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When Did You First Discover Star Trek?

Yes, edisraf, that is indeed my concoction. Over on the Trek Art forum (at the risk of taking this thread off-topic), we have monthly challenges to do some type of Trek-related art according to the instructions of last month's winner. For April the challenge was to create something Trek-related but with a James Bond, or otherwise '60s spy-show, motif. With James Bond being "007," and with two other great "7's" in Trek history, I created a fictitious pulp fiction book cover based on a concept for a spinoff I called "7&7." The complete entry, along with my take on the other Seven, appears here.

To be fair to the original topic of this thread: My first exposure to Star Trek at a time when I would have known what it was, was approximately 1971 -- I was 6. I believe the show's first showing in reruns in my old hometown of Oklahoma City would have been Sunday afternoons at 4 pm, between Wide World of Sports and the news, on the ABC affiliate, Channel 5. Within days, my friends at school and I had replaced our typical playground improvised melodrama, which had been based on the Justice League (albeit with one of the guys insisting on being Spider-Man) with Star Trek. And of course, with me already being Scott, my character was chosen for me out of convenience.

Although we often traded roles, for the most part, my six- and seven-year old buddies and I were all Shatners at heart. That is, we milked our parts for what they were worth at all times, as if cameras somewhere were always rolling. Without any of us being a "director" or a "head writer," it's amazing how much of a de facto series bible we were able to work out under such stressful conditions (the recess bell could ring at any moment). That bible would reveal the following canonical facts:

  1. Spock was impervious to Klingon disruptor rays, by virtue of his Vulcan Mind Field, a telepathic projection that stops incoming projectiles.
  2. Kirk carries with him at all times a foil-covered roll of tablets, whose potency is indicated by a hole in the center, and whose purpose (clearly marked on the label) is to completely resuscitate him in case of severe injury or death.
  3. McCoy's hypo spray doubles as a dagger, which can be thrown short distances and which stuns the first enemy it touches.
  4. Security precautions enacted during the fourth season resulted in the banning of all females from the Starship Enterprise, and the reprogramming of the computer for a male voice.
  5. Mr. Scott, unbeknownst to many of his colleagues, also invented a rescue shuttlecraft, ingeniously disguised as a 20th century farm tractor rear tire. The craft generates its own energy field capable of warping through time back to yesterday, although extended use of the craft can cause severe dizziness and nausea.
  6. All ship's personnel are permitted to carry as many phasers on their person as they like at all times, including phasers disguised as ordinary objects (erasers, sticks of gum, sandwiches, etc.).
Why these revelations were not carried on into the movie era is beyond me.

DF "To This Day Still Reeling from the Rescue Shuttlecraft" Scott
 
Fascinating! I can't draw water in a bath tub, so I really appreciate it when people can. And draw well enough that it can be recognized. And what a great trek story.

I love the effect of the exit sign reflection in on the windshield too. I couldn't make out the word, but then, that is more realistic than if it were perfectly clear. Where are they going?

raf

And speaking of recognizable art.

Pablo Picasso spotted a burglar walking out of his studio with one of his masterpieces under his arm. Rather than challenge the tough-looking thief, Picasso took a good look at him and later reported the theft to the police. The official requested the famed artist to draw the suspect’s sketch. Picasso did. On the basis of the sketch—the story goes—the police arrested a mother superior, the minister for finance, a washing machine and the Eiffel Tower. :techman:


Yes, edisraf, that is indeed my concoction. Over on the Trek Art forum (at the risk of taking this thread off-topic), we have monthly challenges to do some type of Trek-related art according to the instructions of last month's winner. For April the challenge was to create something Trek-related but with a James Bond, or otherwise '60s spy-show, motif. With James Bond being "007," and with two other great "7's" in Trek history, I created a fictitious pulp fiction book cover based on a concept for a spinoff I called "7&7." The complete entry, along with my take on the other Seven, appears here.

To be fair to the original topic of this thread: My first exposure to Star Trek at a time when I would have known what it was, was approximately 1971 -- I was 6. I believe the show's first showing in reruns in my old hometown of Oklahoma City would have been Sunday afternoons at 4 pm, between Wide World of Sports and the news, on the ABC affiliate, Channel 5. Within days, my friends at school and I had replaced our typical playground improvised melodrama, which had been based on the Justice League (albeit with one of the guys insisting on being Spider-Man) with Star Trek. And of course, with me already being Scott, my character was chosen for me out of convenience.

Although we often traded roles, for the most part, my six- and seven-year old buddies and I were all Shatners at heart. That is, we milked our parts for what they were worth at all times, as if cameras somewhere were always rolling. Without any of us being a "director" or a "head writer," it's amazing how much of a de facto series bible we were able to work out under such stressful conditions (the recess bell could ring at any moment). That bible would reveal the following canonical facts:

  1. Spock was impervious to Klingon disruptor rays, by virtue of his Vulcan Mind Field, a telepathic projection that stops incoming projectiles.
  2. Kirk carries with him at all times a foil-covered roll of tablets, whose potency is indicated by a hole in the center, and whose purpose (clearly marked on the label) is to completely resuscitate him in case of severe injury or death.
  3. McCoy's hypo spray doubles as a dagger, which can be thrown short distances and which stuns the first enemy it touches.
  4. Security precautions enacted during the fourth season resulted in the banning of all females from the Starship Enterprise, and the reprogramming of the computer for a male voice.
  5. Mr. Scott, unbeknownst to many of his colleagues, also invented a rescue shuttlecraft, ingeniously disguised as a 20th century farm tractor rear tire. The craft generates its own energy field capable of warping through time back to yesterday, although extended use of the craft can cause severe dizziness and nausea.
  6. All ship's personnel are permitted to carry as many phasers on their person as they like at all times, including phasers disguised as ordinary objects (erasers, sticks of gum, sandwiches, etc.).
Why these revelations were not carried on into the movie era is beyond me.

DF "To This Day Still Reeling from the Rescue Shuttlecraft" Scott
 
And on the basis of Picasso's impeccable evidence, the Eiffel Tower was sentenced to six years' hard labor.

The full book cover contains many little clues as to what the story would be about, and the road sign is one of them. If you can't make it out, the reflection reads "Washington," but the exit arrow is away from where the car's heading. You could say Gary Seven is resigning, but I hear that could get a man sent to the Village, so I'll leave it at that for now.

DF "XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXRESIGNEDXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX" Scott
 
And on the basis of Picasso's impeccable evidence, the Eiffel Tower was sentenced to six years' hard labor.

The full book cover contains many little clues as to what the story would be about, and the road sign is one of them. If you can't make it out, the reflection reads "Washington," but the exit arrow is away from where the car's heading. You could say Gary Seven is resigning, but I hear that could get a man sent to the Village, so I'll leave it at that for now.

DF "XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXRESIGNEDXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX" Scott

"Hard labor!" :rommie: Love it!

Well, duh on me. I forgot that it was a reflection and was trying to read it forwards.:rolleyes: Nice touch!

raf
 
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I can't remember exactly which came first for me, but it was either Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (in the theater) or reruns of TOS. That was around third grade. And, of course, I grew up watching TNG in its original run. My father is also a Star Trek fan, so that's the main reason I was exposed to it.
 
4. Security precautions enacted during the fourth season resulted in the banning of all females from the Starship Enterprise, and the reprogramming of the computer for a male voice.
Well, of course. Girls have cooties!

Kids and their imaginations . . . :)
 
My introduction was kinda convoluted. Before my father left he used to watch Star Trek but I was very young and don't remember much. I saw Star Wars in the theater when it came out when I was about 7. A year or so later I saw Star Trek The Motion Picture in the theater and it really impacted me. I liked it better then Star Wars but didn't see it again until it was on TV after I saw Empire Strikes Back in the theater. I saw TMP on TV and have vague recolection that this was that movie that really impressed me. It was not until about the time between TWOK and TSFS that I realized they were all part of the same thing and there was a TV show associated with it. I stared watching that when it was on at 6pm every night.
 
McCoy did inoculate us -- I mean, the rest of the crew from the "girl cooties," formally known throughout the Male Federation of Planets as "The Bewilderment Syndrome." (Or, as Sulu explained it, "They're GIR-R-RLS!") But actually, there was a safety factor involved, as many females turned out to be Klingon agents, Romulan agents, or in some cases both.

DF "Which Explained the Goatees and Greenish Skin" Scott
 
Sept. of 1966. I was thirteen. I was really hoping that it would be better than Lost In Space. And it was. Much, much better. :)
 
I inherited it from my father. A grizzled, strong man who was a Vietnam vet and burly construction worker. He also happened to go to what was probably the second Trek convention in history and meet Roddenberry personally. Go fig. Born in '83, grew up with Next Gen.
 
Watching TNG on Sky One (UK) in the early 90s. The first episode I can remember seeing was "Disaster".
 
I was 16 when it premiered... alas, football and basketball games were on Friday nights, I had to catch the reruns. Been a fan ever since!
 
When I was about 9/10 (during TNG original run). I guess that was when I became aware of it, but my mum was a fan before then.
 
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