Wondercon 2009 began yesterday in San Franciso and one of the first events was the “The Once & Future Trek!” panel, which is a sort of regular feature of Comic Con with various ‘Treksperts’. This time the panel turned out to just be just Daren Dochterman and myself, but that ended up to work out as it became an interesting Star Trek film focused Q&A with info-starved Trekkies.
Trekkies want to know it is all going to be OK
These Trek panels are a regular con feature arranged by Mark Altman, and populated with a variety of speakers. I have participated in some of the more recent versions and they usually end up to be a debating session on past and future Trek between the different viewpoints, but this time was a bit different. At the last minute three of the ‘Treksperts’ had to bow out due to work issues, and so Daren and I took the stage at as duo at the Moscone Center at 3:30 Friday afternoon. Although I was concerned that we would not be able to fill up the time, that didn’t become an issue as Daren suggested we turn it into ‘question time’ and the (almost) filled to capacity audience had lots of questions, almost all about the new movie.
Sometimes I forget that not all Trek fans are regular readers of this and other Trek and geek sites and are not up to speed on the latest, so the Q&A was filled with audience comments and questions that seemed like a throwback to 2007. “Isn’t just Star Trek 90210” says one cynical fan, “why are they doing a prequel” asks another, and even one fan was wondered “is Leonard Nimoy playing Spock?” Daren and I spent our hour going over many of the basics of why it makes sense for Paramount to go back to Kirk and Spock after a time of the franchise going into decline, with the need to bring in new fans. In general it seemed that many in the audience just wanted someone to say “it is going to be OK” and it also showed me that Paramount still have some work to do on some of those who should be in ‘the core.’
It wasn’t all newbies, and in fact one audience member brought up our ‘finding’ of the latest issue of ‘Nacelles Monthly.’ Hopefully the event was still of interest for regular readers of this site who attended, as almost all of what I reported on stage was stuff written about here, including many spoilers from the 20 minute press preview last Fall (like when one fan asked if there was any relation to Enterprise and I described the scene shown at the preview where Scotty makes a reference to one of the characters on Enterprise. It was nice when one audience member came up to say thanks for TrekMovie.com, but I was quickly humbled by another Trek fan who came up to the mic shortly thereafter to ask “who are you guys?”
We broke up the Q&A a bit with some of Daren’s collection of Star Trek video oddities, like a 70s PSA done with Star Trek The Animated Series warning kids of the dangers of ‘hard drugs.’ And we tried to lighten things up with a few jokes. Like when discussing how Nimoy Spock was referred to in the script as “Spock Prime” to distinguish him from Quinto, but then I ‘revealed’ that actually he ‘Transforms’ into a car, and that Corvette seen in the trailer was actually Spock!
All in all I think the session helped settle a few concerns of some Trek fans and it was clear that there is a lot of renewed interest in this 43 year old franchise.
More today – TrekMovie live reporting from Paramount panel
The big Trek event is today at 2:00 PM with the ‘Sneak peak’ at the Star Trek movie panel being held by Paramount, complete with a ‘surprise guest.’ Starting around 1:15 TrekMovie will be ‘liveblogging’ the event using our Twitter page. You can also see that here at TrekMovie.com. At 1:15 a new article will go up and embedded in that will be a feed from Twitter, so you can follow along. All these times are Pacific time of course.
Street outside Wondercon lined with Star Trek banners
Sweet! Wish I was there…
Oh, to have a big, awesome con like that in NC. There are Trekkies down this way, too! But I appreciate you guys keeping us in the loop, and it sounds like a good time is being had by everyone there. Can’t wait for the other panel to start.
Good Job, Anthony. My iPhone is all twittered up and ready!
Keep the reports coming, I’m waiting with baited breath!
I like this site. It’s exciting!
Well, on behalf of fans who actually know who you guys are lol, thank you for all your efforts Anthony.
@5…
why don’t you tell us about working with Roxann Dawson in the meantime, Gabe?
I like Daren Dochterman.
Thanks for the article, and I’m looking forward to the next one later this afternoon!
I certainly understand your anguish, #2. Back when I lived in NC the only con worth going to was StellarCon in High Point. And you’d figure living in the greater Boston area now there’d be more of a con scene; alas, wrong again.
Still, WonderCon looks awesome and I for one would love the chance to meet and greet Anthony and the rest of the TrekMovie staff. Seriously, what self-respecting Trekkie DOESN’T know this site?
In response to meeting Anthony and the Trekmovie staff… I think there needs to be a trekmovie “tweetup” (sorry for those not on twitter). Maybe at one of the cons?? OR at the new ST experience? IDK it just sounds fun.
AweSOME, Anthony!! You rock. I can’t wait til 1:15 PST to find out who the guest is!!
Did Dochterman talk about his Phase II effects work?
I gave serious thought to going. But decided it probably wasn’t worth the crowds. Since I have to, I can wait ’til May to see this thing. But that won’t stop me from checking the site out at 1:15!
Glad the panel went well. Yes, I am amazed that you were hearing from Trekkers that knew next to nothing about the new movie. I didn’t think Paramount would need to struggle hard to inform our demographic.
I think I may have actually played that Trek PSA back in college radio as an audio spot. Was it just Kirk and Spock discussing a wasted planet?
Its funny, I would think most everyone has the internet now, and when I wanted to know more about this new movie, I looked for star trek sites, blog, etc and found trekweb.com and trekmovie.com, now I know everything I want to know, I simply like staying updated, just like with the news. Paramount did not need to “get to me” because I searched out the info I wanted to know. But yes Paramount has to get out there but its only really going to start now, in March and April. That just means that the people who don’t go and source the info will not know until the last minute. logical one would thing.
Wow, those people asking those questions obviously aren’t “real fans” of Trek, or they’d be as up on things as we all are, spending all our spare time here trying to be “first.” I bet they even have real lives and things. Losers! Trek must be The All!
I still don’t get the rather moronic “90210” reference that a few people haphazardly throw around.
7.
Thanks for asking, Thorsten! I can’t lie. Most fun I’ve ever had. She and the rest of the cast and crew were consummate professionals.
And I got to fire the phasers.
Tony and Dareen, that was me with the “Nacelles Monthly” line. I said it elsewhere, but I want to thank you guys for a great panel yesterday. I’m a regular reader here but still enjoyed that panel, the video goodies and your sense of humor through it all. For me, it was a great start to what’s turned out to be a helluva con. I’ve been to many WonderCons in the past, and between Trek and Watchmen, I’ve never see such a wired crowd (nor a crowd this big!) at this show.
Who were the special guest?
Why no pics of you at the panel?!
Sorry to be the one to inform you, but WonderCon 09 was kicked off before this panel started.
There is more to Star Trek than what CBS and Paramount have for sale.
Aw, very cool. One of these years, I’m gonna get my butt (and a ticket) down to San Fran so I can go to this. ;3