A missed opportunity to “Make It So” with Commander Data at the Tampa Bay Comic Con

I’m at a loss.

I know one thing about the Star Trek universe, at least for the original series’ (plural – as the true- prime universe has had many impactful shows): They draw fans and draw media attention for when they’re out and about in a public event.

With the news of Sir Patrick Stewart once again taking on the role of Jean-Luc Picard in a Star Trek television series that is forthcoming, you would think that the media would jump at cast-members of Star Trek: The Next Generation if they were in a public position in their media market.

Not in Tampa, Florida. Not this past weekend (August 3 – 5) with the Tampa Bay Comic Con.

Brent Spiner, who made a name for himself in the series as Commander Data – the artificially intelligent android who lacked emotions or natural senses until the series moved into the cinematic universe – was a participant in the Comic Con at the Tampa Convention Center on August 4^th and 5^th. There’s no noted coverage that I can find of it though. A web search returns announcements that Spiner would be participating. A news search simply returns more announcements about the event happening. Not actual reports from the floor of the event or direct interviews with those participating.

The TBCC is an event that can be criticized – it’s the follow-up comic convention event to the marquee San Diego Comic Con. It can’t compare to that level of a spectacle. The news on Stewart and the Trek universe did open an opportunity for things to go up a notch with remarks from Spiner (or at least reporting on the attempt to get remarks).

Nothing. Zip. Zero. Bupkus. Didldly-squat. Unless there’s an online report that doesn’t show on web searches on Google and Lycos, the media (and perhaps the Tampa Bay blogosphere) dropped the ball on a national-attention opportunity in pop culture… Something much more positive than the attention the market drew for Donald Trump’s visit to the city a few days earlier.

So, the Trekkies are left without a potential reaction quote from Spiner, or LeVar Burton, or Michael Dorn, or Gates McFadden or any other member of The Next Generation crew regulars (or those who acted with Stewart in the Marvel Universe for that matter). In the mean time, what you will get to close this post is something from a year ago. Brent Spiner does one hell of a Patrick Stewart impression:

UPDATE Monday, August 6 @ 9:52 PM EDT: With thanks to a friend, I was given an article with a wide variety of reactions from Star Trek cast members. It doesn’t undo the Tampa Bay media failure to capitalize on an opportunity, but it does fill in curious members of the Trek fanbase.