Anticipation, the 67th World Science Fiction Convention, has announced that Ralph Bakshi will be the Artist Guest of Honour. The choice is an uncommon one, as most WorldCon Artist Guests of Honor have been more traditional artists (painting, sculpture), while Bakshi is best known for his animation and film work.
According to Anticipation, Bakshi “has created memorable and groundbreaking films including Wizards, Fire and Ice, the first film adaptation of The Lord of the Rings, and Cool World. In addition, he has worked on and directed a variety of television shows including Rocket Robin Hood, Spiderman, The Mighty Heroes, and The New Adventures of Mighty Mouse.” The 69-year old Bakshi was born in Haifa, Palestine, in 1938, but grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where his family moved to escape World War II. His extensive bibliography is detailed on IMDB.com. Bakshi’s official web site is www.ralphbakshi.com.
Bakshi joins the previously announced Guests of Honor, who include: Neil Gaiman, Elisabeth Vonarburg, Tom Doherty, David Hartwell, and Taral Wayne. Author Julie Czerneda will be Master of Ceremonies.
Anticipation, will be in Montréal, Québec, Canada from Thursday 6 August through Monday 10 August 2009.