The first science fiction movie Xyon can remember going to at the theater is Return of the Jedi. He remembers standing in the longest line he had ever seen at the time, and thinking how strange to have a line this long for just a movie. Wouldn't it be playing there tomorrow night? Next week? For a few weeks in the future? What was the big deal about seeing it on the night it came out?
The answer to that question would be answered after he saw the movie. So began Z02 quest for science fiction and fantasy. But before even this he liked Science Fiction and just did not realize it. Some of his favorite shows had been Buck Rogers, Space Giants, Shazam, Planet of the Apes, and The Incredible Hulk.
When he was 15 he started collecting comic books. Web of Spiderman #7, by Peter David, was the first comic book he ever read. More fantasy than science fiction, but off to a good start. For the first few years he was content to read Spiderman, a little X-Men, and the a new independent comic book - a little known comic book that was drawn in black and white - called Teenage Muntant Ninja Turtles. When Sandman exploded on the scene, it was only after the local comic book dealer gave him a copy of Sandman #11 did he take notice of this series and is still reading it today (Newly published Hardcover Sandman Graphic Novel Endless Nights).
Finally Star Trek: The Next Generation came out and he had his first real dose of Science Fiction. But after watching the first few episodes, he lost interest until the end of the third season, he had been looking in the TV Guide, and it listed an upcoming episode called "Best of Both Worlds" as must see. He was working at Food City at the time and had to set his VCR to record it. Later that night he was watching the episode when the cliffhanger ended the season. He yelled at the TV, screaming, "What?!?!" -- and that was that. Future installments of Star Trek would be the main crux of his sci-fi knowledge.
The main movies he has been drawn to are sci-fi related as well. "Aliens" (then backtracking to see "Alien" while wondering how the hell he could have missed this one) to "Total Recall" - All the "The Terminator" pictures, Stargate, and all the Star Trek movies just to name a few. X-Files was a big hit with Z02, as most other sci-fi shows were and still are (such as Stargate SG1).
He is an avid reader of the Star Trek Books, owning all of Peter David's books and citing him as the "written Star Trek Master." He has attended several conventions - San Diego Comic Con in 1995; Heroes Convention in Charlotte - 1996, 2002, 2003; Knoxville Sci-Fi Toy Show 2002,2003; and DragonCon in Atlanta 2003. His autograph collection has grown quite large in the past 2 years - the time he has gotten back in to attending conventions.
