SoonerCon 1 Complete Program Book -- Updated -- Corrected

SoonerCon 1 was June 6-8, 1986.

NOTE:  original post had two pages of Video Schedule missing.  Now all pages are here.

The page size is 7.5" high & 5.5" wide.

It's all fun and games until they expect you to do another con!

January, 1986 Galactic Gazette

 

We begin with a cover by Bob Higgs, whose characters always know how to rumble.

 

New VP Mary Powell welcomes us to the New Year.  She's married to the new Prez, Mike Powell.  As you can see by the final line, STAR was meeting at the Bethany Library.

 

According to Treasurer Tamara Hodge our $1100 needs to be augmented in preparation for SoonerCon 1, which would take place in June.

 

My column is about the GNP/Crescendo/Label "X" releases of Star Trek music.

Next we have four pages of Bob Higgs's saga "Remember the Heroes."

 

The last page is a map of Norman's MedFair, since we are going to sell things there to raise money for SoonerCon.

 

And thus endeth the January 1986 issue of the Galactic Gazette.

December 1985 Galactic Gazette

 

 

The cover art, appropriately named for the forthcoming December activity, is labeled "Comet Watch."  It is signed "O'Daniel."  The only O'Daniel that I know of in STAR is Gayle O'Daniel, who was also 1985 Treasurer Mike Hodge's mom, who occasionally put up with us at her place for meet-ups.  Gayle was also the "Graphics" person for SoonerCon 2, which was in November 1986.

 

Here is a sign-off as President from Tamara Hodge who is tired.

 

Here is a letter from me about Christmas with a bait-and-switch at the end to try & get people to consider Jesus in a different way.

 

Here is a summation note from outgoing Treasurer, the aforementioned Mike Hodge, who notes that in 1985 STAR went from around $40 in January to $1300 at year's end.  Of course this wad of cash was raised (and augmented in the coming years) in order to fulfill Mike's vision, explained to me across a table at Hardee's a year or more before this:  "We gotta put on a con."

 

SoonerCon history began!

 

Here is an illo from STAR Bob Higgs, captioned "Next!"  It's typical of Bob's subject matter, sexy gals and violence for interlopers.

 

Here we have a reminiscence from Veronica Blochowiak, an ex-STAR who has moved to California.

 

And that about wrapped up 1985 in STAR!



November 1985 Galactic Gazette

This GG is one of my favorites because of Tamara Hodge's cover art, however multi-copied and scan-deresolved it may be.

 

 

Combine Bela's scritchy-scratchy, creepy-crawly hands with memories of watching Count Floyd (of SCTV fame) and you have yours truly bending over his children and grandchildren, fingers tickling the air, announcing how S-C-A-R-R-R-Y something was going to be.

 

Here we have President T Hodge discussing going to view Halley's Comet in the boonies (which happened later on)

 

The above page was my proof that I was, by golly, a published author, paid and everything.

 

In the Treasurer Report, M Hodge announces that  STAR has, $1300, $507 of which came from working recently at the OK State Fairgrounds.  Other plans include a mail-out with Planet Comics -- that is, a SoonerCon flyer stapled into a flyer sent to members of Planet Comic's mailing list.

 

These last three pages are a short tale by STARs Bob & Janetta Schuch.

 

 

See you again soon!

Photos from December 1986

On December 12, 1986, STAR members trekked out to Bob Higg's trailer in the middle of nowhere to hold a "Comet Watch" party.

 

This would have been Halley's Comet, which was pretty disappointing this go-round, looking something like a stretched-out cotton ball viewed from about thirty feet away.

 

 

In this photo we have Mary Powell (left) and Tamara Hodge (right) working on snacks.

 

Here we have Mike Powell (left) and a guest whose name is lost to history (right).  For the record, Mike did NOT have a smear of light-colored make-up down the center of his face, this is a camera/film artifact.

 

In the above photo, we have Mike Hodge on the extreme left, flanked by our host Bob Higgs (bandana-head).  In the background we have Tamara Hodge again.  In the extreme background we have an unknown person.  In the mid-background, looking towards Tamara, is Bob Schuch in the brown sweater vest.

 

 

I don't remember if we saw any comets.  The only thing I remember from that night was the very long and very very bumpy trip between an actual road and Bob's trailer.  It seemed that we were driving back and forth across the Continental Divide, which had been paved with loose gravel.

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!?!?