GOH (British): Brian Aldiss
GOH (American): Fritz Leiber
Fan GOH: Harry Bell
Toastmaster: Bob Shaw
Attendance: 3114
In Don's memory, Seacon '79 is inseparable from his first trip
to London (as an adult). He enjoyed the con immensely...but it
paled in comparison to the excitement of being free and alone
in London.
Seacon '79 was a return, in a way, to the single-track programming of past Worldcons.
Each day of the Programme
was sponsored by a different British publisher, and the panels
were a bit more serious than those at previous Worldcons.
The opening ceremonies were stunning: thunderous music, and a
screen showing the logos of the other Worldcons
of the 70s. Heicon...Noreascon ...LACon...Torcon 2...DisCon
II...AussieCon...MidAmeriCon... SunCon...IguanaCon...and
then, with the greatest fanfare of all, Seacon '79!
The Star Wars folks were showing film clips from The
Empire Strikes Back, and Christopher Reeve from Superman
was actually at the con.
At Seacon '79 Don got Arthur C. Clarke to sign his copy of
The Fountains of Paradise. He also got a John Brunner autograph
for a friend at home.
The art show contined one
of Don's all-time favorite cartoons: A Star Wars Imperial
Stormtrooper walking along with a face-hugger from Alien
clinging to his faceplate. He's thinking to himself: "'Sure,
I'll walk your pet, Lord Vader.' Me and my big mouth."
Brian Aldiss was the host for an evening dance; the music was
good, Aldiss' jokes were great, and the dancing was fine. Later,
Don passed by the film room, where he saw a sign cautioning: "DUCK
DOWN. Projector beam is carrier for a 4000 watt microwave laser,
so you better DUCK."
On Sunday afternoon Don went to a local pub for a "Gay
Fans" meeting. The total attendance (six people) voted that
Worldcons needed more gay
programming, and appointed
an American fan to take care of it for Noreascon
II. Guess who was the only American there?
The most inspiring part of the con was a speech by Theodore
Sturgeon, who explained his philosophy of "ask the next question."
The "In Memoriam" page listed Richard C. Meredith,
Eric Frank Russell and Mort Weisinger.
Early Tuesday morning Don caught a train back to London, and
then to Heathrow where he said goodbye to England for eight years.
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