In With The Incon Crowd Annual Sci-Fi Convention Kicks Off Friday

Spokane’s annual science fiction and fantasy convention, called InCon, attracts hundreds of devotees every year.

This year’s gathering, Friday through next Sunday at the downtown Doubletree Hotel, again features a lineup that includes gaming, costuming, writing, art, film, anime (Japanese animation), a charity auction for children’s literacy and more.

You non-fans might be wondering how such an event, the fourth of the year in the region, can attract big crowds., “When you come in to InCon, it’s like Disneyland dropping on your head for a whole weekend,” says Carolyne Pickup, one of the organizers. “It’s a weekend adventure,”

The InCon ‘99 chair, Roberta Rice, has been a fan of fantasy since third grade, when she was drawn into a book on Greek mythology because of the horse artwork on the cover. “I love mythology,” she says.

Rice then discovered sci-fi in junior high. She’s been hooked on both since, writing her doctoral dissertation on why children and young adults like the genres. “They need these kinds of things for their own psychic development,” says Rice, who got her doctorate in educational leadership from Gonzaga and now serves as media specialist at Central Valley High School.

So there’s part of the answer.

InCon, now in its 10th year, features three special guests this year: writer Charles de Lint, artist Margaret Organ-Kean and scientist Kevin Pullen.

De Lint, the author of 41 books, describes his writing as fantasy for people who don’t normally read fantasy, and mainstream writing that incorporates myth and folk tales.

The Canadian’s latest book, “Moonlight and Vines,” is his third collection of Newford stories. The residents of the imaginary town of Newford, Canada, work for a better life, some through contact with characters in Native American mythology.

“It’s a unique voice in the world of fantasy,” says Rice.

Organ-Kean’s artwork appears on covers of children’s magazines such as Cricket. The Seattle resident, who was raised in Yakima, also helped create some of the early Magic card game sets. She’s been painting for some 25 years.

Pullen, a Washington State University professor, also works in the school’s raptor rehabilitation center. He’ll bring some rehabilitated birds and talk about what’s happened to them.

Other guests include Dragon Dronet, a Hollywood prop master who has worked on “Star Trek: Voyager” and “Star Trek: Deep Space 9,” among other projects. He will show film clips of his work and demonstrate how to make a mask.

The Seattle Knights will show off their armor and give sword combat demonstrations. Singer Heather Alexander will perform “filk,” songs about sci-fi and fantasy.

Some workshop titles are straightforward: “Costuming on a budget,” “Using the Web to promote your artwork,” “Making props” and “How to plan a novel.”

Others are more colorful: “Personality test - are you an alien trapped in a human body,” “Theatrical makeup - wounds, battle scars, bleeding holes and love bites” and “Summer movie review - or boy did `Star Wars’ stink.”

The writers’ workshops include critiques of stories. “It works very well,” says Jim Glass, another InCon organizer who has published four novels. “My first novel was torn to shreds (at a similar convention). … These things are very helpful to young writers.”

There will also be a dealers’ room with collectibles, gaming cards, armor, costumes, jewelry, massage oil and more. Various fan clubs will have tables, including four Star Trek groups.

While events begin Friday afternoon at 2 with the Seattle Knights, opening ceremonies are at 6 p.m. The day’s activities end with a midnight theater, which starts at 11 p.m., and a “Funkomatic 2000” dance, which begins at 9 p.m.

Saturday’s schedule starts at 10 a.m. and ends after another dance, which starts around 10 p.m. Sunday events run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information, call 535-1199.

This sidebar appeared with the story: SCI-FI InCon ‘99 InCon ‘99 will be held Friday through next Sunday at the downtown Doubletree Hotel, 322 N. Spokane Falls Court. * Hours: Friday, 2 p.m.-midnight; Saturday, 10 a.m.-midnight; Sunday, 1 a.m.-3 p.m. Registration opens at noon Friday, 10 a.m. Saturday and 9 a.m. Sunday. * Admission: all three days, $25. Individual day tickets: Friday, $12; Saturday, $15; Sunday, $12.