In 1977, George R.R. Martin was the guest of honor at a small literary convention in St. Louis, a gathering of about 250 people to talk about science fiction novels and short stories.
    This weekend, Martin introduces the guests at Archon 25, a convention grown 10 times larger in the last quarter-century, and one that I had the good fortune to cover in the day job people keep telling me not to quit..
     Martin has attended the convention every year except last year, when he had an unavoidable conflict. He has seen many changes over the years.
     “It’s so much larger now,” he said. “It’s a three-ring circus... back then, there was one panel per hour, and it was strictly books and short stories.”
     Back in 1977, Archon took up a few rooms in then-Stouffer’s Riverfront Towers. It was held at various hotels in St. Louis before moving to Collinsville in 1993. Now, the convention takes up all of Collinsville's Gateway Center and spills over into the adjacent Holiday Inn, with attendance over 2,200 last year and more expected this year.
     If you've ever been to a con, as science fiction, fantasy and horror conventions are called, then you know what they're about. The gaming people come for the gaming, the masquerade people come for the masquerade, and the rest of us mill around from panel discussion to dealer's room to the hospitality suite (free beer!). But Archon is something special. It's the silver anniversary for this St. Louis event, and that's pretty impressive for a conservative Midwestern area.
     The masquerade grows bigger every year. Beyond ordinary costumes, special effects like a life-size hippopotamus in a space suit and an enormous ball of fur with eyes were common entries. Participants like J.D. Streett IV started out in the Archon masquerade and went on to become professional special-effects artists in Hollywood. 
     Artists fly in from across the country for the art show and auction. David Daniel flew from Atlanta to present his acrylic fantasy art at Archon. Artwork varies from cartoons and fan portraits of characters to paintings and sculptures relating to fantasy and science fiction.
     Archon guests over the years have included authors Ray Bradbury, Dennis Etchison, Stephen King, Robert Bloch and Larry Niven. 
     “The autograph lines were about the length of the building for Ray Bradbury,” Zellich said.
     I don't blame them. I'd stand in line for a day for Stephen King's autograph.
     Charity is a major component of the convention. This year’s charities include SafariPark, which breeds endangered tigers. There will be a Klingon Jail and Bail to benefit the Backstoppers New York fund for the families of firefighters killed in the recent attacks.
     And by request of this year’s guest of honor, author Robert Jordan, some of the proceeds will benefit Reading is Fundamental. 
     You have to admire people who are willing to be laughed at and do what they want anyway. I love science fiction and horror; I like fantasy. I don't wear a costume or a Klingon dagger, I don't own a trenchcoat and I don't understand the math behind the roleplaying games. But I think you'll never find a group of people more open-minded and accepting - after all, what's a slight difference of opinion when you're wearing a pair of horns on your forehead? It takes bravery to admit you like science fiction and cons - it's almost like coming out of the closet. 
     So where do they go from here? Zellich doesn’t think Archon can get much bigger - they’re bursting the seams of the Gateway Center as it is. 
     “Our gaming section is already bigger than most gaming conventions,” Zellich said.
     In the meantime, people will fly through the air of the Gateway Center ballroom when Streett does his flying-harness demonstrations, children will pet the tigers from SafariPark - and Zellich will start planning for next year.