Aliens invade Atlanta

[Kathryn41 3,205]

DRAGONCON

More Star Wars, less Star Trek, more fans and fun

By CHRISTOPHER QUINN

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Published on: 09/03/06

The Klingon beauty pageant has definitely gotten more elaborate, Brad Allison has noticed.

Definitely.

The parade at the fifth annual DragonCon demonstrated, via participants' costumes, the continuing popularity of Star Wars. DragonCon celebrates all things fantastic in pop culture from medieval myth to a galaxy far, far away. The Saturday event started on Peachtree at Auburn Avenue and proceeded to Baker Street, where it turned and ended at the Hilton Hotel on Courtland Street. According to the DragonCon press room, 1,400 people participated in the parade.

"But the overall number of trekkies — excuse me, I shouldn't call them trekkies," he says, eschewing a name that has some pejorative overtones, "the number of Star Trek enthusiasts seem to have declined."

A lot has changed in the fantasy and science fiction world in the 10 years that Allison has been coming to DragonCon in Atlanta, a four-day convention of workshops and social events that celebrate all things fantastic in pop culture from medieval myth to a galaxy far, far away.

"There are a lot more Star Wars enthusiasts now," says Allison, 33, from Memphis.

Just check out the number of storm troopers from the 501st Legion clad in white plastic armor. Visitors can't get into an elevator in the three downtown hotels hosting the expected 25,000 participants or grab a sandwich without bumping into a trooper or banging a knee against someone's light sabre.

And there are more fantasy creatures, Allison said, like the 7-foot-tall space being with an animatronic head.

Wizards and elves, knights wearing swords in elaborate black leather armor, mixed with werewolves, a squad of soldier look-alikes from the "Alien" movies and flights of winged fairies. Anime characters from Japanese cartoons and gangs of roving tattooed pirates (the tattoos are real) took over the lobby of the Hyatt Regency, which, until a few short hours before, had been dominated by a buttoned-down crowd attending a Federal Emergency Management Agency conference.

Some fantasy costumes just leave a question hanging in the air — the Darth Vader dressed as galactic pimp or the storm trooper who doesn't wear a helmet so all can see his mutton-chopped Elvis look-alike head. Costumes here really have to stand out to merit a second glance.

Daniel O'Mourgh of Dawsonville, Ga., erstwhile pirate, said for once, he's just another face in the crowd.

"You don't have to worry about anything here. You're just here to have fun," he said.

And check out a few babes, says his friend Kori Fulger.

Fulger had just snapped a few photos of Wonder Woman, who was very popular with the boys and men. Blue-eyed, raven-haired Valerie Perez of California dressed as the female superhero and cheerily posed for a succession of popping camera flashes that was nearly enough to cause a sunburn.

Perez, who dabbles in acting and modeling and described herself as "a big computer nerd," had just marched in the downtown parade of characters. Her chest heaved in her low-cut costume as she tried to catch her breath.

"I am glad to have gotten (the costume) done in time for DragonCon," she said.

More flashes went off. Apparently, many others were glad, too.

[Henia 11]

ahhh ok

[yabasta 0]

I wanted to go to meet george romero but we were still poor as hell.

[AnaAndDaniel 0]

The guy who was "Flash Gordon" in a movie/tv series(???) was a t the state fair recently. charging for autographs. Passed on that.

Daniel

:energetic:

[moondancer627 0]

The kids play Star Wars, of course with the newer characters, Narnia, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings at the elementary school I work at. I don't think they even know what Star Trek is.. even the newer series.

If you check out the You tube website there are several funny videos on there of star trek stuff. I laughed my bleep off.

I guess that's a sign of getting old, remembering Capt. Kirk and Mr. Spock, Han Solo and Luke Skywalker.

I was thinking I will be in my wheelchair demanding to hear Def Lepperd at the nursing home some day.