Qld: Brisbane's sci-fi invasion

AAP General News (Australia)
04-15-2007
Qld: Brisbane's sci-fi invasion

By Daniel Johnson

BRISBANE, April 15 AAP - It had to happen one day - Brisbane has been invaded by beings
from outer space.

Characters from Star Trek, Star Wars and other interplanetary fantasies were among
the 10,000 sci-fi, comic book and video game fans who turned out today for pop culture
expo Supanova at the Brisbane RNA showgrounds.

Guests at the exhibition included Billy-Dee Williams, who played Lando Calrissian in
two of the Star Wars movies - The Empire Strikes Back and Return of the Jedi - Serenity's
Ron Glass and Lord of the Rings and Doom star Karl Urban.

Williams, who fielded questions from fans, was perplexed by queries from some of the
more ardent Star Wars devotees in attendance.

"You guys know more about Star Wars than I do," he said.

Williams, who is a self-confessed foodie, seems more interested in yoghurt than Yoda
these days and is keen to sample some Australasian culture.

"I was here promoting Empire Strikes Back - that was 27 years ago now - and I really
like it here. But I'm also looking forward to going to New Zealand," he said.

"I like New Zealand, I like their yoghurt. But you've got great fish here."

Glass, from Buffy creator Joss Whedon's television series Firefly and big screen spin-off
Serenity, said he enjoyed interacting with fans at events like Supanova.

"That's the only reason to come really ... to genuinely let the fans know that I appreciate
them as much, if not more than they appreciate me," he said.

Queensland Star Trek Fan Club president Mary Kemp said Supanova was important for the
club, as it introduced the long-running TV series and movies to a new generation.

"We're having our 30th anniversary this year, so we're here to promote our club and
also to let people know we still exist," she said.

As well as providing fans with the opportunity to meet their idols, Supanova also showcased
a wide array of comic books and video games.

Independent cartoonist Owen Heitmann, who publishes a comic called Basic Wage Kids,
said Supanova is a valuable event for fledgling artists looking to gain wider exposure.

Maria Symes, from new media college QANTM, said the event provided the college with
an opportunity to seek prospective students.

Supanova organiser Daniel Zachariou said he was thrilled with the turnout for the event.

AAP dj/pjo/jt/cdh

KEYWORD: SUPANOVA

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