Monday, November 03, 2014

STAR TREK CONVENTIONS









The links on this page will beam you to the furthest corners of the galaxy currently hosting Star Trek and Science Fiction Conventions. Enjoy the Sci Fi buzz Trekkers, Trekkies and Niners!





Creation Entertainment Las Vegas

Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo

Coast Con

Creation Entertainment

New York Comic Con

Baltimore 1999 Worldcon

Cruise Trek

Comic Con International

DemiCon (Des Moines, Iowa)

CollectorMania

Comic Con France

DragonCon Atlanta

FedCon

Gallifrey One California

Gen Con LLC

Science Fiction and Fantasy Con

Light Speed Productions

Galactic Beach Party

Long Beach Comic and Horror Con

Millennicon (Kings Island, Ohio)

Motor City (Detroit, Michigan)

ScifiConventions

Shore Leave Home Page (Maryland)

StarLand Cons

Vulcan Events

Fedcon Sci Fi Experience

Polaris Canada

Starfest

Starfury (UK)

Trek Fest

Northwest Science Fiction Resources

Wizard World Austin Comic Con

World Science Fiction Convention








Boston, MA
 - Official Star Trek Convention

Chicago, IL
 - Salute to Supernatural
 - The Vampire Diaries Official Convention
 - Official Star Trek Convention
 - Official STARGATE Convention

Dallas, TX
 - Salute to Supernatural

Detroit Area, MI
 - The Twilight Saga Official Convention

Las Vegas, NV
 - Salute to Supernatural
 - The Vampire Diaries Official Convention
 The Official Star Trek Convention

Los Angeles, CA
 - The Twilight Saga:
 - The Official Xena Convention
- Grandslam Convention: The Star Trek & Sci-Fi Summit

Nashville, TN
Official Star Trek Convention
 The Vampire Diaries Official Convention

Parsippany, NJ
 - The Twilight Saga Official Convention
 - The Vampire Diaries Official Convention

Philadelphia Area
 - Official Star Trek Convention

San Francisco, CA
 - Official Star Trek Convention

Toronto, ON
 - Salute to Supernatural

Vancouver, BC
 - Salute to Supernatural

Whippany, NJ
 - Salute to Supernatural









































































Monday, September 22, 2014

Blogfest 'Firefly vs Star Trek'

The time to write about our favorite unknown for the Underrated Treasures Blogfest,  MOVIE – BAND/ARTIST – TV SHOW – BOOK has arrived, so here goes!

Firefly vs Star Trek!

Every so often, an ensemble of Hollywood talent unites to create a marvel of science fiction.. I'd like to tell you about Joss Whedon's Firefly. One thing that I look for and enjoy in a work of science fiction are conflict driven characters exploring the scientific and social dimensions taking us to strange new worlds. Star Trek's classic show was unique because of its three-way bond between Kirk, Spock and Dr McCoy. The battle of egos, human scepticism and logic gave it a special edge. I like it when a character does or says something to surprise you but how do you stand out from the crowd when every action hero is so convincing?

Star Trek with all of its official re-incarnations shows humans and aliens working together using futuristic technology exploring the human adventure. Roddenberry's action packed wagon train in space was lucky because its over enthusiastic actors, aliens and cardboard sets produced characters and stories like one seamless magic show fans cared about.

James Cameron understood that if you copy a work of genius like Star Trek, you'll be left with a terrible phony which won't fly. So, he set the trend in Hollywood by re-inventing instead of ripping off the old sci-fi classics.

When Joss Whedon's learned about the secret formula he produced 14 episodes for his sci-fi 'sequel' on a shoestring budget, sound familiar?

Whedon's Firefly 'sequel' simply took Star Trek's followers on a fresh 'spaceship' journey thrilling us with a mirror cast based on Gene Roddenberry's original show. The beauty of Firefly is there are no clean cut uniforms, no energy weapons, no teleportation, no long shots of spaceships warping against a starry backdrop to classical music, no obsession with technology, no robots, no artificial intelligences, not even a clear long-term goal for the protagonists apart from the plot conflict between the Alliance and the Rim, and the bitterness of committed Browncoats. Its all close-up and raw. The characters are flawed and realistic. 

1. Mal is the gruff 'anti-hero' with powerful leadership qualities like Captain Kirk, propelling his crew into the thick of action. Still it has to be said Firefly created its own law and disorder in the galaxy.
2. Zoe and Inara are graceful rational, logical counterparts to Mal, as Spock is to Kirk.
3. Wash has Sulu written all over him, gentle and humorous with a way of articulating intense situations.
4. Kaylee is the cool-headed Scotty full of optimism and the miracle worker.
5. Dr Simon Tam has the same fiery relationship with Mal as Bones has with Kirk.
6. Book has the intelligent saving graces of Dr McCoy.
7. Jayne is a fearless explorer like Chekov often breaking the ice with his cornball humor.

Firefly captured the imagination of sci-fi fans with qualities we can all admire, it provided fresh unpredictable characters in an alternate universe, subtracting the science without ruining the fun or being just a shallow imitation. There certainly are numerous original aspects to Firefly, given River's unnatural insight bordering on the edge of madness providing a mysterious air of intrigue for the show. While Firefly and Star Trek are fashioned on the Western wagon train to the stars, each show is full of emotional depth, adventure with a cast of reverse engineered characters. What do you think?

Which sci-fi show made a distinct impression on you?


Monday, August 11, 2014

All Hands Battle Stations

PICARD: This is about saving the future of humanity.
LILY: Jean-Luc, blow up the damn ship!
PICARD: No! ...No! (Picard breaks the starship display cabinet with his phaser rifle)
PICARD: No! ... I will not sacrifice the Enterprise. We've made too many compromises already. Too many retreats. They invade our space and we fall back. They assimilate entire worlds, and we fall back. Not again! The line must be drawn here, ...this far, no further! And I will make them pay for what they've done.
LILY: You broke your little ships. ...See you around, Ahab.
PICARD: 'And he piled upon the whale's white hump, a sum of all the rage and hate felt by his own race. If his chest had been a cannon, he would have shot his heart upon it.'
LILY: What? PICARD: 'Moby Dick.' LILY: Actually, I never read it.
PICARD: Ahab spent years hunting the white whale that crippled him. A quest for vengeance, ...but in the end it destroyed him and his ship.
 LILY: I guess he didn't know when to quit

Star Trek First Contact is a cool movie. I love it when Lilly rather gloomily, says 'See you around, Ahab.' All seems lost. Its seems to me Lilly Sloane's comparison of Picard to Ahab captures the moment beautifully. Despite Lilly's heated words, our valiant skipper delivers a powerful message - Never Give Up, Never Surrender. After all how would you feel about blowing up the beloved Enterprise?

Well my trekker friends, I just wanted you to know Spacerguy is back! The show must go on. All hands battle stations! Lets go get the Borg.


 

Featured Post

CAPTAIN PICARD TV SERIES

So analysis  has begun with Star Trek Picard's trailer... after a 17 year TNG hiatus some of trek's icons have returned. Here we ca...