Escapade/Escapade 1999

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Escapade 1999

Escapade 9 was held on February 26–28, 1999.

cover of the 1999 program book

The website for the 1999 convention is archived here.

Programming -- A Peek into the Process: 130 Topics Narrowed Down to 31

From the first Progress Report:

ESCAPADE's scheduling is generated entirely from the feedback of convention attendees, ensuring that ESCAPADE is YOUR convention. Interest is determined by ballot system, and you can expect to receive your ballot with Progress Report #2, which will be mailed to you in early December. To generate a comprehensive ballot, however, we need to hear from you about what panels, topics and suggestions you have, and especially which panels you're willing to chair. Please take the time to let us know what you'd like to see at ESCAPADE 9. We are proud of ESCAPADE's reputation for having a wonderful selection of programming, and we want to keep offering you the best in controversial, entertaining and educational panels.
Panels already volunteered for the ballot include:

Themes of atonement in HL

XF appreciation panels: Mulder droolers anon, Why Mulder & Skinner are the perfect couple, or the Beautiful Butchness of the * Surly Pectoral god (Skinner)

Male slash fans-welcome voice, or infringement on "our" space?

Slash & Sexuality (the characters, not the writers)

What new shows w/ slash potential?

Does print fandom have a future?

METHOS METHOS METHOS

Why are messed up/psychotic/evil characters so interesting

Popular fantasies in fan writing (are these what fans really want?)

Crossovers in Canon

History of Fandom (again)

Death/dearth of the buddy show (see form)

Buffy's popularity among slashfans

Duncan Haters: what is their problem?

HL: Where is D/M fic headed

When does evil become irredeemable?

Bad stories and the women who love them

Sex scenes 101 (how and why to add spice to your stories)

Walk on the Wild Side, or, Vanilla is for Wussies

Damaged Characters: What's the attraction?

Fannish Pimping (how to successfully hook others on your show)

Fan Hierarchy (what happens when we become fans of fans?)

The Methos Committee (Is it possible to determine the truth of Methos' statements?)

Songvid aesthetics

Reviews vs. LOCs--difference in techniques & goals

Homicide (Frankentim: Too intense for sex?)

Slashiness in movies and professionally published novels

Outdated Stereotypes: what makes so many writers portray one character as "weak"?

The Mechanics: A registered GayBoy(TM) offers to answer all your questions

Objects of Torture: Why do Mulder, Blair and Illya top the Most Abused List?

Prettyboys, love 'em or hate em?

Slash & Feminism

Sleeping with the Enemy: When your couple are on opposite sides

Gay Sex & WW II

What about each pairing is attracts us as fans? ^[1]

From the second Progress Report:

Yes, this year we've got a hot and heavy selection to choose from (over 130 topics nominated for 31 spots); panels guaranteed to keep you hopping with excitement, even if you only have the attention span of a gerbil. The following panels and workshops have made the prelminary cut. There may be changes between now and the convention, but you can expect to see most of the following:
Workshops: Writing (Dialogue), Macros, macros everywhere (formatting fanfic), A Vanishing Art (Fanzine publication).
General Panels: Damaged Characters; When does evil become irredeemable?; Does print fandom have a future?; Objects of Torture; Yes, Virginia, Canon does matter; Sex Scenes 101, Paper: Homoerotic Subtext; History of Fandom; Cliché Central: Popular Fantasies & Outdated Stereotypes, Sunday Morning Vid Review; Sleeping with the Enemy; What about each pairing is attractive?; Male Slash Fans; Walk on the Wild Side; Slash & Sexuality; Songvid Aesthetics; Fan Hierarchy.
Fandom Panels: Sentinel--Mush; Buffy & Slash, HL--Themes of Atonement; XF--Skinner; Pros--A/Us; Homicide--Too Intense; HL--Duncan Haters; Due South--Can this fandom grow and survive with two Rays?; XF--Mulder; Sentinel--The Capital-G "Guide"; Wiseguy--Who's more damaged; Xena--The Troubles.
Sad that your favorite panel didn't make this list? Feel free to sign up for "Alternate Programming" time. You can hold your own panels, show videos, and generally brainwash your unsuspecting friends. Drop us a note, or sign up in the con suite when you register." ^[2]
"Here is the preliminary schedule for the convention.
We are taking pre-convention reservations for Alternate Programming/Video. The rule is, only one hour per person/group, until the time is filled. Hours will be reserved on a first-come-first served basis. To reserve an hour, drop us a line at [email protected], and let us know what you'll be doing/showing, so we can post it on the revised schedule (due up this weekend).
Please let us know if you need a text version of the schedule, and we'll make one.

Programming

panel notes from 'Sidekick in a Coma, page 1, click to read

panel notes from 'Sidekick in a Coma, page 2, click to read

Pre-scheduled Alternative Programing:

Sidekick in a Coma, led by Meg and Laura (Why your favorite sidekick ended up dead.)
Blood Suckers, led by Chris (Forever Knight, Kindred, and other vampire worlds.)
More Homicide, led by Pamela (The small fandom that's too big for just one hour! Pam has some delightful clips to share.)

Friday:

Walk on the Wild Side, or, Vanilla is for Wussies, led by Rachael, Mairead Triste, C.M. (Kink. How to write it, what makes it work, and why it's so hot. S&M, D/S, bondage, fisting, mutilation/marking, issues of trust and the parameters of consent. Can every character be motivated to make it work (sure, Kronos would do it, but how about Fraser?), what makes these themes effective (or not!) in fanfic, and a discussion of the light and dark sides of these events. (For example, is kink an anathema to romance? And what is the appeal of domestic S/M?)
What do you see in them?, led by elynross and Jo (Why we love our BSOs. Do you ever wonder what your friend sees in Mulder/Krycek? Have you tried to explain why Jim/Blair is the hottest slash pairing in town? And why on earth would a nyone pick Methos/Kronos over Duncan MacLeod/Methos? )
Fan Hierarchy, led by (Megan Kent) and Maygra de Rhema (What happens when we become fans of fans? is fandom the idyllic, equal community of our dreams, or are there naturally occurring divisions: producers/consumers & BNFs, to name a couple? Has the net changed our patterns, or merely sped them up?)
History of Fandom, led by am, Cynthia, Nicole and Lezlie (Have you ever wondered about the history of fandom, the coming of zines, the circuit stories, the great controversies about whether or not slash was possible (and watching a lot of movies only to say "Can they really do it like that?" mouths agape in astonishment?), and the insidious rise of shows that lured people away from one true fandom after another? It was in another age, before the Net, when a secretive and furtive band of (mostly) women, veered from their normal everyday lives and created Fandom. The old fogeys reserve the right to refuse to answer questions about their underwear.)
Cliche Central: Popular Fantasies & Outdated Stereotypes, led by Kathy and Kay (Cliches, or new twists on familiar plotlines? What are the enduring cliches and why do they endure? What are the persistent stereotypes in slash, and why do they persist?)
Objects of Torture, led by Maygra de Rhema, Rachael Sabotini (Why do Mulder, Blair, Methos, Doyle and Illya top the Most Abused List? We love these guys and yet we put them through a wringer, physically, mentally and emotionally taking them apart and then maybe putting them back together. Why these guys in particular? Why does one character cry out 'Please hurt me?' and why does the author respond? )
Sleeping with the Enemy, led by Sandy and Pamela (When your couple are on opposite sides. For many, the best slash is about true partners coming together, their love a culmination of long standing respect and affection. For others, Friction equals Fiction. For Methos/Kronos, the Rat Patrol boys.,.and especially Mulder/Krycek, betrayal and revenge seem to just add spice.)
When Does Evil Become Irredeemable?, led by Melina, Mairead Triste, Katharine (A really wise old guy once said we all have good and evil, rage and compassion, murder and forgiveness—but is there a point when a character steps so far over the line onto the "evil" side that he can never come back, either in the metaphysical sense, or to us, as fans? If there is, where do we draw the line, and does the line move depending on how much we like a particular character? What implications does this have for how we treat the boys in our stories?)
Xena — Now with Added Friction!, led by Jane and Stacy (How will this new dynamic in their relationship change the quality (if not the quantity) of the slash?)

Friday Night Vids (A selection of newer songvids (created since last Escapade, that have been shown at other conventions. Hosted by Katharine.)
Bedtime Stories (Four different authors will read (or have read) short stories, excerpts or slash-related anecdotes. Authors include: Pat, Shoshanna, Sandy, Jane and Dvorah.)
ESCAPADE Party (Margs, munchies, and more! Be there, or... Just be there.)

Saturday:

Sentinel — What's With All the Mush?, led by Christy, elynross and Merry (When fanfic seems to come in only one flavor. Given the cozy living conditions and the on screen interactions, it was perhaps inevitable that Sentinel fanfic would tend towards the mushy. But are Jim and Blair only about Shopping for Curtains? Where's the angst? Where's the torture? Is there room for variety? And where is it? )
Writing Workshop, led by Sharon and Joan (Dialogue: How do you make your characters sound like (a) people and (b) themselves? )
XF—Skinner: He's Bald — Get Over It!, led by M. Fae Glasgow, AnneZo, Lezlie (SR819 WAS a Skinner-centric episode. Self-esteem and coping skills for Skinner Fans with friends who suffer from SDD (Skinner Deprecation Disorder). We'll discuss symptoms and cures for this disorder. (Some role-playing required.) )
Songvid Aesthetics, led by Cassandra and Gayle (An exploration of theme, color, mood, and rhythm. Choosing clips to relate to the music and convey your message to the viewer.)
Yes, Virginia, Canon Does Matter, led by Katharine, (Megan Kent) and Merry (What does it mean to write in an existing universe? What responsibilities do you have to your readers and your source material? Or, is there a smaller-guy-as-prostitute story to be written in every fandom? )
Pros and the Alternate Universe, led by Dana Jeanne, KC and Sharon (No Plot Too Far Out. No Characterization Too Uncanonical. No Setting Too Bizarre! Agree? Disagree? Conflicted? Let's talk!)
Sex Scenes 101, led by Killashandra, Mairead Triste, Maygra de Rhema (How to make a scene sizzle without killing the mood? This panel will offer illustrative perspectives on different styles of writing erotica. Topics include: how to give erotic writing more impact, how to make sure that erotic scenes serve the intended purpose within the framework of the story; and the importance of pacing, continuity, and word choice. )
Buffy & Slashfans: What's the Sitch?, led by Jessica and Kathy (Buffy: a show where the possibilities of romantic entanglements are just... really, really heterosexual. But hey — what is it about this show that has exerted such a powerful draw on slash-fans? What are the underlying themes that draw us to be fans of this show, and what does that mean about us? What's going on here, and have we possibly been drugged?)
Does Print Fandom Have a Future?, led by Nancy, Melina and Dana Jeanne (In the age of instant, free net fic, is print fandom a dinosaur on its way to extinction, or a promise of reasonable quality in a sea of mediocrity? What are the key differences between zines and netfic, and what are the advantages and disadvantages of each? Can the two coexist happily? )
Wiseguy — Who's More Damaged, led by Killashandra, Martha (Almost all of the major characters in this show have psychological cracks in their armor, Vinnie Terranova, Roger Lococco, Frank McPike. In a show with this many damaged characters, is it easier or more difficult to write interesting fan fiction? Why has most of the fan fiction not dug deeper into the characters and themes of the show?)
Homoerotic Subtext in Popular Action Adventure TV Shows, led by Kady Mae (This Celluloid Closet style academic paper examines the subtext in Babylon 5, The Sentinel, and Highlander the Series. Shows like Will and Grace think they're blazing a trail, but B5, TS and HL deliver the goodies (if you know what to look for.) Highlights and analysis of some of great slashy moments.)
Homicide —Too Intense for Slash?, led by Christy and Pamela (Is it the wife? Is it the religion? Or is it fear of Frank Pembelton leaping off the screen and kicking your ass?)
Damaged Characters, led by Maygra de Rhema, Jo and Lyn (What drives writers to want to capitalize on a history that suggest early damage, abuse, what have you or invent that kind of damage to base the character's actions on — be it abused child, former prostitute, early emotional horror what have you. Is it an easy out for dramatic effect?)
Due South — Can this Fandom Survive with Two Rays?, led by Kathy and AnneZo (No matter what you say, they're both good for Benny. And bad for him. Is there room in Benny's universe for two loves? Maybe neither of them is right for him. Turnbull, anyone? )
HL — Themes of Atonement, led by Tiffany, Dvorah, Rachael and Katharine (With the Comes a Horseman arc, Highlander: the Series instigated a fanfic discourse on the light and dark of the human soul that has yet to find its conclusion. This panel will explore how fanfic images of abuse, torture, suffering, masochistic/submissive sex, penitence, and groveling relate to ideas of atonement for evil-doing. For an immortal with a long past, can it ever be enough? And more importantly, do we want it to be?)

Slash & Sexuality, led by Meg and Dail (Do you feel the need to define your character's sexuality before writing about him (or her)? How do you decide? What is it about these guys that leads to your definition? Do they need to be categorized at all?)
ESCAPADE Premiering Vid Show (The showcase of new vids at Escapade, featuring a host of excellent vidders. Don't miss it! )
Fan Entertainment (Filking, fun and games, designed by Melissa, supported by a cast of thousands.)

Sunday:

Art Auction (Fight for the right to take that art home with you.)
Sunday Morning Vid Review, led by Jessica and Sandy (Selected vids from Saturday's show will be replayed and discussed for the aesthetic, technical and musical choices. Open to all, for feedback and fun.)

XF — Mulder: Character or Caricature? led by Jill and Tina (Sixth season finds The X-Files, itself, mocking Mulder's strange, if endearing habits. So, what does that say about him? Has overexposure sent a true original into the dreaded realms of media caricature, or is there still hope for him? )
The Vanishing Art of Fanzine Publication, led by Nancy and (Megan Kent) (An informational workshop covering: how zines are different from netfic; the critical issues (editing, layout, production values); how you do it (brief discussion of the above, as well as printing, binding, distribution & marketing) .)
Sentinel — The Capital-G "Guide", led by Merry, Sandy, and Amy (Is the Jim/Blair slash relationship a necessary and inherent part of the Sentinel-Guide bond or is their relationship separate from the genetic and instinctive forces behind the Sentinel & Guide roles. (Footnotes 1: Are there genetic and instinctive forces behind the Sentinel & Guide roles? 2; Are there Sentinel & Guide roles? 3: Is there such a thing as a capital-G "Guide"?) .)
Male Slash Fans - Welcome Voice, or Infringement?, led by Meg and Stuart (Slash is written by women for women -— or is it? The Internet has attracted new fans, including the "male slash fan". Who is he? What does he think of what "we" do? Do we care?)
HL — Canon or Fanon?, led by Melina, MacGeorge, Killashandra (Attitudes about Duncan MacLeod "He's judgmental and inflexible," "he only sees things as black or white," "he's an emotionally stunted Boy Scout." Do Duncan's detractors raise valid points, or are they missing the big (non-Methos) picture? This panel will sort the canon from the fanon and attempt to reveal the "real" Duncan, for better or for worse. )
Why is Critique so Scary?, led by Sandy, Christy, Maygra de Rhema (What are we so afraid of? Is critique actually antithetical to building "community"? Why is it so rare? Do the people who 'want to get better' threaten the 'just writing for fun' types? Should writers be able to opt out (i.e., write, "please don't review my story" on their web page)?)
Registered Gayboy™ Tells All!, led by Stuart (Everything you wanted to know, but didn't have anyone to ask.)
Dead Dog Party (Join us for a last minute blow out, bring your leftovers, fill out comments forms, and generally end the weekend on a high note! See you there.)

Programming Schedule

Friday Program:

	Con Suite	Fiesta 1 Art Show & Panels	PDR Panel Room	Room 108 AltProg/Vid
9:00	Registration			Open
10:00	Reg/Open		Walk on the Wild Side	Open
11:00	Reg/Open		What do you see in them?	Open
12:00	Closed			Open
1:00	Reg/Open	(:30) Art show Staff Meeting	Fan Hierarchy	1:15 Dr Neary
2:00	Reg/Open	Early bird check-in	History of Fandom	Dr Neary
3:00	Reg/Open	Early bird check-in	Cliche Central	Open
4:00	Reg/Open	Art/Panel: Objects of Torture	Sleeping with the Enemy	Open
5:00	Reg/Open	Art/Panel: Irredeemable evil?	Xena: Friction	Open
6:00	Reg/Open	Art Show Closes		No Video
7:00	Reg/Open	Video Redux		No Video
8:00	Reg/Open	(:45) Bedtime Stories		No Video
9:00	Reg/Open	Bedtime Stories		Open
10:00	Party			Open
11:00	Party			Open
12:00	Closed			Closed

Closed Closed

Dealer's Hours: Setup Only 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Saturday Program:

	Con Suite	Fiesta 1 Art Show & Panels	PDR Panel Room	Room 108 AltProg/Vid
9:00	Registration	Art Show: Check-in only		Open
10:00	Reg/Open	Art/Panel: Sentinel: Mush	Writing Workshop	Open
11:00	Reg/Open	Art/Panel: XF: Skinner	Songvid Aesthetics	Open
12:00	Reg/Open	Art/Panel: Canon DOES Matter!	Pros and A/U	Sidekick in a Coma
1:00	Reg/Open	Art/Panel: Sex Scenes 101	Buffy & slashfans	Dr. Neary
2:00	Reg/Open	Art/Panel: Does print fandom have a future?	Wiseguy: Who's more damaged	Dr. Neary
3:00	Reg/Open	Art/Panel: Paper: Homoerotic Subtext	Homicide: Too Intense for Slash?	Blood Suckers
4:00	Reg/Open	Art/Panel: Damaged Characters	Due South: Two Rays	Homicide Overflow
5:00	Open	Art/Panel: HL: Themes of Atonement	Slash & Sexuality	Open
6:00	Open	(:15) Art Show Closes		No Video
7:00	Open	(:30) Music Video show		No Video
8:00	Open	Music Video show		No Video
9:00	Open	Entertainment/Writers Showcase		No Video
10:00	Open	Possible: Music Video Overflow		No Video
11:00	Open			No Video
12:00	Closed			Closed

Dealer's Hours: Setup Only 8 a.m. Open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Sunday Program:

	Con Suite	Fiesta 1 Art Show & Panels	PDR Panel Room	Room 108 AltProg/Vid
9:00		Breakfast/(:30) Art Auction		Open
10:00	(:30) Open	Art Auction (continued)		Open
11:00	Netfic Formatting	Art Show Pickup/(:30) Payout	Music Video Show Review	Open
12:00	Open	XF: Mulder	Zine Workshop	Vid Review (continued)
1:00	Open	Sentinel: Guide	Male slash fans	Open
2:00	Open	HL: Canon or Fanon?	Why is Critique so Scary?	Open
3:00	Open	Gayboy Tells All!		Open
4:00	Dead-dog Party			Open
5:00	Dead-dog Party			Open
6:00	Dead-dog Party			Open
7:00	Dead-dog Party			Open
8:00	Dead-dog Party			Open
9:00	Dead-dog Party			Open
10:00	Closed			Closed

Dealer's Hours: Open 10:30 a.m. to 4 pm.

Skit

According to a progress report, the con skit was "a play Lezlie had written about the fractionalization of slash fandom."

Vid Show

From the first Progress Report: "In attempt to reduce the recent epidemics of fanny-fatigue, here's how the video shows will break down this year. Saturday night's show will be reserved for vids debuting at ESCAPADE (yes, we recognize it could be very short). On the other hand (since we, unlike some people, have another hand), we have great faith in our members' creative output. On Friday night, we'll be showing vids that are new since last ESCAPADE, but that have been shown at another convention this year.

ESCAPADE's video show will be displayed on a big-screen TV with an external stereo system, providing the best in fan entertainment with great visibility and audio quality. Please let us know how many vids you plan to bring." ^[3]

Song	Vidder(s)	Fandom
Born to Love You	Danajeanne	Pros
Let It Run	SeaBreez & Gloria A.	TS
Get Over It	SeaBreez & Gloria A.	TS
Tuff Enuff	Stacey D	Spenser For Hire
Iris	Central Consortium	HL
The Shoop Shoop Song	Central Consortium	Mixed
Shame	Megan Kent	HL
Dante's Prayer	Morgan Dawn & J Benett	Titanic
Blindness	Michelle Lyon	HL
End of the World	Gayle F. & Morgan Dawn	Point Break
Running to Stand Still	Gayle F. & Morgan Dawn	LFN
Shown at the convention but not included on the con tape
Suite, Part 1	Media Cannibals	HL
Turnaround	Media Cannibals	Mixed
No Way Out of Here	Gwyneth Rhys	Multi
Trust	Gwyneth	XF
Cruicfy	Katharine Scarritt & Pam Rose	H:LOTS
Real or Not	Feochadn	Brimstone
Prison Sex	Feochadn	Oz
Trouble	Clucking Belles & Silly Bunts	TS
Same Thing in Reverse	Clucking Belles & Silly Bunts	TS
With or Without Reason	Alexfandra	HL
Am I Wasting My Time	Alexfandra	HL
Fragile	Jill	XF
You'll See	Jill & Keiko Kirin	DS
Scar	Kay	XF
You Really Got a Hold On Me	Keiko Kirin	XF
Mommy and Daddy	Carol S.	XF
We Care a Lot	Carol S	XF
Time After Time	Dyevka	DS
George of the Jungle	Dyevka	TS
Physical	Dyevka	XF
Close to You	Chicago Loop	XF
Don't Put That In Your Mouth	Chicago Loop	DS
Love Song	Jane M	Making Love
Suspicious Minds	Jane M	Making Love

Vid Show Agenting Controversy

Note: Originally, copies of Escapade vid shows were mastered, duplicated, and mailed directly to convention attendees on behalf of the concom by staff member Kandy Fong. At one point, she supplied some of these high-quality tapes to Mysti Frank to sell at cons Kandy herself wasn't attending, but after learning that Mysti had inflated the prices and kept the profits, Kandy rescinded any permission for Mysti to copy, distribute, sell, or in any way be associated with Escapade con tapes.

In April 2014, it was discovered that Mysti had been making and selling lower-quality tape copies without the concom's or vidders' knowledge or permission, and also without including any of the vidder credits that Kandy had originally provided. Concom member Charlotte Hill then contacted Mysti and asked her to stop distributing tapes in order to protect the quality and reputation of both the vidders and the vid show.

The original information added to this page offering tapes for sale via Mysti's website is below:

The vid show was released on a songvid VHS tape and sold by Agent With Style. From the description: "The wonderful song vids shown at the Escapade convention in Santa Barbara, CA, each year are collected and presented here for your enjoyment through the auspices of Kandy Fong. Capturing every fandom you could think of -- and many you couldn't! -- these tapes are amazing and not to be missed! Available only in VHS tape."

Convention Reports

I got sucked into slash fandom in '92, when Sandy brought home a set of Blake's 7 tapes. I fell hard for the dark universe, and the flawed, doomed, noble characters. I spent money like water on zines, tapes, travel, TV, and the internet. I started going to cons in '93. I'm a newbie, I don't have the experience of fandoms, cons, and fans that so many of my friends do, so how the heck did I get asked to be on Friday's History of Slash Fandom?
I still don't know.
But the panel was a blast; you can't ask for better co-presenters than Lezlie and Cynthia and Pam. We tried to diagram the genealogical lineage (eg: "out of Star Trek, via Starsky & Hutch"), which actually stays pretty clear in the '70s, starts drifting in the '80s, and as Lezlie puts it, turns into 'drive-by' fandoms in the '90s. Stories were told, ancient-in-fandom fans were pointed out and asked for input, tiny fandoms were remembered. Something that I thought was quite interesting, was the revival - or even the birth, in some cases - of fandoms for shows long dead, due to cable, syndication, and VCRs. Cynthia brought a tape from a slash con from 1984(?), of a play Lezlie had written about the fractionalization of slash fandom (?!) - which was hilarious, and oh-so-topical. It ended with the classic 'Dancing Penis's', and the hot stuffy room was filled with women laughing so hard they could hardly breathe.
Now I wish I'd taken notes; that kind of stuff fascinates me. How *did* we get to where we are today? How much of it is due to one person here, one person there, publishing a zine, sharing tapes? So often certain 'fandoms' can be traced to specific individuals, women you might meet next con, who are still active, or at least actively lurking. How much of it is due to the Zeitgeist?
Well, the Zeitgeist and I were *finally* in accord at Escapade99. In the past, I attended slash "Pros" conventions, or Zcon "cop'n'spy'n'buddies" conventions, when all I wanted to talk about was Blake's 7, and B/A. I would spend most of my time searching in the dealer's rooms for B7 zines and art, or reading something I'd just bought, or tagging along with friends who spoke slash, but not necessarily B7. I volunteered to lead panels just so I could talk with (hopefully) like-minded fans for just an hour - and in B7, it's rare to get to talk B/A, believe me. Alternate pairings in B7 have very vocal supporters. I went to slash cons, actor cons, media cons, even SF cons, all to quietly search out and find B7 fans. I could always find the slash fans, eventually. But even at the B7 cons I attended, there was little B/A spoken.
At Escapade99, I had the best time I've ever had at *any* con. Slash fans and my current obsession converged. I'm pretty sure it will never happen again, but I intend to bask in the glow for a long time to come.
What little I remember now: Noticing that for the first time, there was no "what has the net done to fandom" panel, and finding that it was hidden under the title of (duh) Is there a future in print zines? The answer was a resounding 'yes', because 'Futures Without End I and II' have sold 2-3 times as many copies as the editors originally expected. Theory is that there is a market for nice layout and edited stories printed and bound ... as well as a perception among net writers that being 'published' is cool.
Songvid Aesthetics was interesting - they talked about theme, music choice, color - but not story. The other panels that I remember - Themes of Atonement in HL, and Canon vs Fanon, were HL specific, and a great deal of fun. I love being in a room full of passionate people, who can discuss a series in the same level of detail or better, as I can. I don't care if they are writers or not, just as long as they have paid attention to the characters and the events of the series.
The art show, which I worked, was rather sparse - unusually so, since this is a show that takes resale pieces alongside. Perhaps next year there will be more 'computer' generated art, since that seems to be the trend right now. I haven't decided if it is good or bad - most fan artists work from stills and clips, and I've seen a couple of pieces of computer art that don't set my teeth on edge, and some of Suzi's do. YMMV.
I missed the Friday vid show, in exchange for discussing the class that Laura A is teaching..... Saturday's show was long; the standout vids were Gwyneth's No Way Out of Here, and the visciously XF song, something like We Really Care, by Carol S. The filk songs were great, as usual, and then I went to bed.
I actually went swimming one morning - it felt great! The nights got a little cool, but hey, I can deal with that, especially since the sky was deep, deep blue, glowing with the full moon and the bright stars. Sunday morning breakfast was fabulous, and the songvid critique as as gentle as Sandy's headache would allow. John the Java man did an adequate business all weekend, providing us morning espresso. And this year there were coffeepots in the rooms, so I could happily sip coffee all day, all night long.
Wickedwords asked me on Monday what the highlight of the con was for me, and I had to answer that I'd been at a pretty nice high since we got off the plane. Some of that was due to the sunshine (Seattle rain usually doesn't get me down, but this year for some reason it has). But mostly, for 6 days straight, I could actually be immersed in animated discussion of the Highlander universe and Duncan/Methos, with other like-minded folk, talking for hours, analyzing this aspect or that theme or this character or that relationship in HL. I've actually never felt anything like this before at a con, even my first slash con (Zcon '93), where I felt I'd finally found home. I generally don't do 'happy', contentment is the most I strive for, but I think I hit happy this year.
Avert your eyes, if you don't like snark: And I'm not going to apologize to the starving Sentinel fen, nor to the M/Sk'rs, or the M/Ks, for enjoying and contributing to an 'HL' con. *Nobody* ever felt it was necessary to make me happy in years past, when I languished in my lonely fandom. I never felt it was necessary either, but rather the way the cookie crumbled.
This year serendipity graced me, and I feasted.^[4]