AirLockAlpha.com

Two weeks ago, Airlock Alpha asked if the science-fiction convention was dying. While members of this staff might not get out to as many as we probably should, it turned out our readers did, and many of them shared their thoughts after reading the column.

Maggie just visited her first convention in her 35 years, and said she loved it. She attended a Creation Entertainment event that was designed for "Stargate: Atlantis" fans in Vancouver, British Columbia, where the series was filmed ... something that created added benefits for fans.

"We got to visit the set for 'Atlantis' and the gate room from ['Stargate SG-1'] that will be used in 'Stargate: Universe,'" Maggie said. "Seeing the actors, hearing their funny stories, visiting the sets, talking to some of the brains behind the scenes. The whole experience was great."

Conventions like that can't exactly have thousands of people attending, and maybe that's a good thing, said another reader, Karla Jensen, who also went to a convention for the first time in the past year.

"It wasn't so much a convention as an event with one guest," she said. "It was an event featuring Amanda Tapping in London. I paid willingly out the wazoo for this and would do so again. One celeb which means quality time, the audience was small, limited to about 300 people, but the quality was just brilliant."

Conventions of this size, however, may struggle to find profit, and thus could have a short life.

"Maybe the economy will affect conventions that are smaller in size or that cover only a certain TV show," said reader Kevin, who also hosts a podcast chatting about one of the Southeast's larger conventions, Dragon*Con in Atlanta. "It's much easier to justify the cost and time investment when you know you can meet so many people and discuss so many topics all in one place over one weekend" at larger conventions."

Jensen, however, says she has had some horrible experience at larger conventions since getting a chance to spend some time with the former "SG-1" and current "Sanctuary" star.

"That same weekend, I went to Milton Keynes for Collectormania, and it was just awful," she said. "The celeb I went to see (and had paid for a photo with) had left early (I never did get my money back). I also purchased tickets to a Jumpcon event in Cleveland last year, and we all know how that turned out."

Deb Brisson says that conventions are suffering, but it's not just the ones that are related to science-fiction and fantasy.

"Sci-fi conventions will continue to exist as long as fans want those one or two personal moments with their favorite star," Brisson said. "We all know that desire isn't going away anytime soon. But is it enough to keep that smaller, local convention alive? Before the economic downturn, I would've said no. People had money and wanted to travel. But now? I would expect the larger decreases in attendance will be at the big events that require hotel and airfare. And while local conventions may see a drop in attendance, I don't believe it will be as drastic."

At the same time, convention organizers need to get away from the same old, same old, Brisson said, and instead look for ways to offer something new and innovative.

Some interesting insight comes from Kelly, who runs The Conventions Fans Blog, who says one of the things pushing fans away is the constant demand for more and more money.

"If I had to try and pinpoint part of the reason for the decline in these cons, I think it's at least partly to blame on the celebrity guests and their booking agents," Kelly said. "I remember when a $50 ticket got you in for the weekend and an autograph from each guest. You want a photo with them on your camera? No problem."

At the bigger conventions these days, most guests have contracts with a professional photo service who charges $50 or more for a photo with a celebrity, and between $20 and $60 for a celebrity photo.

"You want one from Mark Hamill? $100 please," Kelly said. "Not only that, but you're probably still paying $50 to $100 to get in. And for what? The same vendors that have been at every con for the past 10 years? The same convention games? The same conventions contests? The same panel discussions?"

Finally, reader Sergio Benavides offered some advice for what would make a convention successful.

"Make it affordable," he said. "Give the people what they want, not what you want. Provide variety and make sure there are surprises not available anywhere else."

Last year, there were a number of high-profile convention failures like JumpCon and FedConUSA. Others have simply gone out of business, or were sold, like Vulkon in Ohio and Florida going back to its original owner Joe Motes recently.

Are conventions listening? Or could 2009 and 2010 be a major bloodbath for the convention experience?