Marcon Columbus Conference 2023 Recap
Introduction
I attended the Marcon Columbus Conference 2023 in Columbus, Ohio, from May 26, 2023, to May 28, 2023. They held the conference at 350 North High Street Columbus, Ohio 43215 at the Hyatt Regency Columbus. I attended eleven activities at the con. I also attended Marcon in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2024. They will not have Marcon in 2025. Hopefully the con will return in 2026, and I’ll plan to be there.
This is a link to the Marcon website.
This is a link to the Marcon Columbus Conference 2023 Facebook account.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/181050141046
This is the banner for Marcon Columbus Conference 2023
This is my Badge for Marcon 2024.
Summary
Friday, May 26th at 7:00 PM
The Marcon Kick off and meet the Guests meeting
Several people were acknowledged at the meeting. Author David Weber, Author Chris Weure, Filk coordinator Rebecca Slocumb, artist guest of honor Chaz Kemp, and content creator Jordan Breeding.
Some authors in the front row were Jan Kotouc, Joelle Presby, Andy Presby, and Tom Pope.
They held the meeting in Franklin C/D with 38 attendees.
Friday, May 26th at 8:00 PM
Concert with Mary Cromwell
She played the electric keyboard and sang. In addition, she had a person using sign language for the lyrics.
She played 10 selections including Pandora’s Box (about a D and D game with the singer’s husband), Meet Me at the Labyrinth Plinth, and Come into the City of Joy.
They held the concert in Delaware A/B with 17 attendees.
Friday, May 26th at 9:00 PM
25 Things you need to know about spaceships, a lecture with Geoffrey Landis
The presentation was done with a slide show. The presenter ran out of time so 23 things were discussed. Here are three of the points made.
Everything in space is moving and is really fast.
Launch windows are important.
You can’t hide in space so there is no such thing as space pirates.
They held the lecture in Franklin A with 30 attendees.
Saturday, May 27th at 11:00 AM
Speculative Fiction Worldbuilding, a panel with Carolyn Kay, Geoffrey Landis, Jan Kotouc, and Marie Vibbert
Worldbuilding makes science fiction different. The premise can lead to the world created. An idea story starts with the story and builds the world from the story. Hard Sf writers start with the science.
What stories do you enjoy the most other than yours? Star Wars, Issaac Asimov, Anne Leckie, and Alistair Reynolds were mentioned.
How important is the consistency of worldbuilding? Bad examples mentioned were Star Trek Into Darkness, Pandara in Avatar, and the time turner in Harry Potter.
They held the panel in Taft A with 25 attendees.
Saturday, May 27th at 12:00 PM
Andor: The story we didn’t ask for, a panel with Jordan Breeding, Carolyn Kay, Paul Hahn, and Chris Stephenson
What was your favorite part of the series? The One way out episode, the prison sequence, Cassian arrested in the wrong place at the wrong time, end of the Andy Serkis character.
What do you think we will see in Season2? Droids. Everyone will get their comeuppance except for Cassian Andor.
Final Thoughts? All the parts in Season 1 were cohesive, and they are looking forward to more of that in season 2. It was the most grounded Star Wars series. It was nice to see the world expanded outside of the jedi story.
They held the panel in Taft C with 11 attendees.
Saturday, May 27th at 3:00 PM
Babylon 5 Remembered, a panel with Ken Keisel, Leslie Mehne, Paul Hahn, and Rachael Thurston.
The panelists talked about their memories of show actors that attended previous Marcons, including Richard Biggs, Jerry Doyle, J. Michael Straczynski, Patricia Tillman. Andreas Katsulas, and Tim Choate.
They talked about an upcoming animated film and the voice actors replacing the deceased original cast members. (It was released August 2023 as Babylon 5: The Road Home)
They held the panel in Taft C with 10 attendees.
Saturday, May 27th at 4:00 PM
Picard Wrap-up, a panel with Paul Hahn, Robb Lopaka, Doc Rox, and J. Washington.
They thought that the third season was a different type of show, more like Lost in Space. It’s really three different seasons, three different shows.
They admired Worf’s progression from a warrior to a priest. They liked the Star Fleet museum with Geordi La Forge as the curator.
Thay talked about potential new series following Picard.
They held the panel in Franklin B with 16 attendees.
Saturday, May 27th at 6:00 PM
A Concert by Random Fractions.
Random Fractions is a duo with Cathy McManaman on acoustic guitar & vocals and Jason Neeremberg on Bass & vocals.
I arrived late but saw seven songs performed, including Twilight Starlight, Abundant Blessings, and Scarlet Town.
They held the panel in Delaware A/B with 14 attendees.
Saturday, May 27th at 8:00 PM
A Reading by David Weber.
The author read chapters from three of his books, the upcoming fifteenth Honor Harrington novel (It would be released in April 2024 as Toll of Honor), the upcoming novel Rebel (released September 2024), and the upcoming novel To Challenge Heaven (released January 2024).
The author finished the reading with a short Q and A session that covered past and other upcoming books.
They held the panel in Harrison with 18 attendees.
Saturday, May 27th at 9:00 PM
Get Hooked on Babylon 5: 10 Episodes that will make you a fan, a panel with Emily Lydic, Rachael Thurston, and Peter Gold.
The panelists each gave two of their favorite episodes.
Rachael Thurston mentioned Signs and Portents (S1, E13) and Mind War (S1, E6).
Emily Lydic mentioned Z’ha’dum (S3, E22) and Convictions (S3, E2)
Peter Gold mentioned And the Sky Full of Stars (S1, E8) and A Late Delivery from Avalon (S3, E13).
The audience pitched in with some of their favorites.
They held the panel in Taft C with 10 attendees.
Recommendation – Conclusion
I had a great time at Marcon Columbus Conference 2023. My star of the con was Geoffrey Landis for his spaceship lecture and insights on another panel. I also attended Marcon in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, and 2024 and hope the con will return in 2026.
Links
I attended the Marcon Columbus Conference 2024 in Columbus, Ohio, from May 17, 2024, to May 19, 2024. They held the conference at Crowne Plaza North Hotel in Worthington, Ohio. I attended six panels at the con.
Recap for the SF Conference Marcon Columbus 2022 on May 7, 2022. They held the conference at the Hyatt Regency Columbus. I also attended Marcon in 2017, 2018, and 2019. I attended three panels and one concert at the 2022 conference.
Recap for SF Conference Marcon Columbus on May 11, 2019. They held it at Crowne Plaza – Columbus North. I also attended Marcon in 2017 and 2018. This year I attended four panels, a performance, and an interview.
Recap for SF Conference Marcon Columbus I attended on May 12, 2018, at the Hyatt Regency in Columbus, Ohio. I attended four panels and two game shows.
Recap for SF Conference Marcon Columbus on May 13, 2017. They held the conference at the Hyatt Regency Columbus. I also attended Marcon in 2018 and 2019. I attended five panels at the 2017 conference.