ATLRetro

Celebrate two of the 20th century’s most successful series at  TimeGate, Atlanta’a annual DOCTOR WHO/STARGATE convention, held every Memorial Day weekend (May 23-25) at the The Holiday Inn Select Perimeter-Dunwoody. OK, both shows are alive and well in the 21st century, especially DOCTOR WHO which just celebrated its 50th anniversary season, but ATLRetro has to love them a little bit extra for sharing our own passion for time travel at the heart of their premises. We admit if the Doctor asked us to be his companion, we’d be ready to take off in the TARDIS and take our chances with Daleks, Cybermen…well, maybe we’d skip those weeping angels. We’re not quite so versed in the STARGATE universe, except wishing we had one of those gates so we could indulge in some good old-fashioned Egyptomania and maybe grab a souvenir from Atlantis. However, we certainly know fans love STARGATE, and we’re happy they have a place to go to share their passion.

In other words, time travelers will have a ball. Here are ATLRetro’s top reasons to attend!

A Doctor Who Legend

Terrence Dicks spans 15 years of DOCTOR WHO history as a writer and story editor from 1968 to 1983. He started on the show as an assistant script editor during Patrick Troughton‘s final season and co-wrote the 10-part final for the Second Doctor era, “The War Games.” In addition to serving as acript editor for all of Jon Pertwee’s five year run, he penned such classic episodes as “Robot” (the first Tom Baker serial), “The Brain of Morbius.” “Horror of Fang Rock” and the 20th Anniversary special, “The Five Doctors.” He also wrote two DOCTOR WHO stage plays: “The Seven Keys to Doomsday” (starring Trevor Martin as an original version of the Doctor) and “The Ultimate Adventure” (starring Jon Pertwee for the first part of the run and Colin Baker for the second). He was the unofficial editor in chief of the Target range of novelisations of DOCTOR WHO episodes and himself wrote 65 of them. He also wrote, in 2007, the novelisation of the first SARAH JANE ADVENTURES episode, “Invasion of the Bane”. For Big Finish, Terrance wrote the first serial of the Sarah Jane Smith mini-series and adapted his two stage plays. He wrote two Quick Reads novels for younger readers featuring the Tenth Doctor and Martha, “Made of Steel” (2007) and “Revenge of the Judoon” (2008). His impressive television career outside of DOCTOR WHO includes being script editor for productions of GREAT EXPECTATIONS, JANE EYRE (starring Timothy Dalton) and HOUNDS OF THE BASKERVILLES (starring Tom Baker as Sherlock Holmes), as well as penning episodes of Retro favorite shows CROSSROADS, THE AVENGERS, BEAU GESTE and SPACE: 1999. He’s also been a producer and is a prolific novelist of children and young adult fiction.

Ianto!

OK, TORCHWOOD isn’t a Retro show, but it’s a spin-off of a Retro show and involves time travel, too, so we’re just saying Gareth David Lloyd, squee and oh, my! And if he couldn’t be any groovier, Hammer horror movies triggered his passion for acting and the arts at the wee impressionable age of six. And he fronts a prog-rock band called Blue Gillespie.

More Great Retro Guests 

And yes, that’s just the tip of a guest list that includes many more authors, artists, actors and experts. Some other ATLRetro favorites include master monster artist Mark Maddox, a Rondo Hatton and Pulp Factory Award winning artist who has done illustrations for the 50th Anniversary issue of Doctor Who Magazine, as well as Little Shoppe Of Horrors Magazine, Mad Scientist, Black Coat Press, Undying Monsters Magazine and more! Joshua Wilson is an associate editor for Mad Norwegian Press, a publisher of DOCTOR WHO reference guides including the celebrated About Time series, Running Through Corridors and A History. There’s also Louis Robinson, a professional singer/songwriter, who before coming to America, worked for the BBC . In the ’70s, he worked in the film editing department, contributing to such shows as The Brothers (starring Colin Baker and Kate O’Mara), The Onedin Line, Doomwatch (created by Kit Pedler and Gerry Davis, famous for also creating the Cybermen), and of course, Doctor Who. He’s also a Sherlock Holmes expert! And we have to admit, though we don’t exactly remember her from the original STAR TREK, we can’t wait to meet Lt. Moxie Magnus a seven and a half foot tall glamazon (mostly hair and heels) who in the 23rd century serves as the Chief Cosmetology Officer aboard the USS Enterprise under the command of James T. Kirk.

Cover Art by Timegate Guest Mark Maddox.

Pan-Galactic Panels

The above guests won’t be just signing autographs but also sharing anecdotes and insights, along with local and regional fan experts, about DOCTOR WHO, TIMEGATE and other SF and British TV classics like RED DWARF (Fri. 9 p.m.)! We also like that there’s a good dose of vintage DOCTOR WHO represented in panels such as “The Fabulous Baker Boys” panel (Sat. 10 a.m.)! And while the shows are relatively recent, we’re happy to see that TimeGate remembers two of our contemporary Retro ’70s and ’80s BBC favorites in “Time Traveling Detectives: LIFE ON MARS and ASHES TO ASHES” (Sat. 5 p.m.).

Doctors, Daleks, Companions, Tardises, Soldiers and Ancient Egyptians

Ever wanted to be exterminated by the love of a woman dressed as a sexy Dalek or ask the TARDIS what it’s like to carry the Doctor around. Creative humanized takes on classic monsters and the TARDIS itself have become de rigeur at cons. But you can also expect to see plenty precise recreations of Doctors and companions, as well as StarGate soldiers and aliens. And well, we wouldn’t be surprised to some steampunk ladies and gents and even a superhero or few since con-goers don’t always stick to a specific con’s fandom. No matter, watching and interacting with costumed versions of our favorite characters has become one of the most fun reasons to attend a con, especially in Atlanta where DragonCon and AnachroCon set high standards for costuming and cosplay. For peak viewing, some of the best will compete in the Masquerade Saturday night at 9:30 p.m.  Of course, we highly recommend joining in the fun by costuming yourself. Not sure what to do? Well, Timegate has a bunch of panels offering tips for beginners and experienced costumers.

Who has a sonic screwdriver?

You betcha someone in the TimeGate dealers’ room will have one of the Swiss army-knife of sci-fi gadgets. Whether you can wield it like the Doctor to get out of all manner of messes is on you, however. We also expect action figures, posters, stills, books, collectors’ magazines, jewelry, long scarves, costumes accessories, Dalek air-fresheners to exterminate any onerous odors in the automobile (well, we know you can buy them somewhere!), jelly babies and more objets extraordinaires to surprise even us.

Out-of-this-World Entertainment

It used to be that cons were mainly panels and parties, but lately they’re booking some pretty cool entertainment. Saturday night at Timegate is no exception starting with a concert of “Celtic-Gallifreyan” music (don’t ask us to explain! you’ll have to go see for yourself)by  the Ken Spivey Band at 6 p.m. A Fan Cabaret takes off at 8 p.m. Then at midnight, a deejayed dance is hosted by Gareth David Lloyd himself! Well, with the assistance of the mysterious and lovely Lady Soliloque.

Party Like It’s…Well, You Pick a Year!

We don’t recommend you drink anything you’re told is a Pan-Galactic Gargleblaster, because, well, we’re pretty sure it’s just a lethal combo of sugar, food-coloring and several types of generic booze. But cons are pretty well-known for their great room parties. Yeah, shhh, don’t tell the muggles, but geeks know how to have fun! Look for announcements by the elevators and on freebie tables around registration. TimeGate also has a con suite with free food and sodas for con badge-holders.

Timegate 2014  kicks off at 6 p.m. on Friday May 23 and runs through Sunday  May 25 at7 p.m. Online registration is closed but you can still purchase a weekend pass at the con for $60, a day pass for Friday for $20, for Saturday for $30 and Sunday for just $25, or a  pass for Saturday night (starting at 7:30 pm)  for $10. Click here for more info.