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17-633: I-CON (short for "Island CONvention") began as a (roughly) annual fan convention , held on various college campuses in Suffolk County , Long Island , New York . First held in 1982 on the campus of Stony Brook University , I-CON became a very eclectic convention. The programming included things normally found at different types of convention, like speeches by and talks with science fiction authors, extensive gaming , anime fandom, comics fandom, furry fandom , multiple movie showings, and medieval programming, as well as live performances . There

34-565: A brief skit in the costumes they had premiered the year before) including E. E. Smith , Cyril M. Kornbluth , Jack Speer , Wilson Tucker , Robert Lowndes and David Kyle . In 1941, at the Denvention (3rd WorldCon) she wore a frog-faced mask devised for her by a young costume maker named Ray Harryhausen . In 2016, the International Costumers' Guild (ICG) recognized Morojo as the “Mother of Convention Costuming” with

51-849: A costume competition (known as a "masquerade")—has been an occasional feature of traditional science-fiction conventions since Morojo and Forrest J Ackerman wore them during the First World Science Fiction Convention in 1939, this has never been the dominant feature of such events. From press coverage of comic book and anime conventions has arisen the widespread image of fans' tendency to dress up as their favorite characters in elaborate costumes (known as cosplay in anime terminology) that are time-consuming and/or expensive to assemble. Different conventions use different methods to count their attendance, which leads to some confusion about actual convention size. Fan conventions for various genres of entertainment extend to

68-431: A mode of literature, rather than toward visual media, and do not include any paid appearances by famous personalities, and maintain a less caste-like differentiation between professional and fan. Anime conventions , gaming conventions , filk-music conventions, and furry conventions may all be considered derivatives of science-fiction conventions, which began in the late 1930s. While the wearing of costumes—and even

85-583: A trip to a library exhibit, having previously been last updated on August 11, 2016. Fan convention Fan conventions are traditionally organized by fans on a not-for-profit basis, though some events catering to fans are run by commercial interests for profit. Many conventions have award presentations relating to their genre (such as the Hugo Awards which have been presented at The World Science Fiction Convention (WorldCon) since 1953). At commercial events, performers often give out autographs to

102-540: A video award presentation at MidAmeriCon II, the 74th Worldcon . Douglas was born June 20, 1904, in Phoenix, Arizona to Robert Douglas and Lillie Dell (Kilpatrick) Schutz. She was married three times: to Virgil Van Buren Smith, Henry Willis Gray, and, lastly, to John Arthur Nolan. She had a son, Virgil Roger Douglas ( né Smith). She died November 30, 1964, aged 60, in Patton, California , from undisclosed causes, and

119-640: The Brentwood campus of Suffolk County Community College , due to planned construction at Stony Brook University. In the spring of 2012, I-CON was informed that the Stony Brook Sports Complex would be unavailable due to construction in 2013. ICON Science Fiction, Inc. scouted several possible locations on Long Island as an alternative venue, eventually entering into an agreement with Hofstra University . Due to many compounding issues including finances and delays caused by Hurricane Sandy ,

136-556: The Fantasy Amateur Press Association (of which she was a founding member). Her niece and fellow fan, Patti Gray, known by the Esperanto nickname of "Pogo", in 1940 edited what is credited as "what appears to be the first all-female zine (or femmefan zine), Pogo's STF-ETTE ", whose contributors included Morojo and (in its second issue) Leigh Brackett . Morojo served as treasurer and in other roles for

153-490: The Los Angeles Science Fantasy Society for many years. Like Ackerman, Morojo was an avid Esperantist (they met through the Esperanto movement), and the name by which she was known in fandom is a variation of her initials as spelled out in Esperanto, plus Ackerman's middle initial "J". She and Ackerman broke up in the early 1940s (originally over her continuing to smoke, though that spat

170-415: The board decided to postpone I-CON 32, with plans to raise funds via smaller events and return in 2014, but made no announcements about future dates. I-CON ran smaller conventions, LI-CON, in 2014 and 2015, at other venues on Long Island. I-CON 32 occurred on March 17–19, 2017, at Suffolk County Community College , Grant Campus, Brentwood, New York . The website was updated February 14, 2019 to announce

187-456: The fans, sometimes in exchange for a flat appearance fee, and sometimes may perform songs that have no relevance to the shows or otherwise entertain the fans. Commercial conventions are usually quite expensive and are hosted in hotels. There is often tight security for the celebrities to protect against potentially fanatic fans. Such features are not common at traditional science-fiction conventions , which are more oriented toward science fiction as

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204-627: The first conventions held in the 1930s. However, while a few conventions were created in various parts of the world within the period between 1935–1960, the number of convention establishments increased slightly in the 1960s and then increased dramatically in the 1970s, with many of the largest conventions in the modern era being established during the latter decade. Impetuses for further establishment of local fan conventions include: Morojo Myrtle Rebecca Smith Gray Nolan ( née Douglas; June 20, 1904 – November 30, 1964), known to science fiction history as Morojo or sometimes Myrtle R Douglas ,

221-559: The legacy conventions, to one incorporating a Phoenix, as a symbol of the con's rebirth. Instead of one large convention, the organization began experimenting with a series of smaller events in various locations across the island. I-CON was preceded by SUNYcon (April 14, 1973), Mudcon (May 8, 1977), and Brookcon (October 28–30, 1977), held on the Stony Brook campus. I-CON was held annually from 1983 through 2012 at Stony Brook University , except for 2009, when it relocated temporarily to

238-693: Was a science fiction fan , fanzine publisher, and cosplay pioneer from Los Angeles. Morojo, along with Forrest J Ackerman , was heavily involved in the production of Voice of the Imagi-Nation (which in 1996 would be awarded the Retro Hugo for Best Fanzine of 1946 ; and has also been nominated for the 1939, 1941 and 1943 Best Fanzine Retro Hugos) and Novacious (nominated for the 1941 Retro Hugo), as well as Jack Speer 's Fancyclopedia . She contributed to fanzines by Ackerman and others, and published her own fanzine Guteto from 1941 until 1958 for

255-485: Was also a science track discussing recent developments in various branches of science and exploring the real science behind science fiction technologies. I-CON was jointly held by ICON Science Fiction, Inc., a tax-exempt educational foundation, and the I-CON Campus Chapter of Stony Brook. In 2023, the organization began to re-vision itself. The logo changed from the original dragon logo, now associated with

272-529: Was quickly settled) and remained estranged until her death. Together with then-boyfriend Ackerman, she attended the 1939 1st World Science Fiction Convention (Nycon or 1st Worldcon ) in New York City dressed in "futuristicostumes", including green cape and breeches, based on the pulp magazine artwork of Frank R. Paul and the 1936 film Things to Come , which were designed, created and sewn by Douglas. Ackerman later stated that he thought everyone

289-674: Was supposed to wear a costume at a science fiction convention, although only he and Douglas did. (At the convention she also distributed copies of her own fanzine Stephan the STFan , created especially for the Nycon.) Fans liked the concept, and the 2nd Worldcon , in Chicago in 1940, had both an unofficial masquerade held in Morojo's room and an official masquerade as part of the program, with participants (besides Ackerman and Morojo, who performed

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