What did Trekkies do before Star Trek?

[Ilya]

Really, what DID people with that particular mindset do before Gene Roddenbery gave them something to concentrate on? Having been to several SF and RPG conventions, I am convinced that hard-core Trekkies are a breed apart, almost as alien to your average SF fan as to a non-fan. They are visibly allergic to anything what is real, or even may some day become real. In particular, L5 Society, itself not exactly a paragon of "feet on the ground," had terrible luck recruiting at Star Trek conventions. It involved too much actual world and too much dealing with actual people!

[Doodler]

Trekkies are to Science Fiction what Philadelphia Eagles fans are to NFL football.

[Gillianren]

My guess is that they read science fiction. Now, all the reading that the really hard-core types do is, well, Star Trek novels.

[Van Rijn]

My guess is that they read science fiction. Now, all the reading that the really hard-core types do is, well, Star Trek novels.

Ugh, Star Trek novels. I've read a few, but with one or two exceptions they were what I call "Cotton Candy books" - no substance, little flavor, and too sweet. I avoid them now.

[Maksutov]

In the years BSTTOS (Before Star Trek The Original Series), Trekkers anticipated.

[davidlpf]

Trekkies are to Science Fiction what Philadelphia Eagles fans are to NFL football.

Or most sports fans in general.

[vorblesnak]

Really, what DID people with that particular mindset do before Gene Roddenbery gave them something to concentrate on? Having been to several SF and RPG conventions, I am convinced that hard-core Trekkies are a breed apart, almost as alien to your average SF fan as to a non-fan. They are visibly allergic to anything what is real, or even may some day become real. In particular, L5 Society, itself not exactly a paragon of "feet on the ground," had terrible luck recruiting at Star Trek conventions. It involved too much actual world and too much dealing with actual people!

Saturday morning cartoons. Thundar the Barbarian, Space Ghost, The Herculoids, Jonny Quest ooooooooh. How come Jonny looked like Race Bannon?

Arial, Ookla Ride!

David Davis
Toledo, OR 97391

[vorblesnak]

BTB: In the Herculoids a comets smashes into the moon and breaks it into pieces causing an armgeddon on earth. I see the same thing in some new program about Three Moons over ... someplace. Any other shows with that motif / theme?

David Davis
Toledo, OR 97391

[captain swoop]

They collected Stamps or, in the UK also 'Beer Mats'

[Roy Batty]

Trekkies did not exist until 1966, then, on that fateful day, they became 'self aware'. We tried to shut them down, but it was too late .... ;)

[Krel]

Jonny Quest ooooooooh. How come Jonny looked like Race Bannon?

Arial, Ookla Ride!

David Davis
Toledo, OR 97391

Well, Doctor Quest was a widower, and they never said why. :whistle:

David.

[Gillianren]

Ugh, Star Trek novels. I've read a few, but with one or two exceptions they were what I call "Cotton Candy books" - no substance, little flavor, and too sweet. I avoid them now.

The Peter David ones aren't bad. But the only Star Trek novel I ever read anymore is his Q-in-Law, which is of course Next Gen. I read it because it's funny, not because I give a rat's about the story.

[jrkeller]

Probably followed the NASA's exploits

[Doodler]

Or most sports fans in general.
Eagles fans are a cut above.

They beat up Santa Claus during a home game in December against the Redskins because he wore red. The next year, they had Santa in green. They are the only football team who's new stadium has an onsite magistrate and jail cell, instead of a mere Police substation.

Fans get rowdy, these folks are a danger to anyone who happens to disagree with them on Sunday.

[Matherly]

The Peter David ones aren't bad. But the only Star Trek novel I ever read anymore is his Q-in-Law, which is of course Next Gen. I read it because it's funny, not because I give a rat's about the story.

I had a 'book on tape' version of that with John DeLance and Majel Barret doing the reading. Bwhahahaha those two were GREAT!

[Doodler]

I always liked How Much For Just The Planet.

[Z28Jerry]

Trekkies did not exist until 1966, then, on that fateful day, they became 'self aware'. We tried to shut them down, but it was too late .... ;)

That's great, thanks for the laugh, lol.

I get it to, I have been to a convention and know some serious trekkies and can really back up the fact that real trekkies scare even the most die-hard sci-fi fans, lol.

[captain swoop]

Eagles fans are a cut above.

They beat up Santa Claus during a home game in December against the Redskins because he wore red. The next year, they had Santa in green. They are the only football team who's new stadium has an onsite magistrate and jail cell, instead of a mere Police substation.

Fans get rowdy, these folks are a danger to anyone who happens to disagree with them on Sunday.

Hhm! give them some practice and they might be able to face some Engish fans lol!

[sarongsong]

Flash Gordon (http://www.kingfeatures.com/features/comics/fgordon/about.htm) and Space Patrol (http://www.solarguard.com/sphome.htm), for two.

[NorthGuy]

Well, let me think back...

I think the big fan conventions are an innovation from the 1980's. I don't recall such things being around pre-Star Trek. As far as escapist type entertainment goes, I believe that the old TV westerns once filled at least part of the niche that TV sci fi does now, especially series like the Lone Ranger, Roy Rogers, and the Cisco Kid. There was popular sci fi too. The Flash Gordon, Buck Rogers, and Commander Cody movie serials from the 30's and 40's were still playing on TV in the early 60's. I remember watching those every day after school. Of course George Reeves' Superman series kept running and re-running throughout the 1960's.

Then of course there were the monster movie fans. Monsters old and new had a huge fan base in the early 60's. Frankenstein, Wolfman, and Dracula were the big three followed closely by Godzilla, King Kong, the Mummy, Creature from the Black Lagoon, and probably others I'm forgetting. Probably every city had at least one TV station that showed old horror flicks and monster movies as Friday night "Creature Features." I remember there was a lot of movie monster merchandise around: toys, trading cards, comic books, posters, costumes. I used to have a mechanical coin bank that had a monster hand come out of box and snatch your coin away.

So much for reminiscing. There has alway been a way to avoid reality for those who really want to.

[Doodler]

Hhm! give them some practice and they might be able to face some Engish fans lol!

No doubt. :)

[captain swoop]

Here in the UK in the 60s I remember watching Batman, Flash Gordon, Lone ranger, a French series calld the Flashing Blade and various other adventure shows. Star Trek was a very minor thing until the 80s. For Sci Fi we had Dr Who, Space 1999, UFO, Tomorrow Peoaple, Blakes 7, Star Cops.

Lost in Space and Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea were our main US Sci-Fi

[Maksutov]

Trekkies are to Science Fiction what Philadelphia Eagles fans are to NFL football.Right on, especially after a come-from-behind win at the colorfully-named Lincoln Financial Field by the New York Football Giants in OT!

:clap:

[peter eldergill]

They would've had Dr Who before Star Trek...I've met a couple of hard-core Dr Who fans...I suppose the question could be modified to "before Dr Who"

Pete

[ToSeek]

They would've had Dr Who before Star Trek...I've met a couple of hard-core Dr Who fans...I suppose the question could be modified to "before Dr Who"

Pete

Though I don't think Doctor Who made it to North America until the 70's.

[peter eldergill]

I never saw it until Tom Baker was The Doctor...(early 80's I think?)

Pete

[captain swoop]

Tom Baker started in the 70s. I remember it from Pertwee joining and I have only vague memories of watching the earlier black and white stuff.

[ToSeek]

According to Wikipedia, Doctor Who came briefly to the CBC in the mid-60s but didn't get to the US until the early 70s.

[peter eldergill]

The mid what-nows? 60's?

A bit before my time

Pete

[PhantomWolf]

I remember some of John Pertwee as the Doctor, fighting the Cybermen with U.N.I.T. at his side, though I have to admit I knew him better as Wozel Gumage. Tom Baker was the first Doctor I saw a lot of, then Peter Davidson and Colin Baker.

[Maksutov]

Hhm! give them some practice and they might be able to face some Engish fans lol!Some US fans are already working on that goal. (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060919/ap_on_sp_co_ne/fbc_oklahoma_replay_official)

[Selenite]

Some speculation on what would have become of the Trekkies if Star Trek had never made it on the air? Normal, balanced, productive lives? Or a decade later would they have been even more easily seduced by the power of The Force? Star Wars that is. ;)

[Lord Jubjub]

Trekkies vs Jedi. . .I shudder at the thought at THAT convention.

[publiusr]

Probably followed the NASA's exploits

I'm something of a trekkie myself. But go to a convention and ask them about Korolov or Glushko and watch all the blank stares.

[ToSeek]

I'm something of a trekkie myself. But go to a convention and ask them about Korolov or Glushko and watch all the blank stares.

I have a bit of a beef with them myself along those lines: tens of thousands of them wrote NASA or the President demanding that the first shuttle be named "Enterprise." If the same number had written demanding better funding of space exploration, they might actually have accomplished something worthwhile.

[AtomicDog]

Thunderbirds!

[publiusr]

I have a bit of a beef with them myself along those lines: tens of thousands of them wrote NASA or the President demanding that the first shuttle be named "Enterprise." If the same number had written demanding better funding of space exploration, they might actually have accomplished something worthwhile.


Very true. If they had made the first Shuttle to fly in space--named Enterprise--the Columbia disaster itself might have been a focus to do more in space--for it would have been Enterprise that came in over Texas.

I just wish we could have had a Buran types system--with liquid boosters and a heads-up ascent. Maybe the foam would have missed. We can still ask for better funding now.

[Kebsis]

Trekkies did not exist until 1966, then, on that fateful day, they became 'self aware'. We tried to shut them down, but it was too late .... ;)

Mindless drones, lifeless automotons shuffling through office building corridors delivering paperwork from one cubicle to another. Completely oblivious to the unkempt nature of their 'clothing' if you can call it that, and to the alf-alfa nature of their hairdo's.