Doc Con 2014 is this coming weekend — Friday through Sunday, Oct. 17-19, in Glendale, Ariz.
If you’re keeping count, it’s the 17th annual gathering in Arizona.
Wow, what a feat! This convention isn’t put on by an organization or business. It was created by fans of the Doc Savage stories as a way of celebrating their shared enthusiasm with fellow fans, and it’s still put on through the efforts of those very same fans.
There were some years when turnout was a bit lean, but the group kept with the con. Two years ago, they moved from holding the con at someone’s home to holding it at a new hotel on the west side of Phoenix. And attendance has grown.
This year’s con celebrates the 50th anniversary of the launch of the Bantam Books’ reprinting of the Doc Savage series of novels in late 1963.
Activities get started on Friday evening with a dinner at Saddle Ranch Chop House, then retreat to the hotel for the evening. Punning Glenn Horner will host a “Mystery Science Theater 3000”-like viewing of the 1975 movie, “Doc Savage: The Man of Bronze.”
Saturday, the main day of the con, will include presentations, such as a discussion of creating a Doc Savage concordance (by Dafydd Neal Dyar), and “Doc Savage Easter Eggs and the Macintosh Mystery” (by Ric Bertschneider).
Artist Bob Larkin, who painted several of the covers for the later part of the Bantam series, will discuss his experiences with Bantam, artist James Bama, art director Len Leone and model Steve Holland, provide an overview of his work, and answer questions.
Pulp historian and author Will Murray will make a virtual appearance via Skype to discuss his new Doc Savage novels and answer questions.
Following the day’s events, “Doc Con After Dark” begins, and will include the Doc Con players recording a radio show (directed by resident actor Patrick Cranford).
The con ends Sunday, typically with an informal breakfast or lunch gathering.
I hope you’ll be able to attend this year. You can find complete details on the con’s Facebook page.
If not (like me), you can follow along with the con via its Facebook page. Dafydd’s wife, Allyson Dyar, will be posting photos to the page throughout the weekend.
I hope Doc Con 2014 is a rousing success!
I should mention that since my post yesterday, that Doc Con has uploaded a more complete schedule on the con’s Facebook page — and what a great lineup of events! Sure wish I could be there.