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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (April 2, 1990)
The Battalion LIFESTYLES Monday, April 2, 1990 Lifestyles Editor Mary-Lynne Rice 4 Monde N otes and observations from AggieCon XXI, the science fiction-fantasy convention presented by MSC Cepheid Variable in Rudder Tower and the Memorial Student Center last weekend: THURSDAY: 10:30p.m. — I solicit several friends to go view “Robot Monster” with me. Very funny. Very bad. Intimate screening with 15 of us in Rudder Theater. Obviously, bad publicity. Monster is man in gorilla suit with a diving helmet that has two TV antennas attached to it. Further effects excel. Director uses an iguana and a baby alligator to double as dinosaurs. Woman gags and binds herself for monster (I just love cooperative women). “Robot Monster” turns out to be highlight of the weekend. 11:35p.m. — Movie ends. So much excitement that I call it a night. Eager for morning to arrive. FRIDAY: 10:45a.m. — Go check out “Auxiliary Control.” Takeoff on “MTV’s Remote Control.” Nice setup, but no one there except for crew and game-show host. Admiral Kevin O’ Reilly of U.S.S. Confederation is host. Assume he is “Trekkie.” He informs me of my misconception: These stuffed dragon pets, made by Dianna Hunt, owner of Dianna’s Dragons in Bryan, were popular at AggieCon. “I have a life. I have a job. I pay a mortgage.” Still, he’s dressed like Captain Kirk. Keep thinking if the shoe fits ... Quiz me on science fiction. I really suck. Win a Dick Tracy button. Would have been better at “Yo! MTV Raps.” “Auxiliary Control” moved to Saturday night at 11 p.m. Wish I’d known answer to Captain Kirk’s rank. Very troubling. 1:15p.m. — Take look at Lazer- Tag maze In DeWare Field House. Design courtesy of Kenneth God win, Robert Beaty and Neil Laz- arow. They use archery boards and cardboard as walls. They give dem onstration with equipment. Nice guys, very intense. Have yet to be asked by any of the Con workers to see my admission wristband. Wonder why I have the dumb thing on. Need better security. Noon — Meet friend in Flag Room to watch Aggie Players perform Monty Python skits. I love Monty Python. I love the Aggie Players. But the performance stunk. Good accents, though. Not “Waiting For Godot,” but better than “Robot Monster.” Missed my only class that day. Very disappointing. 1:45 p.m. — Listen to Richard tures of Baron Munchausen” and “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” Hope to get chance to watch some later. 5 p.m. — Listen to Walter “Che- kov” Koenig from Star Trek. Speaks about 15 minutes, doesn’t say much. Makes lots of allusions, but won’t substantiate references about Wil liam Shatner, Leonard Nimoy or the fate of the original cast. Admits “Star Trek V” a failure (very big of him) and says Par amount considering canning old Contemplate having my picture taken with the alien, but run into Admiral O’ Reilly. Tell him I figured out the Captain Kirk question. Ask him if he wants to have his picture taken with me. He says no. 12:45p.m. — Walk around deal er’s and art room. Really like stuff in dealers’ room, but too expensive for me. Lots of books, comics, jew elry, buttons prints and posters. Art room interesting, but most works less than professional. A real nice series by Jennifer Platts of do mestic animals with prehistoric crea tures. Lots of “Star Trek” drawings. Re minds me of Captain Kirk question. Still troubling me. Pini, author of graphic-novel series “Elfquesf ’ speak. About 30-40 of us listen. Never sure what he is saying. Quite convinced he isn’t sure of what he is saying, either. Does not speak of “Elfquest” or his field, but tries to sell home grown philosophy. A total “wing- job,” and not a very good one at that. 2:30 p.m. — Check out Japani- mation and movie rooms. Both run all day. Movie room showing very good films: “The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai,” “The Adven crew and hiring a new, younger cast. I love William Shatner, refuse to believe he won’t be Captain Kirk. Very depressed. Audience asks questions. Friend comments, “The teeming masses are pandering shamelessly with their grandiose questions.” Sounds neat, decide to use it in my story. Forget to ask Koenig about Captain Kirk question. Damn. 8p.m. — Come back after break. Look for players of “Quest,” but don’t see any. “Quest” is a live-ac tion, role-playing game, kind of like Dungeons and Dragons, AggieCon director Patrick Edwards tells me. Sounds interesting. Check out some of the gaming going on. In one room, four guys are playing “Warhammer 40K.” Looks like fun. Very indepth game, though. Definitely not “Chutes and Ladders.” Implements game master and two teams of soldiers and artillery. Somewhat like an extremely ad vanced “Risk.” Other war games going on. Everyone apparently hav ing a really good time. See AggieCon officials have added a “Beauty and the Beast” sup port group tomorrow. Good idea. Decide to go say hi to the Lazer- Tag guys over in DeWare, but they are too busy to talk. Tell them I will catch them later. 9 p.m. — Exhausted from long day. ured out the Captain Kirk queslia Ask him if he wants to ha\e hispid | ture taken with me. He says no. SATURDAY: 5 p.m. — Listen to Hugo and Nebula Award-winning author Spi der Robinson speak. Best of lec turers, entertaining. Check out navigation console from “Star Trek.” People having pictures taken sitting there with ei ther a “Star Trek” officer or an alien. Contemplate having my picture taken with the alien, but run into Admiral O’ Reilly. Tell him I fig 7p.m. — People starting tocoi in costumes for masquerade balllo night. See “Star Trek,” warlock as: elf costumes and a really gott Green Hornet outfit. Wish fdwor one. Take a look at ballroom. Nice!; set up. “Auxiliary Control” peopl hard at work. Go downstairs to movie and at imation rooms. 7Dirty Paif'playi in Japanimatidn'room. Great grapH ics, lots of pefofMe watching, glad to see me. Go to video game room and watcl demonstration of new games “Spatt Robe” and “Windwalker.” “Spaci Robe” very intense game that re quires knowledge of physics calculus. Decide I better not play Ask if he has Pac Man. Walk over to LazerTag maze Guys still playing. Go back to and then decide to call it a weekend, Unfortunately, missed “SI Treatment” at midnight. It’s the se quel to “The Rocky Horror Picture | Show.” Rare opportunity to w it. 4 8:30 — End of notes, am goiip home. Will wait for next yeah Con, but won’t buy a wristband thisj time. Story by JOHN RIGHTER Photos by LINKERS. MILLS Andrew Postert, a senior electrical engineering major, looks through back issues of comic books in the dealers’ room. Comic collectors sifted through dealer’s collections for “the perfect find.” Right: Walter Koenig, best known as “Chekov” in the “Star Trek” television series, talked about the future of the original “Star Trek” cast and the pos sibility of a sixth movie sequel. Randy based i