On Friday night, Julie, her sister Cindy and I headed to the Hunt Valley Inn in Maryland for Balticon 42 – an annual science fiction, horror, Anime and fantasy convention that lasted all of Memorial Day weekend and is a service of the Baltimore Science Fiction Society (BSFS).

When we arrived at 10:30pm on Friday night, I was initially less than thrilled to be there. Admittedly cranky due to the six hour journey we had to take to get there by train, bus and car, I saw people around me dressed in all sorts of weird and outlandish costumes. I heard them speaking about activities like “Larping” and “Filking” – and I realized that I would be surrounded by these people for the next four days.

Immediately, I thought to myself, “What a bunch of freaks! Who walks around a convention dressed as cartoon or movie characters and does nothing but talk about them for four days?” Then, immediately following that thought, I recalled that I know someone quite well who has done just that many, many times…

…me.

Shaking off the crankiness, I remembered that from 2001 until 2004, I both attended and hosted close to a dozen South Park conventions all across the country. For anywhere from three days to a week each time – all we did was play South Park episodes on DVD 24-hours-a-day, dress as our favorite characters – and talk about and plan activities around our favorite show. In fact, at the very first South Park convention in Colorado – I dressed up as Kyle and participated in a play written by one of the convention organizers. Also, when Julie and I went to the Renaissance Festival in September of last year – I dressed as a Knight and Julie dressed up as a Wench…

…so that said – who am I to speak ill of the attendees at Balticon? So after apologizing to Julie and Cindy, as well as the Balticon attendees who did not know I said what I said, but I felt badly nonetheless – I went to sleep Friday night, and decided to start fresh in the morning – and spent fourteen hours at Balticon on Saturday having an absolutely fan-tastic time.

For 42 years, Balticon has been a successful and well attended convention, featuring the latest and greatest in the science fiction, horror, fantasy, and Anime genres. A service of the BSFS, a non-profit literary organization that gives an annual Compton Crook Award to the writer who produces the best first novel in the aforementioned genres, thousands of people attend the convention each year to pick up merchandise from the dealers, enjoy the famous annual Masquerade Ball, buy something from the charity auction, attend panels, discussions, concerts and a film festival – and meet and get autographs from their favorite authors.

In addition to offering all of those activities, and a Blood drive to boot, Balticon each year welcomes a guest of honor, who is someone who has achieved success and won numerous awards in their field. This year’s guest of honor is Connie Willis, an author with numerous Hugo and Nebula awards – which are revered in the Balticon community.

The chairman of this year’s Balticon is Gregory Wright, who felt that the convention was a great success. “It went very smoothly,” he said. “When I see people go through the halls and they are happy and smiling, I know that we did what we set out to do.” Wright said that he has a large staff working on Balticon, and that they start planning for Balticon, which takes place every Memorial Day weekend, in August of the previous year. “It’s a lot of work and time, but it’s worth it.”

There were over 40 vendors at this year’s Balticon, and among them is CJ Henderson, who was my film critic when I was editor-in-chief of The Brooklyn Baron in 1997 and someone who I was really happy to see again. A really talented author of over 50 books to date, CJ said that at each of the 30 to 40 conventions he does every year, attendees recognize him at each show he does. “They always do,” he said. “People run up to me and ask me what’s new.” Putting the finishing touches on a new book which will be published next month called, Degrees of Fear & Others, CJ said that each show is better than the last. “I’ve been doing conventions for ten years now,” he said. “Each year it just keeps getting better and better.” For more information on CJ and an opportunity to read a free short story, log onto CJ's website .

As I wandered about the convention, I saw some pretty elaborate – and eccentric costumes. There was of course your standard run-of-the-mill maidens, pirates and Goths, but there was also a man in an orange NASA spacesuit (complete with helmet), a donkey from the Disney television show, The Emperor’s New Groove, a Ghostbuster (complete with energy pack), a vampire…

…and a “Trimaxian Jedi Knight,” which is an insect who has the power of the force. This truly unique costume was worn by Balticon regular Thomas G. Atkinson, who has attended Balticon since 1980, and loves each convention he attends. “I have been a science fiction fan for as far back as I can remember,” Atkinson said through his mask he could barely see out of. “I have also been costuming for about just as long. All of this seems to be in my blood.” Known for his elaborate costuming, Atkinson is no stranger to competing in Masquerade Balls and winning them. In 2001 at the World Sci-Fi Con in Philadelphia, Atkinson and a dozen of his friends won Best In Show for a production they did of The Twilight Zone – where their costumes, props – and even makeup were entirely in black and white. This year, at the Masquerade Ball, he presented a costume that he competed in at the 1983 Balticon, which was of the Empire State Building. Not being able to enter it in this year’s Masquerade Ball because it was entered previously, he wore it in commemoration of the 75th anniversary of King Kong. Already planning to attend next year, Atkinson said that his mind is already working on his next costume. “With any luck,” he said, “I’ll come up with a different alien character.”

Being a guy, I of course could not spend four days at a convention without noticing and admiring the ladies dressed in their lovely attire. From faeries to maidens to princesses to Goths, there was certainly a bevel of beauties at Balticon.

One of those beauties was Rin, who was stunningly dressed as a “Mary Sue.” “In Fan Fiction, there is a character type called a ‘Mary Sue,’” explained Rin. “They are beautiful women with bad back stories who are found in bad Fan Fiction, so my costume is making fun of the ‘Mary Sue.’” The second Balticon for this theater student, Rin said that she is really having fun this year, both by going to the panels and dressing up. “I’m a theater person, so I love any excuse to be weird and be around other people doing the same thing.” Being the 42nd Balticon, Rin said she is having fun with all the “‘42’ stuff,” referring to the fact that according to The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, the answer to the universe and everything is ‘42.’ All in all, Rin said she enjoyed herself. “This is a fun year,” she said.

Another attendee who fell under the beautiful category is Emily B. Zima, a research analyst for a finance company who attended her 6th Balticon this year. “I love the sci-fi fantasy world,” she said. “I feel comfortable here.” Emily said that Balticon was the first convention she ever attended, and that her favorite parts of Balticon are the Masquerade Ball and film festival. She also said that while she was new to the first one, she is an expert now. “Now, I know where all the rooms are where the different activities are taking place,” she said. “It’s exciting to be here. I’ve never seen anything like this.”

When I first saw Emily walk past me, I remarked to Julie that she was a pretty girl – something Julie is unfortunately all too familiar to hearing. But when she turned her head – my heart stopped – because she was an exact twin of Crystal, a girl I once dated. All of us see some random stranger that we feel resembles someone we know or knew – but Emily was an exact match. So much in fact, that when Julie saw her face – she said she was a “dead ringer” for Crystal. From her body type, to her facial structure, to her mannerisms – I would swear that Emily and Crystal were born twins and separated at birth. Julie said the only thing missing to make them absolutely identical was Crystal’s Brooklyn accent.

We arrived on Sunday at about 12:30pm and while Cindy and Julie wandered around the convention, I sat at a table and wrote the first 1,522 words of this column. After I powered down my laptop and began my third day of exploring Balticon, I ran into CJ Henderson again, who introduced me to Mike McPhail, editor of a book entitled, Breach the Hull, which is a collection of Military Science Fiction Stories written by various authors including his wife, Danielle Ackley-McPhail, James Daniel Ross – and CJ. Mike was kind enough to give me an autographed copy of Breach the Hull and an accompanying patch from one of the book’s chapters. Yesterday, I was invited to their Bad-Ass Faeries 2: Just Plain Bad release party by CJ later that night and did attend, and I promised Mike and Danielle that Julie and I will review their books in an upcoming column, which is a promise we will keep. For more information on Mike’s book, you can check out his website. For more information on Danielle Ackley-McPhail, log onto hers as well.

As I continued to wander, I went downstairs and met Robert Quill, who is an illustrator who specializes in custom illustration for individual clients. In other words, he can draw you as a portrait that is an exact likeness, glamorized (you with some enhancements), or extremely glamorized (which, for example, would be my face on Superman’s body). He has been an illustrator his whole life, but doing his custom sketches for the last 20 years. He has been to most of them for the past 15 years and has done characters for 3,725 people. Robert said he does well over 30 conventions a year, but thinks, “Balticon is one of the most reliable conventions there are,” he said. “It’s the quality of people that have regulars and are consistent. It’s one of the best managed conventions I attend.” For more information on his work, check out his amazing work.

Following a break to go get a pack of cigarettes and have a cold beer, Julie and I headed to the aforementioned “Bad-Ass Faeries” party, which celebrated Senior Editor Danielle Ackley-McPhail’s book, Bad-Ass Faeries 2: Just Plain Bad, which was published by Marietta Publishing. Danielle and crew threw a two-hour party in the hotel’s Garden Room with an amazing spread of food that consisted of a six-foot Subway hero, meaty and vegetarian chili, various chips, dips and vegetable platters – and a dessert table that mirrored a wedding’s. I have to give Danielle and crew props for putting together such an amazing and successful event while still working their table in the dealer’s room. I was so impressed, in fact, that I helped set up to thank her and CJ for the invite. During the party, a contest was held for best “Bad-Ass Faerie,” with the first place trophy going to Stephanie, a.k.a. “Flash,” who was excited about her win. “I am elated,” she said. “Who knew that shredded tights, fox ears and me swatting pink faeries would lead to me winning my very own gremlin bell.” Besides wanting to feed the masses, the purpose of this party was to promote their book as well as books from the contributors who are also great authors such as CJ Henderson’s Lai Wan: Tales of the Dreamwalker, Elaine Corvidale’s Winter’s Orphans, and James Daniel Ross’ Radiation Angels: The Chimerium Gambit.

When it was time for her raffle, which included some great prizes such as a set of fridge magnets of all of Danielle’s book covers – and a one-of-a-kind hand painted jacket by artist Pamela H. – who’s most recent painting on a guitar sold for $3,000, I was the one who drew the numbers for the raffle. I got to admit, although I am not a part of their community – and at this point don’t really fully understand it – I felt like I was a long-time member, both because they are extremely friendly – and because I am slowly starting to fit in.

After the festivities were over and she had a chance to catch her breath, Danielle said that she was humbled by the outcome. “I am stunned by learning how many people actually showed up and extremely heartened by the fact that so many people stopped me to thank me for the party and to express how much they enjoyed themselves,” she said of the turnout of 120. This is the 5th launch that they have held for various novels and anthologies since 2004, with each one growing in scope to such a degree that reflects on the quality of the contributors and the hard work of the editors and all of the other people involved. “There were some people in attendance that actually consider attending one of these launches a Balticon tradition they look forward to continuing,” she said.

As I sat here in the early summer heat watching the sunset among friendly strangers and new friends, I was happy that Julie said that we should go to Balticon – and even happier that I was wrong thinking that I would not enjoy it. I have not been to a convention in a long time and, quite frankly, missed them. Being at Balticon took me back to the days of not only my frequent attendance at various comic book, sci-fi and wrestling conventions – but my days at the South Park conventions I both attended and hosted. Seeing those people who are strangers to me – but obviously not to each other gather and grow their camaraderie from the outside looking in reminded me of those days – and made me realize how much I wish they were not just memories. But while they are long gone – never to return again – I am glad I experienced those times.

If there is one thing I have learned from this wonderful experience, it is to never judge a group of people before getting to know them. While the topic at hand is not one I had ever envisioned myself attending a convention for – I already want to go to Balticon 43. After speaking with Gregory, the chair of Balticon 42, he has already said that he will help me get on one of the panels for next year. In addition, I have made at least a dozen friends in the last few days who will no doubt stay in touch until we meet again. Also, I am proud to say that I attended a Balticon – and not only enjoyed myself, am not only thankful for the memories it both gave me and brought back – but for the realization that people who dress up in costume and obsess over television shows, books and movies –people like me – are the coolest people you’d ever want to meet.

See you next year.