SCI-FI FOR EVERYMAN : Unicon 5 in Irvine Is Billed as a Multi-Generational Event That Will Appeal to All Buffs

China sets and old photographs are some of the usual things grandparents pass down to their grandchildren, but Claude Evans’ grandmother and grandfather left him with something more intangible--you might even call it otherworldly--yet so enduring it has entertained and absorbed him for over 30 years. Evans, 46, inherited a passion for science fiction.

On Saturday, Evans and a small volunteer committee take that passion public in Unicon 5 in Irvine, the fifth science fiction and fantasy convention he has staged in as many years. It’s a multi-generational event, said Evans, designed for enthusiasts “about 13 to 85,” and he claims it is the only general-interest science fiction gathering in the county.

Headlining the event is Steve Sansweet, author of “Star Wars: From Concept to Movie to Collectible.” Panel discussions, a dealers’ room and screenings of modern and vintage science fiction films, cartoons and television shows are also planned.

Evans’ event may lack the big names found at larger, commercially produced science fiction conferences, but for locals it has at least one practical advantage the big shows don’t: with free admission and a swap and trade room for bartering sci-fi collectibles, it’s possible for families to spend an entire day at the conference without spending a dime.

Evans, a community services coordinator for the center, says he became interested in science fiction at age 14, when he attended a showing of “Planet X” with his grandparents in Detroit.

“The aliens (in the film) were in gorilla costumes with deep-sea divers’ helmets on,” recalled Evans, laughing. “It was thrilling to me then, but now I understand why my grandparents sat behind me. They were giggling, even then.”

Of course, noted Evans, science fiction movies have become infinitely more sophisticated since the early days, but despite their spectacular effects and multimillion-dollar budgets, there’s still just something about the old Saturday afternoon serial that captures viewers’ imaginations. The enormous popularity of George Lucas’ blockbuster “Star Wars” is proof of that, he said.

In that movie, “there was always an adventure or a dangerous situation that the hero miraculously manages to get out of,” observed Evans. “Then, the excitement will calm down, just enough to let you relax a little but not get off the edge of your seat. You haven’t seen that in a movie since maybe the ‘40s or ‘50s. . . . That’s what made it so unique.”

At noon, author Sansweet will discuss the “Star Wars” phenomenon, recalling experiences from the year he spent researching the film’s production with members of Lucas’ Industrial Light and Magic company. Sansweet will also autograph copies of his book and answer visitors’ questions.

The way Evans sees it, there are three basic types of science fiction: fantasy, which would include things like the Conan books and the “Dungeons and Dragons” games (and which Evans jokingly says “appeals mostly to people with incredibly boring jobs”); speculative, which is more rooted in reality but takes “great leaps in probability”; and what he calls “hard fact” science fiction, which is more firmly based in known scientific theory like the books of Isaac Asimov.

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But whether they go for evil sorcerers or Klingons, most science fiction fans are no different than your average Joe, insisted Evans. As in his case, the interest often runs in families and frequently begins in the early teens when youths “are looking for something that doesn’t make you different from the rest of the crowd, is interesting to you, but doesn’t make any real demands on you,” he said.

Evans and his committee have planned features that appeal to a broad range of ages, interests and budgets. In addition to the swap and trade room, visitors can stock up on books and collectibles in a dealers room with more than a dozen tables stocked by used-book sellers and dealers of science fiction memorabilia. Although he can’t predict exactly what items to expect, Evans guesses the selection will range from ‘50s- and ‘60s-era items to slick “Star Wars” and “Star Trek” toys and collectibles and sci-fi and fantasy board games. The swap and trade room and the dealers room will be open throughout the convention.

A fantasy costume contest for all ages will be held at 2 p.m., followed at 3 by a panel discussion led by local science fiction enthusiasts Roy Lavender, Dave Silva and Mike Glyer. Videos to be screened throughout the day include two classic “Star Trek” episodes, “I, Mudd” and “A Piece of the Action,” as well as 1940s-era Max Fleischer “Superman” cartoons, a documentary featuring the late Vincent Price and an assortment of “oddball science fiction stuff,” said Evans. And no, in case you were wondering, “Planet X” won’t be in the lineup.