 

Above are Mike and Mary Powell, "just a couple of hayseeds from Pudunk, Oklahoma"...

 

Above are Ed and Kathy Porter.  Ed is Indiana Jones, Kathy is putting up with it.

 

I don't know the names of the two above ladies.  Any help?  And no, I don;t have their phone numbers, either, so don't ask!



 

 

Above are yours truly (long before Nightmare Before Christmas was even a glimmer in Tim Burton's eye!!!), and that sexy witch Joyce.

 



 

Here are Tamara Hodge (left) and Mike Hodge (right), re-enacting the results of a Rogaine commercial gone terribly wrong...

 

 

Now here's a man who's not afraid to be silly!  That means A REAL MAN BABY.  It's Bob Higgs as Kermie the You-Know-What.  It looks pretty easy bein' green here!

 

Because of the mask, I will hazard a guess.  My guess is that the above person is Myron Moody.  Can I get a witness?

 

 

Next ... who knows!?!?

More Photos from SoonerCon 1

 

Here's OKC area author Mike McQuay again.

 

 

'Twas in this silly outfit that I went into the costume contest as "Dr What!?" 

Note the small glimpse available of the tie I'm wearing.

 

 

 

 



Also at SoonerCon 1, I had a ton of fannish stuff for sale in the Dealers' Room.  Amateurish? Yup.  Lucrative? HECK YEAH!  Several hundreds of dollars were made.

 

 

 

 

 

Here is that tie again, given to the fashion-plate Toastmaster Tom Disch because he admired it so.  By the by, this was one of several ties made by my dear and departed Sister Sue and given to her little bro.

Here is GOH Gene Wolfe and his Mrs.  I'm wearing a hand-crafted STAR OKC T-shirt.  It had

STAR OKC  in an attempted STTMP font, with an outline of the STTMP Enterprise, and below that, the hand-lettered  THE  FUTURE  IS  NOW.  This  is the same T-shirt I'm wearing in the Dealers' Room photo farther above.

These are two views of an absolutely UNIQUE sci-fi item.  You see, when Tom Disch admired the aforementioned tie that my sister had made, I gave it to him.  As a "curtsy and reply," he grabbed one of his own T-shirts from his suitcase and autographed it.  Later on, I went over the autograph with stitching so it would last longer.

Some Photos from SoonerCon 1

Soonercon 1 was June 6-7-8, 1986, at the Hilton Inn Northwest in OKC.  Here are some photos.

This is OK author Mike McQuay.

This fine fellow is Tom Disch, who was our Toastmaster.  He's wearing the necktie I gave him.  I wore it as part of my outfit, dressed as "Dr WHAT."  He admired the tie so much that I gave it to him.

I believe that the redhead on the guitar is Misty Lackey.  The gal sitting on the ground with short black hair is CJ Cherryh.  Who's going to be our guest again at SoonerCon 22 in 2013!

Next time, more photos of SoonerCon 1.  Unfortunately for you, they include me!

1986 and SoonerCon 1

1986

The new officers for the New Year are:  President Mike Powell; Vice-President Mary Powell; Tamara Hodge, Treasurer. The Club starts the year with $1180.95 total funds.

A new STAR baby enters the world on January 22 as the Club’s two highest-ranking offi­cers get together to present Michael Powell, Jr. — later to be known as “Mikey.”

In April, the Club again works the MedFair, and earns $300+. Another STAR baby, Julie Ann Alfred, arrives April 23, courtesy of Joyce and Mark Alfred.

A new Club flyer, included in the May GG, contains the first mention of the new and to-be-long-running meeting place, the Moore Library — although records indicate that up through even the first half of 1987, STAR met at the Bethany Library. The Historian admits confusion here.

June 6-8 brings SoonerCon 1, at Hilton Inn Northwest (NW Hway & May).  Here’s the lineup, direct from the program book:

Charity - Oklahoma Pediatric Cancer Association
Chair - Mike Hodge
Art Show - J.R. Daniels
Dealers - Mike Hodge
Flyers - J.R. Daniels
Games - Jonathan Keepers
Gophers - David Stone
Logistics - David Means
Masquerade - Tamara Hodge
Program Book - Mike Shay
Programming - Syd Henderson
Publicity - Larry Nemecek
Registration - Tamara Hodge
Security - Mike Powell
Video - Mark Alfred + Bob Higgs

Guest of Honor - Gene Wolfe

Toastmaster - Tom Disch

Fan Guest of Honor - Mary Wallbank
Special Guest - Melinda Murdock

3-day rates are $10 Pre-Reg and $15 at the door.

Regretfully, the Historian has no mate­rials from which to report on SoonerCon 1’s attendance, income, or anything else.

By the time of SCon 1, however, the Club has already decided that they want the STAR OKC convention to take place in late fall, not in June as SCon 1 did.  And, to put more than a year between SCon 1 and 2 would make people start to wonder “bad things” about the Con and its dependability — or so some Club members argue.

So — the decision is reached to have SoonerCon 2 take place a mere four months af­ter SCon 1!  And then, further SoonerCons would continue in SCon 2’s time frame.

Thus, by July 1 STAR had its SCon 2 ConCom already in place and busily working.

Next time -- photos from SoonerCon 1.

August 1985 Galactic Gazette

We begin the August, 1985 Galactic Gazette with a depiction of a boy and hius big lizard by Paul Marek.

These (previous pages talk about preparations for SoonerCon 1 and new members.

In my VP rant, I mention that Entertainment Tonight reports that Star Trek IV will be about Kirk's trial and Elisha Cook will reprise his role as Samuel T Cogsley from the episode "Court Martial."  I have NO IDEA if that is true or if I just made it up.  As we know, Kirk's "trial" before Starfleet took up about 5% of the actual film.

This is apparently a list of all the videos I had at the time in case somebody wanted to watch them.

Here's a short-short by Veronica Blochowiak.

These final pages are a tale by Paul Marek.