ZebraCon

(Redirected from Zcon)

Name:	ZebraCon
Dates:	1979- 2007
Frequency:	odd numbered years
Location:	Chicago, Illinois, United States
Type:	gen/slash convention
Focus:	Starsky & Hutch, The Professionals
Organization:
Founder:
Founding Date:
URL:	Zebracon LJ Zebracon Website via the Wayback
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ZebraCon, also known as Zcon, was a mixed gen and slash convention held in Chicago, Illinois in the fall. It initially catered to Starsky & Hutch fandom (Zebra 3 was their car's call sign). It then branched out to include The Professionals and other 'partnership' cop/spy/science fiction shows, but never left behind its love for Starsky & Hutch. Membership was capped at 300 people and there usually was a waiting list. The first convention was held in 1979 and was held annually but then switched to a 2 year cycle. (ex: 1997, 1999, 2001, and 2003). The last ZebraCon was held in 2007.

To the outside world, slash themed fan-run conventions were often misunderstood and many fans would keep their 'fannish' lives and 'real' lives separate. For example, the year after the final Zebracon it was highlighted in an unflattering article titled: "PathetiCon: 8 Geek Conventions God Never Intended." [1]

Even during Zebracon, fans had to deal with negative reactions to their interests. Here, one fan relates an incident that took place at an early Zebracon:

Did you notice the "Terrorist, Lesbian, Witches from Hell?" button some attendees were wearing? I saw them too and asked around. This is what one of the older fans told me: "The buttons are a direct result of Zebracon 1991. One Saturday ballet students and their mothers were having a show/exhibit right outside the ZCon dealer's room. Over the course of the day the mothers decided that we were all lesbians because it was a group of women gathering without men or children. Then they saw some crystals that one of the dealers was selling and decided we were witches. I don't remember were the terrorist bit came from, but in the bathroom that day we could have sworn the mothers were throwing themselves between us and their children. At the time, we all thought it was hysterically funny and the next ZebraCon saw the birth of the buttons." Morgan Dawn, personal notes (1995).

1 Programming
2 The Huggies
3 Charity
4 The Panels
5 The Vid Show

Programming

As a fan run and volunteer based convention, all programming and events were run by fans for fans. In addition to hour long panels which ran Friday-Sunday, there was an evening mixer with formal dress and the group singing of Bette Midler's song "The Rose". There was also a nighttime art auction where fan artists could sell their art. Some of the funds raised during the auction went to charity (see below for more info).

There also was a video contest where fan made songvids were shown and awards were given. Additional awards given at Zebracon included The Huggy Awards (see below) and, starting in 2003, the Paula Wilshe Award.[2] Art Show Awards were given and Costume and Fiction Contests were also held. For a complete list of winners of all awards see the years at the bottom of the Huggies section.

There was also a dealer's room in which fanzines, clothing and videos were sold. Elaborate 'Room Parties' were held each focusing on a different TV show, with door prizes and themes (ex. The Due South room party offered Canadian and Chicago food).[3] These became so popular that the convention began to furnish a large suite for members to reserve.

In some years, fan wrote and produced stage plays that (gently) mocked themselves and their favorite shows. They often riffed off of well known fanzines: Ex: 'Distant Snores' was based on the Starsky & Hutch zine Distant Shores. Some of these plays have been collected into a fanzine: Play by Playbook: Collected ZebraCon Plays.

Sample art that won awards:

2007 Zebracon 18 - Lorraine Brevig for Doyle's Green Eyes, Best In Show 2007
2003 Zebracon 16 - Bluespirit for My Place, Art Show Winner (Miscellaneous category)

The Huggies

ZebraCon created The Huggies awards -- given first only to Starsky & Hutch stories, and then to both Starsky & Hutch and The Professionals stories each convention. Other fandoms were added in later years (Due South, Sentinel, Highlander, SG1). Nomination forms were mailed out with the first convention progress report, but you could nominate and vote without attending the convention.

Here's an example list of Huggie awards (for The Professionals in 1997, at ZebraCon 13):

The Best Letterzine - Cold Fish & Stale Chips
Best Poem - Disintegration (Danajeanne Norris, C&C 17)
Best Short Story, Humor (Zine) - No Floaties, Please, We're British (Tash, Motet)
Best Short Story, Humor (Circuit) - Santa's Basement (James K. Walkswithwind)
Best Short Story, Drama (Zine) - Object of Desire (Courtney Grey, D-Notice)
Best Short Story, Drama (Circuit) - Welcome to the Jungle (Jennifer Lyon)
Best Novella (Zine) - Wonderful Tonight (Sebastian, Bene Dictum 3)
Best Novel (Zine) - A Tie - Journey West (Maiden Wyoming) and Jigsaw Puzzle (HG)
Best Zine Illo or Cover - Suzan Lovett (cover, Angel in the Dark)
Best Poet - Danajeanne Norris
Best Artist - Suzan Lovett
Best Writer - Sebastian
Best Zine - Motet: New Voices in B&D

Awards Winners: 1997, 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005.

There is no award information for the last and final Zebracon (2007) - if anyone has it please let us know. The 2007 Nomination Ballots are still available here.

Charity

As one fan explained:

"One enduring relationship between a fandom and a charity is between ZebraCon and the Pediatric AIDS Foundation. ZebraCon is a convention focusing on the 1970s cop show Starsky and Hutch. Series star Paul Michael Glaser (Starsky) now enjoys a successful directing career. Because his work is now behind the camera, many people remain unaware of the personal tragedy he and his family have suffered. Due to pregnancy complications, Glaser's wife, Elizabeth, received a blood transfusion tainted with the HIV virus. She and both children were exposed to the virus. Their daughter Ariel died from AIDS; Elizabeth and her son continue to battle against this disease. Elizabeth and others who had lost children to AIDS established the Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

As the Starsky and Hutch fandom became smaller, ZebraCon became a biannual convention and expanded to include other "buddy" shows such as The Man from U.N.C.L.E. and the British spy serial The Professionals. But the original convention charity has never been forgotten. Fund-raising for the Pediatric AIDS Foundation remains a major focus not only of the convention, but of many fandom pursuits. Proceeds from a second printing of The Professionals fanzine House of Cards go to the Foundation. Items donated for auction at this past ZebraCon included Starsky and Hutch action figures, posters, books, magazines, games, and the record album recorded by David Soul (Hutch from the series). Media artist Suzanne Lovett donated a commission piece that sold for over $200."'' Karen Ann Yost, Strange New Worlds (1994). [4]

The convention would also support other charities: for Zcon 13 (1997), the convention raised $2000 for Pet Rescue, a no kill shelter located in Bloomindale Illiniois. [5] At ZCon 16 (2003), the charity was The Nature Conservancy.

The Panels

Panels were suggested by fans and selected by the convention and then staffed by volunteers. Fans led the discussions, often moderating the topics. Other panels were loose 'free form" casual discussions.

A sample panel schedule from Zebracon 16 (2003):

FRIDAY

1:00 Zine Etiquette; Xmen
2:00 Smallville; Blogs & LiveJournals
3:00 LOTR: Reconciling Book & Movie; Medical Aspects in Fic
4:00 LOTR Trivia Game; Queer Eye for the Straight Guy; Video Room: S&H 101
5:00 Queer as Folk US - 3rd season; Stargate
6:00 Slash conventions & stereotypes; Zining 101
7:00 Writing Workshop; BtVs - Spike
8:00 Oz; Secret Agent Shows
8:00-midnight Vid Show

SATURDAY

10:00 Fannish Jeopardy
11:00 Military Fraternization
12:00 ROTK preview; S&H Rings & Things
1:00 Sentinel; Evolution of Fandom
2:00 CSI; One True Threesome; Video Room: Jenny's Vidding Guide for Beginners
3:00 Pros; Mag 7
4:00 Holy Mother Grammatica; Due South
5:00 Beta Readers; Harry Potter
7:30-11pm: Saturday Party (Play by Paula Smith: "The Escape from Hoboken Affair")

SUNDAY

1:00 Dead Dog Panel (Convention Organizer Feedback)

The Vid Show

The Zebracon vid show offered vidders a place to showcase their songvids before a live fan audience. Vids were also given awards (see Huggies section for winners). Vids were originally shown on VCRs and watched on TV with a transition to larger screens and DVDs in the later years.

Here is a sample playlist from Zebracon 15 (2001), including fandom break-down:

Marigold