by Gideon Marcus

1961 has definitely been a fine year for fan gatherings, thus far.  It doesn't seem like a month goes by without one fan circle or another throwing a science fiction convention.  Some are tiny affairs, little more than an expanded club meeting.  Others, like WorldCon (coming up in a little over a month, in Seattle), clock in attendances of several hundreds.  It's a great way to pass the time, learn inside dope on the doings of fans and writers, alike, and it sure beats the Summer reruns!

I've just come back from "Comic Con," a San Diego convention of considerable size.  A good many notables from both the comics and science fiction genres were there including Marvel Comics' Stan Lee and Allen Bellman (he drew Captain America during the Golden Years), D.C.'s Ramona Fradon (Aquaman), superfans Trina Robbins, Bjo Trimble and John Trimble, and Twilight Zone actor William Shatner (who you may recall from the excellent episode, "Nick of Time"). 

There were at least a hundred fans there, many of them in costume.  Guarding us all was the U.S.S. Midway, a modern aircraft carrier:

For your viewing pleasure, here are all the shots I managed to snap before my Kodak ran out of film:

Conventions, for me, are a place to meet folks and share my love of things scientifictional.  I'm hoping the friendships I made there will last a good long time.  See you next year…1962!  (Drop me a line if you'd like an original photograph…)