When R. Graeme Cameron announced the rebirth of Ditto, which he unilaterally decided to host in conjunction with next year’s VCON, he was greeted with the equivalent of “Wait just a cotton-pickin’ minute!”

Cameron had thought the convention name was abandoned, because the last Ditto, a convention for fanzine fans, was staged in 2007. (It was combined with Art Widner’s 90th birthday party and held in his hometown, Guajala, CA. See Hope Leibowitz’ conreport in File 770 #151.)

But when Cameron shared his plans in a public Facebook forum, the Society for the Perpetuation of Fannish Fandom, a past Ditto chair claimed the right to help determine where the next one would be, and implied another party has been mulling over plans of their own to revive the con, therefore Cameron’s announcement was out of order.

Cameron has now fashioned a compromise – he has dropped his 2016 idea in favor of a plan to hold a Ditto in Vancouver in 2017.

As an aside, looks like there will be an additional bid to hold a Ditto in 2016. After much exchange of communication, by mutual agreement I have withdrawn my bid to hold Ditto in conjunction with VCON 41 in 2016 (I’m going to be darn busy chairing the latter), and will instead hold a 2017 Ditto probably on the long weekend in October (Oct 6-8 2017). This will be a stand-alone relaxacon version (the traditional version) following VCON 42 the weekend before.

Given the VCON focus on multiple interests within fandom (tending to exclude fanzine fandom which very few locals are interested in), and the Ditto focus on fanzine fandom, I strongly suspect there will little in the way of conflicting demand. Mind you, any fen interested in both are welcome to fly into Vancouver for VCON the first weekend, tour B.C. for the week, attend Ditto the second weekend, and then fly out. Although I must admit I can’t think of any of the old guard who can afford to do this.

So Ditto has suddenly gone from limbo to being the subject of a dual revival.

Cameron has published the first progress report for his 2017 event – The Ditto Master #1.

Taral Wayne helped found Ditto in 1988 and he says: “I approve of anyone who brings the con back to life, whoever that may be. I’m pleased to say that of the other members of the original Ditto team who I’ve been able to speak to, they are pleased to see the con back on its feet as well. We’re all rooting for the 2016 team … whoever that turns out to be.”