My 50-Year Journey in Science Fiction Fandom:

A Memoir by John L. Flynn, Ph.D.

Cosplay, a portmanteau of “costume play,” is an activity in which participants wear costumes representing a specific character (drawn from anime, manga, comic books, movies or television),           and interact with each other in a form of performance art.

Science fiction fandom is a community of people who share an interest in Science Fiction and remain connected with each other based upon that mutual interest with no formal organization.

For years, as a young, avid reader of speculative fiction growing up in the United States, I had heard rumors about these gatherings of fans devoted to science fiction.  In fact, science fiction conventions had been around since the 1930s, but they mostly existed in the shadows, far removed from the mainstream culture of America.  Devotees would cloak themselves in science fiction costumes, write fanzines, create filk songs, and celebrate the works of Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Arthur Clarke, Ray Bradbury, A.E. Van Vogt, and other science fiction authors in their own unique ways.  Events with names like Worldcon, DeepSouthCon, LunaCon, Westercon, Wondercon, the San Diego Comic Con, were as cryptic to me, as were the various activities they staged for fans to participate, such as the guest-of-honor speech, discussion panels, readings, art shows, sales at vendor tables, filk-singing, voting for the Hugo award, etc.  In fact, one of the most popular events at conventions was always the masquerade ball where fans would pull out all the “stops,” and dress up as their favorite character.  Historically, the first of these conventions focused on literature – the books and stories that made the genre great.  Then, gradually, the conventions extended to include films and television shows, comic books and graphic novels, animation, role-playing games, podcasts, and other media.  Similarly, the science fiction conventions which started off primarily in the US and UK spread to Europe and Asia, and eventually to every corner of the world.  Now, today, hundreds of conventions in dozens of cities worldwide populate the calendar, and fandom which once only existed in the shadows is now mainstream.

I attended my first science fiction convention in 1972; I was 17 years old, a nerd who wore glasses and felt more comfortable in a library than on a football field.  Star Trek Lives!, the first “official” Star Trek convention, was held on January 21-23, 1972, at the Statler Hilton hotel (later renamed the Hotel Pennsylvania, then the Penta Hotel) in New York City, and I had read about it in TV Guide.  It was a convention devoted to the most population science fiction show of its day, Star Trek.  A fan of the show, I traveled across the United States by Greyhound bus and spent every last dime I had earned to attend the convention.  I wanted to meet others like me who truly believed Gene Roddenberry’s optimistic vision of the future, a future in space in which every nation was welcome to peacefully co-exist together for the betterment of mankind.  I was a “Trekkie,” and I dressed up in a hand-made Star Trek uniform, which I had created myself, to show my solidarity with the thousands of other “Trekkies” in attendance.  The word “cosplay” had not yet come into the common lexicon, but we were there wearing costumes, and portraying characters from Star Trek.  Had SpeedCosplay existed back in those days, I would have ordered my costume from them, and worn it proudly.  Instead, I wore the costume I had tinkered together on my own, which included a pair of black pants, a pair of black boots, and a blue tunic with the proper Starfleet insignia for “Sciences” affixed over my heart.  While I didn’t look like Mr. Spock or Dr. McCoy from the U.S.S. Enterprise’s Life Sciences department, I was still one of them.  The smile of happiness and pride on my face remained there all weekend long, and was still there on my face as I sat back in the darkness of the bus for my journey home, reflecting on the weekend.

For me, the convention was a huge success; the organizers of Star Trek Lives! had drawn more than 10,000 people when they had only planned on five hundred people attending.  They ran out of tickets to sell early Saturday afternoon, and were just waving people in the door of the convention afterwards.  Like so many others, I had attended the masquerade ball in my hand-made costume; I went to the guest-of-honor speech, and listened to Gene Roddenberry talk about Star Trek and his vision; I had participated in several discussion groups; I bought souvenirs of my trip in the vendor room; sat in the Captain’s chair fans had made; saw the art show, and made new friends from all around the globe.

Not so surprisingly, after years of searching for a community of like-minded people which I could call my own, I had found a home in Science Fiction fandom.  I had met people of widely varied ages, occupations, beliefs, and backgrounds, who were kind and remarkably gentle human beings.  Each one shared an affection for this universe in general and for a peaceful life on earth in particular.  They were also incredibly smart with very high IQs and talents beyond measure.  What some may have lacked in social skills, they more than made up for it with their creativity.  Star Trek was the hope that bound us all together with a singular vision of the future, wherein each of our unique skills would combine with others to lead us all to our shared destiny in space.  That hope and optimism from my first convention led me to become a science fiction writer myself, turning out my own tales of wonder about the future and earning me three Hugo nominations for my writing.

For fifty years, as I am now 67 years old, I have continued to write speculative fiction, and dream about tomorrow.  I have also continued to wear costumes at science fiction and comic book conventions, including costumes drawn from my love of Star Trek, Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Doctor Strange, V, and many other sources.  I am thankful to Speedcosplay for helping me over the years with my cosplay.  Presently, for example, they are making me a pair of boots from the original Battlestar Galactica (1978).  My friends at SpeedCosplay.com are what I call, rightly so, Merchants of Dreams.  They have taken my dreams of a wearing a fancy dress-up uniform, an Egyptian or Arabian cosplay costume, or a movie or television costume, and made them into a reality for me.  Yes, it’s true, their Online Store manufactures various Cosplay Costumes, Dresses, Jackets, Uniforms, Anime Movie and Game Costumes, Cosplay Boots and Shoes, Props and Wigs, and so many other items just for me!  And my friends at SpeedCosplay will do that for you as well.  They are a professional cosplay manufacturer that produces outstanding goods at an affordable price. I trust them, and you should know they are committed to building quality, tailor-custom-made costumes and shoes and other accessories for those of us who love cosplay.

I look forward to the day when all of us can gather together at a convention, and share our favorite costumes in one great cosplay session.  Until then, be kind to each other, and celebrate the future with joy and happiness.

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