Omnicon (Kentucky con)
You may be looking for Omnicon, a media and science fiction convention in Florida.
| Convention | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Omnicon |
| Dates: | 1976 |
| Frequency: | |
| Location: | Louisville, Kentucky |
| Type: | fan-run, celebrity guests |
| Focus: | |
| Organization: | |
| Founder: | Keno Don Rosa and James Van Hise |
| Founding Date: | |
| URL: | |
| Click here for related articles on Fanlore. | |
Omnicon was a science fiction, fantasy, and comics convention that took place in Louisville, Kentucky July 16-18, 1976 at the Ramada Inn Bluegrass Convention Center.
A 1976 flyer says the con used "to be a part of "Rivercon," which was a local Louisville convention.
Chairs were James Van Hise and Don Rosa. "Star Trek" vice chair and publicity was Lee E. Staton. Other staff: Michael and Robert Zarrillo, Marvin Meyerhoffer.
Con guests of honor were Frank Brunner, Mike Kaluta, and DeForest Kelley.
The dealers' tables were $30 in advance, $40 at the door. Admission tickets were $7.50 in advance, $10 at the door.
Program Brochure
1: 1976: The Souvenir Book
The editors of the con souvenir book were Della Hawks and James Van Hise. The book contained episode summaries for many television shows (complete with little illos), a reprinted 1963 interview with Rod Serling, fan art, reprints of movie posters, a list of the movies shown at the con, and some ads. There isn't anything (aside from the list of movies and the short bios of the guests of honor) about the con itself.
cover of the 1976 souvenir book, Frank Brunner
back cover of the 1976 souvenir book
inside back cover of the 1976 souvenir book, uncredited
from the 1976 souvenir book, fulfilling a need for pre-IMDB fans, sample from show summaries, this one wants to make sure you don't put a comma in Wild Wild West
from the 1976 souvenir book, avoided the comma in "Wild Wild West" but called the show "That Man from U.N.C.L.E.
from the 1976 souvenir book, first page of the reprinted interview with Rod Serling, originally in the zine "Gamma #1," published in 1963 when The Twilight Zone was still on the air in its original network run
Con Reports
By 1976, Don had enough clout to, along with RBCC editor Jim Van Hise, put on OMNICON, a major science-fiction/STAR TREK/comics convention in Louisville, Kentucky that I attended. From a fan’s point of view, it was a big success (I met my first TREK star, De Kelley) but I’m told it was a draining, straining experience for all involved behind the scenes, perhaps especially Don. [1]
Omnicon was a Louisville, Kentucky convention in 1976 that was put on by Keno Don Rosa and James Van Hise. The biggest convention I had attended at the time, guests included cover artist Frank Brunner and STAR TREK's DeForest Kelly. Wearing my Trek uniform shirt in time-honored geek manner, I stood next to Kelly as he was interviewed on local TV. The con book is in the format of the fanzine, RBCC (not so coincidentally edited by Van Hise) and contains mostly reprints from that venerable publication including some early Don Rosa art and a cool SUB-MARINER strip by Mike Zeck. [2]
OMNICON, Louisville's first fantasy convention materialized at the Bluegrass Convention Center July 16-18. There were tons of comics, acres of posters, "Star Trek" paraphernalia, artists, s-f movies and TV shows, and Dr. McCoy. I attended, and if you didn't, you should have. There are far too few entertaining events in this area to ignore one of this calibre.
The feature attraction was, of course, DeForest Kelley. Looking slim and rested and handsome, Kelley gave four hour-long talks, two on both Saturday and Sunday, signing autographs after each. His suntan was surpassed only by his patience. It became obvious that the same people were showing up at each talk and he was forced to say several times, "At the risk of repeating myself. . . ." By the second day he looked tired, but remained gracious and charming.
OMNICON also had two outstanding comic book artists with stunning displays of their work; Frank Brunner ("Dr. Strange," "Howard the Duck") and Michael Wm. Kaluta (the late and much lamented "Shadow"). The two gave a 90-minute seminar on Friday.
The movies were numerous, and the prints of the films I saw were excellent. Episodes of "Star Trek" and Other things to do and see included a fascinating exhibit of old comics from chairman Don Rosa's collection, a trivia quiz (Rosa again), "Star Trek" and TV exhibits, a war games room, and a dealers room. Several of the dealers were more than reasonable on their comic prices: one young man selling at a third below the Over-street guide (fine to mint), sold a "Conan" number one for $15 and spent the rest of the day saying no to the people who kept coming over to ask if he still had it.
And as if these good things weren't enough; the convention book itself is an important piece of work for an s-f fan. Besides containing artwork by Don Rosa, Mike Zeck, and Frank Brunner (the cover is adapted from one of his works), there are complete indexes for every episode of "Star Trek," "Wild Wild West," "The Outer Limits," "The Twilight Zone," "The Green Hornet," and "The Man from U.N.C.L.E."
In retrospect, the only fault I found with OMNICON wasn't really OMNICON's fault. It was in the behavior of some of the people who attended. And all of the people who didn't. The small turnout was disappointing. This affair deserved much better. [3]
The July 16-18 weekend I spent at Louisville attending the STAR TREK,fantasy, & comics convention there, OmniCon. It was something different for me since I had never been to a con before. (You may think that's strange for a 2 year editor of a zine, but if that same person is presently 15½ [years old] you may see the trouble. Next year perhaps I can venture outside my immediate area.)
Following is my overall view of OmniCon with guest DeForest Kelley: The events started out smoothly on Friday the l6th. De Kelley had not appeared as yet, but fans were taking advantage of the free time; some were browsing through merchandise in the dealer's room, others examined objects in the art & war games rooms, and the rest viewed STAR TREK and MAN FROM U.N.G.L.E. episodes. The famous 'blooper roll' was shown for the first of several times on Friday for a full crowd in the appropriately named Enterprise Room.
As you might suspect, the merchandise in the dealer's room was overpriced. STAR TREK comics sold for two to three dollars for issues printed just a year or two past. (One of the latest comic book pricing guide has the first STAR TREK comic book worth $3. I know of one dealer, whose name will remain unsaid, charges 5 times that price. If that isn't makin' a few bucks off ST, I don't know what is.)
Photos were selling for 3-$1 and 5-$1 which isn't bad for lithographed, 87 X 11 photos from film clips.
Saturday is when DeKelley made his first of four sessions at OmniCon. The best way to describe Kelley is Southern Hospitality that is unequalled. When he was around people, he would not mind to converse with them for a few moments. In his question and answer portion of the sessions, I found out information about STAR TREK II that has just come about as of Stardate: 760?.I8. (July 18, 1976 for all of you ground-lovers). [4]
If there is another OmniCon in Louisville, I would show up for that... The OmniCon second annual convention is doubtful because of the large sum of money the promoters lost. [5]
References
- ^ from Don Rosa Part 1 (Aug 23, 2006)
- ^ from More Convention Booklets (July 26, 2007)
- ^ from Star Trekkin' #6
- ^ from Assignment: Star Trek #14/15
- ^ from Paul G. Burnett, editor of Assignment: Star Trek #17