Made in SA: Jason Perez, Worlds Collide Part 1

Live Long and Prosper: Jason Perez and fellow Worlds Collide organizer Marcella Muncy.

JASON PEREZ is one of the organizers of the San Antonio sf fan group WORLDS COLLIDE. No doubt, you’ve seen Worlds Collide events — from Alamo Drafthouse movie screenings to comic discussion groups — promoted around town and occasionally discussed on this very blog. Hell, you may have even attended a few. As a general rule, they’re well-organized, friendly and fun. A definite breath of fresh air in SA’s sf/fantasy/horror scene. In just a few months Jason, head organizer MARCELLA MUNCY and other key volunteers have created quite a phenomenon, using MEETUP to draw diverse crowds from all over our growing city. We grabbed Jason for the first Worlds Collide Q&A because his work for Uncle Sam will soon take him overseas. Look for Part 2, an interview with Marcella, in the coming days.

Jason, tell us you got involved in Worlds Collide.

I got involved with the San Antonio Meetup group after Marcella (the head organizer) and I were talking about joining a local sci-fi/fantasy group in early January. When we found out there wasn’t one at the time on Meetup, we thought, “Well, why don’t we try and form one of our own?” I never expected it to grow into what it has become. I think it’s great, though, and being an assistant organizer totally amps up my street cred.

What’s the biggest challenge of running a group like Worlds Collide, especially as its membership has grown?

I think the biggest challenge as the group has expanded is trying to figure out what will draw the fans in. The genre is huge, and not everyone likes all aspects of the genre, so we try and hold different events that appeal to different people. Though we probably won’t be holding a movie viewing event featuring THE POSTMAN any time soon.

You’re an avid collector of Golden Age sf books. How big is your library, and what are some of your favorite books in the collection?

My collection of oldies includes over 350 books. My house doesn’t smell like an old library yet, but I’m working on it. Some Golden Age books I own are JOHN W. CAMPBELL’s The Ultimate Weapon, OLAF STAPLEDON’s Odd John, STANTON A. COBLENTZ’s Hidden World, A. MERRITT’s The Metal Monster, ROBERT SILVERBERG’s short story collection Next Stop the Stars and A.E. VAN VOGT’s The Book of Ptath.

How’d a young guy like you get into collecting decades-old sf books?

I got interested in the old tomes of yesteryear because I wanted to learn how it all started. The writing styles of the authors and the technology in the stories might be a tad bit dated, but I wanted to read the foundation that later literature was built upon.

The interests of folks in your group, and in sf fandom in general, seems to be skewing more toward the media end of things these days – TV shows, movies, video games. Does it bother you that books/literature seem to be a smaller part of the sf scene comparatively?

While my favorite part of the sci-fi/fantasy/horror genre is the literature, I understand that different people enjoy different mediums. The great thing is that nowadays, tv shows, movies and even some video games produce literary tie-ins. I think it’s great, because it allows fans to explore their favorite universe further, and maybe after reading a Star Trek novel by someone like JAMES BLISH, they might choose to read another non-Star Trek novel of his like VOR. Or a fan of the show Sliders might find their way to the fresh-squeezed, pulpy goodness of the RICHARD BLADE alternate Earth-jumping series of books.

While the success of your group makes it clear that there’s a strong sf/fantasy/horror community in San Antonio, we really don’t have a major convention here. Why do you think that is? And do think your group is up to remedying that situation?

I don’t know why San Antonio doesn’t have a major convention, but I don’t think it’s due to a lack of interest. I think the situation can be remedied though, and I think the Internet can play a great role in bringing one or building one in San Antonio. With Internet sites and forums like yours, Meetup groups like DOCTOR WHO FANS UNITE and ours, and internet blogs like GEEK SPEAK, I think we can get the word out and bring people together to have a great convention here in San Antonio.

I recently found out you’re heading overseas as part of your military duty. How have you been able to juggle your Worlds Collide duties and a military career?

As the time when I leave gets closer, it’s become harder, juggling it with tying up the loose ends at work, spending time with family and friends and trying to contribute to the group. But I enjoy the camaraderie of the group and the meetings, and I’ll really miss them when I leave.

Fill in the blank: The best thing about being an sf/fantasy/horror fan in San Antonio is _________________.

The local fans. They’re great.

Fill in the blank: The worst thing about being an sf/fantasy/horror fan in San Antonio is _________________.

The lack of a major convention here in town.

Where would you like to see the Alamo City’s sf/fantasy/horror scene five years from now? And what part do you want to play in getting it there?

In five years, I would love it if we had a major convention in town. The best part of being a fan is meeting other fans, and I think there’s no better place to meet tons of other fans than a major convention. A major convention with its ability to hold events of all types and bring in artists, authors and actors would be a major draw for fans, which would lead to lots of mingling by fans of the genre. I’d love to help spread the word of a major convention.

What’s the restaurant/food/meal you’ll miss most while you’re away from San Antonio?

The variety of food is what I’ll miss while I’m away. San Antonio is great in that you can go to a German pancake restaurant for breakfast, a Mexican restaurant for lunch and a Thai restaurant for dinner. I’ll miss having the ability to enjoy the variety of foods and restaurants.

PEREZ’S PICKS

Top comics

1. Conan the Barbarian
2. Red Sonja
3. The Green Lantern Corps
4. John Carter: Warlord of Mars
5. Claw the Unconquered

Top movies

1. 2001
2. Conan the Barbarian
3. Aliens
4. Stargate
5. Logan’s Run

Top books

1. Galactic Diplomat by Keith Laumer
2. Relic by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
3. The City of the Sun by Brian M. Stableford
4. Cycle of Fire by Hal Clement
5. Watchers by Dean R. Koontz