ITEM #1: I’m back from my annual sojourn to L.A., where I appear every year at the Gallifrey One convention (www.gallifreyone.com). This is without doubt the best fan gathering I ever attend, and with each year that passes, it just gets better and better.

Gallifrey One is devoted to Doctor Who, that 45-year-old U.K. science fiction classic that has once again become a brilliant, vital pop culture phenomenon thanks to a wildly successful 2005 relaunch that has so far resulted in three new series of episodes (with a fourth on the way in a month or so, remember, in the U.K. they refer to a television “season” as a “series”), two spin-off series (Torchwood has an edgier, more mature slant while The Sarah Jane Adventures is for the young and the young at heart) and a mountain of merchandise that ranges from comics and books and toys to napkins and towels and auto air fresheners (it’s shaped like a TARDIS police box…but what does a TARDIS smell like?).

With the U.S. airing of the new series of Doctor Who on the Sci-Fi Channel and particularly the explosive debut of Torchwood on BBC America, all of us in Who fandom knew it was only a matter of time before our ranks grew, but this year’s Gallifrey One really demonstrated what might happen before this decade is out. Last year’s Gally, as it’s often known, had over 800 attendees; this year, 1080 people showed up to celebrate the Time Lord’s adventures, and the influx of enthusiastic new fans made for a very energetic and satisfying weekend.

It was also heartening to see so many families and children in attendance. Not only are older fans introducing their kids to the show and the convention experience, but young fans who found the show on their own are also turning up to take part. The result is a very warm family atmosphere, something that always made the Gallifrey experience unique in comparison to the average comic book or sci-fi convention and has only become stronger in recent years.

As the Who community grows, I’m also seeing more crossover with other categories of fandom then there has been in the past, especially in areas like comics. For example: Gary Russell, script editor for Who and Torchwood, is a long-time fan of American comics (especially Marvel) and has now achieved a personal dream of writing for them. Naturally, what better way to begin than with a U.S. published Doctor Who comic book series? IDW is publishing Russell’s four-color take on the Time Lord in addition to a second title featuring reprints of classic Who strips from the Tom Baker era, recolored and looking more vibrant than ever.

The U.K. debut of Doctor Who Series four arrives in just a few weeks, and fans are counting the days…not just to the return of new Who, but to the next Gallifrey One convention happening in just a little under a year’s time. I for one can’t wait!

Our current “Special Edition” exhibition: Scrooged! is a tribute to the works of Carl Barks (1901-2000) as well as the life and times of Uncle Scrooge McDuck, celebrating the legacy of the “Good Duck Artist” through a unique exhibition of original oil paintings, artwork and other memorabilia, including the complete original artwork for the comic story, “North of the Yukon.” The exhibition is open through the end of May, so you have time, but we certainly don’t want you to miss it.

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Don’t forget to

Visit Geppi’s Entertainment Museum online at www.geppismuseum.com

or in person at

301 W. Camden St.
Baltimore, MD 21201
(410) 625-7060