The Early Roots of Space Opera (bonus: Symbolism and the Accursed Poets)
Details
Yay, our panel is approved for the Comic Con!
"While E.E. Smith and Edmond Hamilton are known as the inventors of space opera, its roots can be traced back to 'Inferno' and 'Paradise Lost'; illustrations to both poems (William Blake, John Martin) were a landmark in fantasy art. Late XIX century mysticism, feeding on modern science, further extended the limits of imagination beyond the written history of the humanity and the bounds of the Solar System."
The definition of Symbolism is where sky and water meet; where infinity becomes named. We'll trace how the characteristic imagery of the Star Kings and the Star Wars emerged from the condensed time of geology and archaeology discovered by the growing industrial civilization, and how poets and artists accommodated that condensed time a century before fiction writers and movie makers stepped in.
The Comic Con is a ticketed event, unfortunately. Regular admission for Sunday only is $50. The good thing is that the ticket is valid for the entire day and there will be a lot more fun than our petty amateur research presentation.