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