This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending the 2nd annual "Space City Con" in Houston,Texas. This convention is based around science fiction and space (obviously), also playing on the idea that Houston is the Space City, because of NASA. I was not able to attend the con last year, so I was not sure what to expect. The first day of the con was a bit hectic, the registration lines were pretty long and the volunteers were scrambling to get it together. Thankfully this passed, and Saturday/Sunday seemed to flow a bit better. I think the staff was not expecting the con to be as big as it was. The Saturday crowd was shoulder to shoulder! I got my 3-Day pass early on Friday, so thankfully I was able to come and go without much of a problem.
On Friday I had the pleasure of meeting one of my all-time favorite Star Trek characters, dare I say my absolute favorite...Robert Picardo aka The Emergency Medical Hologram. He portrayed the Holographic Doctor on Star Trek: Voyager. He was known for his pompous attitude and opera worthy singing voice. He also starred on Stargate, Gremlins 2, and several other film and television shows. He was a true class act. I even got the chance to re-enact one of my favorite Voyager scenes. WARNING...I have the voice of an angel:
Actual Scene:
Space City Version (I warned you about my beautiful voice):
On Saturday I really got into some cool stuff. The crowd was absolutely nuts, so I didn't get to take many pictures, but I did however arrive just in time for the Gowron and Martok Q and A, which was more like a stand-up comedy routine! If you aren't familiar, Gowron and Martok are two Klingons from the Star Trek Universe. Gowron has appeared in several TNG and DS9 episodes, while Martok was a central character in the latter half of DS9. The actors themselves do several conventions a year, but as an extra tribute to the fans they often do the conventions in full klingon attire and make-up! It's absolutely amazing and something that has to be seen to be believed. These guys are so high energy, it's very contagious. It's so nice to see two actors who are so humble and proud to be a part of the Star Trek mythos, and the fact that they take the time to endure the heavy make up and costuming proves that they love their fans. The Q and A was no different. The two talked about klingon rituals, let out a death cry for a fallen conrad, told some klingon jokes, and took pretty much every question imaginable from the fans. It was a nice little get together. Immediately after this, The Doctor (Robert Picardo) took a few questions and horsed around with the fans, then he was followed by The Green Ranger (Jason David Frank). JDF was full of energy and love for his fans, just like the others. You really couldn't have asked for a more loving group of celebrities.
As Sunday rolled around you could tell the attendees of the convention were running out of batteries, and everyone slowly started heading home. I participated in a Trivia competition, goofed around with some of the Power Rangers, and made some new friends, then unfortunately had to pack it up myself. There is always a sad little come down at the end of these things. This convention was all about the community. The nerd/cosplay community in Houston is evidently a strong one, and it was proven by the attendance at this con, along with the party like atmosphere that took place between the cosplayers. I didn't mean a single person who wasn't ready to party! It really gives you a nice dream state feeling to be in the middle of all this. I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world.
Amazing Space City Con video (Credit: Samaze.com) :
