So, the weekend has come and gone and with it both Imagicon and the Moon
Princesses' bid party for DSC 50. I know they appreciate everyone who
dropped by and thank all those who worked so hard to make it a success.
Don't forget to vote for them at ConCarolinas, June 4-6 and start
getting ready for Huntsville 2012.

As for Imagicon, I enjoyed myself, but then I enjoyed myself last year
at IC '09 and even at Omega*Con. Of course, I wasn't waiting to get paid
by O*C or scrambling for my life to keep it going as the con collapsed
on itself like an imploding building. If I can go to a Lit or Hard
Science or any panel, learn something new, have a idea spark off, or ask
a question that provokes an interesting response—all three with luck—I
got my money's worth. Did that this year and came away with a Blue
Lantern T-shirt as the spoils of victory, so mission accomplished. Plus,
I'd never been to McWane Center, so seeing the displays, particularly
the fossils on the second floor, were highlights. Looking at the
Appalachiasaur skeleton, I teared up. Dinosaurs were incredible beasts
and it's an unspeakable tragedy they are gone. We can't experience or
appreciate their full impact as living creatures from just their bones.
The skeletons are impressive, but nothing like a flesh and blood,
breathing, moving animal to hear and smell. They were aliens from
another planet, one hot and wild beyond our experience. Now, exactly how
much I want to see a twenty-two foot long carnosaur in the flesh about
ten feet away from me, I can't say.

Actually, I can. Very, very little. In fact, almost not at all. Now,
from inside an M-1 tank, sure. I want to see one, not feed it.

There were problems with IC '10, specifically the split venue. It might
be necessary to have con events spread between a couple of locations,
but it's essential they be within easy walking distance. Especially if
your con's in Birmingham any time after early spring, you know, the
third weekend in March. Alabama gets hot and a long walk in the scalding
sun'll take the fun out of anything pretty quick. The split venue, along
with the stream of school tours and families, also made it difficult to
judge the attendance. To my eye, it was smaller than last year with
several panels having less than a dozen in the audience. Small's not bad
so long as you're stable. The decline between O*C > IC '09 > IC '10
isn't the trend one wants. I know the Imagicon people will resent any
comparisons to Omega*Con, but without its ashes to spring from, IC
wouldn't exist. Hopefully, the attendance is still above the level
needed to keep the ball rolling.

The food court at McWane was an improvement over IC '09 and O*C, but not
entirely satisfying. That's an issue the con committee can't solve; it's
one for the city. Perhaps in the next couple of years as the downtown
entertainment district comes together near the BJCC, it will improve.
And a return to the BJCC seems to me to be imperative. Maybe it's not
perfect in many's eyes, but it's easily large enough to contain all the
con's events and while some complain about the walking, going halfway
across the complex is nothing compared to the trek between McWane and
Old Car Heaven this year. Some of the walking complaints also might be a
case of the fault not lying in the venue, but ourselves. No con's going
to mistaken for a health club gathering and even though I'm finally back
on my own daily walking program, the stairs at McWane worked me over a
bit. Still, it should be a reasonable walk, not a workout, and never a
barrier. The Old Car Heaven location was a barrier, magnified by the
inefficiency of the shuttle bus system. Good idea, poor execution.

No con is ever going to be perfect and I don't want come off as damning
Imagicon or the staff. They put together two cons successively in
Birmingham and deserve praise. Along with some constructive criticism. I
hope to see IC 2011. No doubt some things will be better, some the same,
some worse. As long as I come home Sunday afternoon with more good
experiences than bad, I'll have gotten my money's worth and be ready for
more.