The science fiction community used to be a lot livelier than it is now. Every city in the USA had a convention, even if it was only a small one. This sketch is from "Phrolicon," which I have mentioned earlier here. The guys represented here are from the elite of the convention world, responsible for not only making appearances but for running the conventions. They devoted a large amount of their personal time to making these gatherings happen. Some of them were semi-pro or even professional writers and artists, whose work would be on display or discussed at talk panels and the art show.
This community still exists though especially now it has been put on hiatus and major events have been suspended. But the fans march on, aging and less in number, but still going using remote video technology and old-fashioned phone calls and even mail. I think that Phrolicon, fun as it was, is a thing of the past. Keep their spirit and names alive! Left to right: Darrell Schweitzer, professional s.f. writer and convention runner, Lee Weinstein, convention runner, Jerry Crossan, and "Rikk" Jacobs lower level, art show runner. Most of them were based in the Philadelphia area.
Black tech pen on sketchbook page, 5" x 8", August 2, 1997.
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