FANDOM 3 3

[MrBedrock]

Did you know Wilt Conine?

 

I've known Wilt since 1969. I traveled with him to at least one of HoustonCons in the early 70's where I recall him buying a copy of Action #1. He attended one of the OAF reunions three or four years ago and as far as I know he's still around and doing well, but I haven't seen him since.

The old-timers around here use a grading term for any beat up old comic book - "Conine Mint" (thumbs u

[MrBedrock]

An early fan costume contest (HoustonCon '74)...

 

If there was a Captain Marvel costume at an early HoustonCon it was probably worn by artist Don Newton. I am guessing that is who that.

[MrBedrock]

 

 

Top left photo: Wilt Conine, and in the right-hand background Rick Payne, and lots of happy conventioneers.

Center left photo: Spanky McFarland just after his guest speech shaking hands with Robert A. Brown

Bottom left photo: comic dealer Randall Hawkins, far right; others unidentified

 

Top right photo: Charles Breakfield, Herb Dolf and "Manny" Sequin (sp?) displaying a comic that they're excited about.

Bottom right photo: Guy in the middle background was noted as being Jerry Hoffman; the dealer and fan in foreground are currently unidentified.

 

Manny Seguin had a huge collection of esoteric golden age titles which he painstakingly restored by filling in missing pieces with scotch tape and colored paper. He passed away about fifteen years ago and his collection was sold by Roy Bonario. Just a ton of cool publishers like Ace and Chesler and such that you don't normally see in a collection. They've been spread to the winds now, but if you have a book with really amateur piece replacement it is possible that Manny may have done it.

[Weird Paper]

 

 

Top left photo: Wilt Conine, and in the right-hand background Rick Payne, and lots of happy conventioneers.

Center left photo: Spanky McFarland just after his guest speech shaking hands with Robert A. Brown

Bottom left photo: comic dealer Randall Hawkins, far right; others unidentified

 

Top right photo: Charles Breakfield, Herb Dolf and "Manny" Sequin (sp?) displaying a comic that they're excited about.

Bottom right photo: Guy in the middle background was noted as being Jerry Hoffman; the dealer and fan in foreground are currently unidentified.

 

Manny Seguin had a huge collection of esoteric golden age titles which he painstakingly restored by filling in missing pieces with scotch tape and colored paper. He passed away about fifteen years ago and his collection was sold by Roy Bonario. Just a ton of cool publishers like Ace and Chesler and such that you don't normally see in a collection. They've been spread to the winds now, but if you have a book with really amateur piece replacement it is possible that Manny may have done it.

I remember Manny's son was set up at one of the Austin paper shows back in the mid-90s with a few of his dad's old comics (mostly Joe Palookas and Kerry Drakes as I recall.) He told me then that his parents had gotten divorced and his dad was pretty bad off with complications of diabetes and had had one or both of his feet amputated. Within a year, I heard from someone else of his passing.

[Cat-Man_America]

 

The old-timers around here use a grading term for any beat up old comic book - "Conine Mint" (thumbs u

 

...

 

If there was a Captain Marvel costume at an early HoustonCon it was probably worn by artist Don Newton. I am guessing that is who that.

 

...

 

Manny Seguin had a huge collection of esoteric golden age titles which he painstakingly restored by filling in missing pieces with scotch tape and colored paper. He passed away about fifteen years ago and his collection was sold by Roy Bonario. Just a ton of cool publishers like Ace and Chesler and such that you don't normally see in a collection. They've been spread to the winds now, but if you have a book with really amateur piece replacement it is possible that Manny may have done it.

 

Thanks for filling in some of the hazy areas, Richard!

 

I think you're right about Don Newton; his appearance in costume probably prompted me to take the photo at the time, the rationale for which had been lost over the ensuing years. I'm only sorry that the shot didn't come out better.

 

"Conine mint" ...I almost had to clean my best imported ale off the screen after that one, but how true, ...oh how true.

 

Sadly ...or perhaps not, ...I'll probably never have the occasion to see any of Manny's unique resto work unless it slips past the watchful eyes of CGC graders!

[Timely]

 

The old-timers around here use a grading term for any beat up old comic book - "Conine Mint" (thumbs u

 

...

 

If there was a Captain Marvel costume at an early HoustonCon it was probably worn by artist Don Newton. I am guessing that is who that.

 

...

 

Manny Seguin had a huge collection of esoteric golden age titles which he painstakingly restored by filling in missing pieces with scotch tape and colored paper. He passed away about fifteen years ago and his collection was sold by Roy Bonario. Just a ton of cool publishers like Ace and Chesler and such that you don't normally see in a collection. They've been spread to the winds now, but if you have a book with really amateur piece replacement it is possible that Manny may have done it.

 

Thanks for filling in some of the hazy areas, Richard!

 

I think you're right about Don Newton; his appearance in costume probably prompted me to take the photo at the time, the rationale for which had been lost over the ensuing years. I'm only sorry that the shot didn't come out better.

 

"Conine mint" ...I almost had to clean my best imported ale off the screen after that one, but how true, ...oh how true.

 

Sadly ...or perhaps not, ...I'll probably never have the occasion to see any of Manny's unique resto work unless it slips past the watchful eyes of CGC graders!

 

[Cat-Man_America]

 

... So much for me getting an expedite on that MM#66 Matt sent you.

 

 

 

(gulp!) ... ...

 

 

Edited June 16, 2011 by DavidMerryweather

[Cat-Man_America]

The last page of photos from Wintercon '76...

 

 

Top photo: Joe Vucenic, Robert A. Brown and George Evens at the autographing table, and Jerry Miller, California based art dealer.

 

Middle photo: John Brewer and Kathy Harper (my art collaborator and significant other throughout much of the 70's) filling in at registration during lunch break.

 

Bottom photo: Another shot of Cindy and Deana working registration.

 

And the SF side of fandom...

 

Here is one from my early ChickCons. In essence these were early '80s adult Relaxi-cons held at my home in the middle of nowheresville (aka Chickasha, Oklahoma) with friends from the SF and comics community from Tulsa, Norman (OU), Okla. City and Dallas. NOSFA stands for Norman Oklahoma Science Fiction Association.

 

This posed group shot is composed of the early arrivals; my parties usually ended up with from 30 to 50 fans (mostly SF or comic), many staying through the weekend (no stinkin' badges required). Even though I'm pretty sure that I recall everyone's name here there are a couple I'm not absolutely sure about, thus the question marks:

 

 

[back row, standing, left to right] Syd Henderson (NOSFA), Vicki M. (Chickasha), Claire's husband (OU philosophy professor), Claire Stevens (NOSFA), Mike Campbell (Chickasha), Nigel Sellers (NOSFA), Yours truly (from everywhere).

 

[front row, seated, left to right] Renee Witterstaetter (Dallas, now NY, publisher, artist management, Eva Ink Publishing), unsure (?), unsure (?)

 

If folks are interested in the 80's stuff I'll post more photos that include some of my SF fandom involvement as well as comics fanzines and major convention photos from the late 60's onward.

Edited June 19, 2011 by DavidMerryweather

[Cat-Man_America]

Wintercon '75 Program (full, complete with ads from the era)...

 

 

 

 

 

 

This Wintercon was held in Tulsa, in December of '75; a freak Tornado occurred the weekend of the con. With sirens going off dealers were seen scrambling to cover their tables (in some cases with their bodies!), but this weather anomaly missed the con hotel completely.

 

Unlisted among the guests were Bernie Wrightson and Bruce Jones, who showed up on a lark (which is a large passerine bird that shows up at conventions unexpectedly) to visit friends Archie Goodwin and Al Williamson (Secret Agent X-9), along with their up-and-coming artist buddy Steve Lehiloha.

 

Archie, Bernie, Bruce and Steve hung out in our suite most of the weekend when not looking for good restaurants. One of the weekend's highlights was an impromptu bowling excursion (judging from our scores, it was definitely Little Lebowski).

Edited June 20, 2011 by DavidMerryweather

[Cat-Man_America]

Rare 1940's GA science fiction, fantasy, horror fanzine (Hannes Bok cover)...

 

[Cat-Man_America]

The front cover to the DCon '71 progress report is both rare and of special interest to those fascinated with fan history. I think you'll see why it's so interesting while reading the promotional information about the hotel and reference to the previous year's Southwestercon. Note: Originally, Okla. City, Dallas & Houston had a rotating annual convention for the first 5 years of it's existence (it allowed hard working committees a little more breathing room for hotel negotiation and eased the financial stress as early cons were lucky to break even).

 

The tri-city alliance broke down in '71, shortly after this Progress Report was mailed to early ticket holders, when both Dallas and Houston con-committees decided to throw their own competing summer conventions and OAF (the Okla. Alliance of Fandom) was effectively caught in the middle. Even though there were some ruffled feathers over this, both conventions fared very well and as a result the flood gates were opened for many more regional conventions. While the Southwestercon agreement effectively died, fans and dealers had more choices and could schedule in more conventions as their budgets allowed.

 

Here is a link to photos taken from HoustonCon '71-'74 (and beyond)...

 

http://netdevelopment.net/conventions/pic/more.htm

 

And here then is the first page of the mimeo DCon Progress Report:

 

Edited June 22, 2011 by DavidMerryweather

[Flex Mentallo]

It's all fascinating stuff - so rich in nostalgia!

[Cat-Man_America]

Thanks. I've just scratched the surface; whenever possible I'll add personal notes that present the whole convention and fanzine scene in context.

 

For instance, here is the front & back cover of my copy of the first issue Squa Tront (Jerry Weist's awesome EC fanzine); both covers, art by Roger Hill, from 1967:

 

 

 

The first issue of Jerry Weist's EC fanzine was top notch for a freshman effort and only got grander with each successive issue. After this initial effort, Squa Tront would sport covers by the original EC artists, including rarely seen oil paintings by Feldstein, Ingles, Krigstein, Davis, Evans, Craig, Kurtzman, Crandall and others. One issue even had FOUR different color covers.

 

Jerry's layout design improved as well, and became amazingly inventive, to the point that Squa Tront bested professionally laid out periodicals sold on the newsstands. Whether intended or not, Jerry's publication always gave the impression of an artist's gallery quality presentation.

 

There have been a lot of great fanzines published over the last 50 years, but there has never been another fanzine of this high caliber devoted to a line of comics; Squa Tront stands the test of time as a labor of love. While Jerry made his mark with The Million Year Picnic and Sotheby's auctions, this publication may be his most enduring legacy.

 

If you can find early copies (while Jerry was still actively at the helm), Squa Tront is the ultimate EC art lovers fanzine.

Edited June 23, 2011 by DavidMerryweather

[Cat-Man_America]

This needs a...

 

 

Here is the front page of the HoustonCon '74 program. I have the rest scanned if folks want to see it. Let's just call this a teaser.

[Cat-Man_America]

Here is the program cover for DCon '79; if I'm not mistaken this was Larry Lankford's first con chairmanship before he started throwing his own Dallas Fantasy Fair in the early 80's.

 

Cover art by Paul Schliessher...

 

 

Larry Lankford, a brief convention history:

 

By the mid to late 80's Larry Lankford was running three DFFs a year (his biggest was always scheduled around July 4th, and the others around Thanksgiving and Easter). His conventions, known by the euphemism Larry-con, were fully programmed conventions (with con suite, film programming and panels), but his emphasis on media guests anticipated the the more formulaic, star-heavy media dominated events that took off in the 90's.

 

But as successful as his cons were early on, Larry's entrepreneurship did not end well. By the mid-90's he'd apparently gotten deeply in debt while the attendance had fallen off, perhaps due to mismanagement or competition from slicker Hollywood organized media shows.

 

This culminated in unhappy creditors having Market Hall padlocked on the opening day of one of his DFF shows when Larry couldn't make payment before the gate was tallied. All was not lost however. Dealers pooled their resources and hastily set up an impromptu con at an alternative site for the weekend.

 

This unfortunate series of events brought Larry's Dallas Fantasy Fair to an abrupt end, but as a last gesture he donated his notorious eggplant suit to the new convention; I had the honor of auctioning it off. I seem to recall that it brought a tidy sum after I informed the attentive bidders that Larry and his suit had been taken to the cleaners.

 

Anyone else have fond recollections of the Dallas Fantasy Fair?

[ciorac]

Here is the program cover for DCon '79; if I'm not mistaken this was Larry Lankford's first con chairmanship before he started throwing his own Dallas Fantasy Fair in the early 80's.

 

Cover art by Paul Schliessher...

 

 

Larry Lankford, a brief convention history:

 

By the mid to late 80's Larry Lankford was running three DFFs a year (his biggest was always scheduled around July 4th, and the others around Thanksgiving and Easter). His conventions, known by the euphemism Larry-con, were fully programmed conventions (with con suite, film programming and panels), but his emphasis on media guests anticipated the the more formulaic, star-heavy media dominated events that took off in the 90's.

 

But as successful as his cons were early on, Larry's entrepreneurship did not end well. By the mid-90's he'd apparently gotten deeply in debt while the attendance had fallen off, perhaps due to mismanagement or competition from slicker Hollywood organized media shows.

 

This culminated in unhappy creditors having Market Hall padlocked on the opening day of one of his DFF shows when Larry couldn't make payment before the gate was tallied. All was not lost however. Dealers pooled their resources and hastily set up an impromptu con at an alternative site for the weekend.

 

This unfortunate series of events brought Larry's Dallas Fantasy Fair to an abrupt end, but as a last gesture he donated his notorious eggplant suit to the new convention; I had the honor of auctioning it off. I seem to recall that it brought a tidy sum after I informed the attentive bidders that Larry and his suit had been taken to the cleaners.

 

Anyone else have fond recollections of the Dallas Fantasy Fair?

 

I always enjoyed the DFF and set up or attended quite a few of them. I remember the dance night was a highlight for the fans in attendance as was the costume contest. I always did fairly well in sales there too.

 

Sadly, my last memory is of Larry collecting table fees from me and the other dealers for the next year's show, and then promptly folding up his tent and disappearing. Most of us, to my knowledge, were never paid back our table fees.

[Weird Paper]

Here is the program cover for DCon '79; if I'm not mistaken this was Larry Lankford's first con chairmanship before he started throwing his own Dallas Fantasy Fair in the early 80's.

 

Cover art by Paul Schliessher...

 

 

Larry Lankford, a brief convention history:

 

By the mid to late 80's Larry Lankford was running three DFFs a year (his biggest was always scheduled around July 4th, and the others around Thanksgiving and Easter). His conventions, known by the euphemism Larry-con, were fully programmed conventions (with con suite, film programming and panels), but his emphasis on media guests anticipated the the more formulaic, star-heavy media dominated events that took off in the 90's.

 

But as successful as his cons were early on, Larry's entrepreneurship did not end well. By the mid-90's he'd apparently gotten deeply in debt while the attendance had fallen off, perhaps due to mismanagement or competition from slicker Hollywood organized media shows.

 

This culminated in unhappy creditors having Market Hall padlocked on the opening day of one of his DFF shows when Larry couldn't make payment before the gate was tallied. All was not lost however. Dealers pooled their resources and hastily set up an impromptu con at an alternative site for the weekend.

 

This unfortunate series of events brought Larry's Dallas Fantasy Fair to an abrupt end, but as a last gesture he donated his notorious eggplant suit to the new convention; I had the honor of auctioning it off. I seem to recall that it brought a tidy sum after I informed the attentive bidders that Larry and his suit had been taken to the cleaners.

 

Anyone else have fond recollections of the Dallas Fantasy Fair?

I was set up at Larry's shows from 1985-1987 (maybe 1988). If anybody remembers attending, we were the ones with the giant screaming Silver Surfer head sign(a panel from the Kirby graphic novel). There was one San Antonio show, one or two Austin shows, but most of them were Dallas--including one over Thanksgiving weekend. The Houston shows, in my recollection were mostly Larry Taylor shows, though I might be conflating some of them. I loved those cons--as much for the buying as the selling. One Dallas show in particular--a young guy kept coming to the table with nice books, a few at a time, which I would buy. I eventually asked him if I could just see them all, so I went with him to just outside the door, where he had boxes full of comics--1940s-70s. In retrospect, I should have bought them all, but I just ended up cherry picking. The same show, two guys were shopping around a stack of Timelys--seven or eight Caps, including 2, 7 and 74; Human Torch 3; Red Raven 1 and an Avengers 1 tossed in for good measure. We ended up buying them--less than 2k for the pile! As far as people selling us stuff, we always got better original art in Houston (most of which I still have), but better comics in Dallas.

[Cat-Man_America]

OK, if anyone doubts that collectors don't save everything...

 

 

Just located this from Wintercon '75: the "Little Lebowski" bowling excursion, Yale Bowl, Tulsa, OK.

 

Archie Goodwin, your's truly(in my artist's alter ego), & Berni Wrightson

 

After a slow start Archie got most of the strikes. Obviously the pro bowlers tour had nothing to fear competition-wise from our party (I kept score, so blame me if you find any math errors on the score sheet).

[markseifert]

 

Great post. Thanks again for the fantastic stuff in this thread.

 

OK, if anyone doubts that collectors don't save everything...

 

 

Just located this from Wintercon '75: the "Little Lebowski" bowling excursion, Yale Bowl, Tulsa, OK.

 

Archie Goodwin, your's truly(in my artist's alter ego), & Berni Wrightson

 

After a slow start Archie got most of the strikes. Obviously the pro bowlers tour had nothing to fear competition-wise from our party (I kept score, so blame me if you find any math errors on the score sheet).

lol

[Cat-Man_America]

OK, here's the entire Houstoncon program from '74.

 

At this time they actually rolled two conventions into one, so you ended up with two entirely different tracks of programming available for one membership. This may seem a little clunky from an organizational stand-point, but by offering separate tracks of special interest fan programming under one banner it broadened the convention's appeal. DragonCon in Atlanta refined this technique into one of providing space for separate tracks of independently run special interest programming under the DragonCon umbrella and has grown phenomenally large in recent years.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In fan history Houstoncon pre-dated SDCC and was contemporaneous with Phil Seuling's NYCC. In fact, as conventions blossomed in the SW, Houstoncon grew so rapidly and became so unwieldy that it burned out it's staff and, if memory serves, and eventually ended up in the hands of folks who cut too many corners, making it less profitable.

 

It's also worth noting that one of the things which hurt conventions most was the coming of home video, first video-tape and laserdisc in the late 70's and then DVD in the late 90's. Film rooms which were a big draw in the early 70's with 16mm & 35mm features and serials, and the advent of serious film collecting brought lots of rare films and interest in films into the our hobby.

 

As the cost of rentals increased and with easier availability of films, serials and rare TV episodes for the home market, film rooms were gradually relegated to second or third tier status. Eventually, function space provided for films turned into hastily set-up video rooms with typically out-of-focus tape and disc screenings shown over typically out-of-register big-screen TVs.

 

Film rooms regardless of size were now mostly empty except late at night after other convention functions closed down; snoring was the most oft-heard sound coming from them.

 

Yes, it is sad that this aspect of fandom has been lost, but there are still special film conventions where collectors are enlisted to show their 16mm and 35mm treasures and surviving stars are still remembered. (thumbs u