Latest:

USS Wessex

SFI News
Dave Mason

USS Wessex, USS Angeles win awards

By Commodore Dave Mason

The USS Wessex has been named Chapter of the Year by STARFLEET’s Region 4.

That award and others were presented to the USS Wessex and the USS Angeles during a recent virtual meeting of the region’s commanding officers and first officers. Regional Coordinator David Nottage announced the winners.

The USS Wessex is based in Oceanside in Southern California. Members have gone everywhere from nearby San Diego to Ventura for their activities, and the ship is known for its commitment to community service and pursuit of sci-fi. In addition, the USS Wessex served as the mothership for the USS Chumash, the Nipomo-based ship that achieved full ship status under the Wessex’s guidance. Earlier this year, members of the Chumash, the Wessex and the Angeles gathered at Sunstone Winery in Santa Ynez, the California filming site for Chateau Picard on “Star Trek: Picard.”

During the recent awards ceremony, Wessex’s commanding officer, Rear Adm. Ronald Coleman, was named Region 4’s Commanding Officer of the Year. The USS Wessex’s first officer and chief of operations, Fleet Capt. Jennifer Coleman, won Flag Officer of the Year. Both are known for their leadership, and Ron wears a second hat as STARFLEET’s chief of operations. 

Also honored was the Region 4 website, which is produced by Webmaster Christopher Mulrooney and myself as the content editor. It won for best website in the region, and David Nottage praised it for its influx of new content.

And the USS Angeles received the award for the region’s best newsletter: Angels Flight. The award honored the work of Executive Editor Dave Mason, Managing Editors Janice Sobien and Lisa Sobien, columnist Jeremy Kranz and Print Edition Producer Christopher Mulrooney, as well as other contributors.

Congratulations to everyone for the awards!

Rear Adm. Ron Coleman, who leads the USS Wessex, has been named Commanding Officer of the Year by Region 4. (Photo courtesy Ron Coleman)

Three STARFLEET commanding officers gather at Sunstone Winery in Santa Ynez: from left, Dave Mason of the USS Angeles, Rose Kaye of the USS Chumash and Ron Coleman of the USS Wessex. Ron’s chapter served as the mothership for the Chumash, which gained full-fledged status as a STARFLEET ship. (Photo by Christopher Mulrooney / Region 4 / USS Angeles)

The Region 4 website received Website of the Year from the region during its recent virtual awards ceremony. The website is produced by Webmaster Christopher Mulrooney and Content Editor Dave Mason.

Angels Flight, the newsletter of the USS Angeles, won Newsletter of the Year from Region 4. From left in the photo above are Managing Editors Janice Sobien and Lisa Sobien and columnist Jeremy Kranz, standing at Christ Cathedral, a Garden Grove, Calif. filming site for Starfleet in “Star Trek Into Darkness.” The executive editor is Dave Mason.

EntertainmentSFI News
Dave Mason

Imagination soars at Comic-Con Museum

By Rear Adm. Ron Coleman

Region 4 Coordinator

SAN DIEGO — If you’ve ever wished Comic-Con could last all year, here’s some good news! 

Nestled in the heart of San Diego’s Balboa Park is the Comic-Con Museum, a place where your favorite stories, characters

and fandoms come to life every day. 

The USS Wessex recently visited the museum on an away mission. While there, I interviewed Dr. Emily Schindler, senior director of learning and engagement for the museum, for our club’s podcast.

Whether you’re a lifelong fan or new to the world of comics, sci-fi, fantasy or animation, this museum has something for you.

Right now, visitors are raving about these exhibits:

•  “Doctor Who: Worlds of Wonder”: Step inside the TARDIS and journey through time and space in this hands-on, science-meets-fiction adventure. It’s the exhibit’s first stop in the U.S., and it’s truly out of this world. The exhibit will remain at the museum through March 2026.

Created in conjunction with the BBC, the exhibit is the museum’s most expensive and ambitious project, Dr. Schindler told us during our podcast interview. 

The exhibit features everything from a TARDIS console to the wardrobe worn by the incarnations of the Doctor and an area dedicated to — what else? — Daleks. The robotic villains have invaded the museum!

• “Becoming Betty Boop”: Celebrate 100 years of the original animated style icon. This charming exhibit is full of rare artwork and memorabilia, highlighting her impact on pop culture and animation.

In conjunction with the exhibit, the Comic-Con Museum theater is showing Betty Boop cartoons, Dr. Schindler said. “You can see what’s possible with characterizations with (Betty’s) floppy arms.”

• “POPnology”: If you’ve ever dreamed of hoverboards, virtual reality or friendly robots, this one’s for you. It explores how science fiction inspired real-life technology — and lets you play with it, too!

•  “From Big Dots to the Digital Universe”: This is a colorful journey through the evolution of comic book coloring, from the days of Ben-Day dots to cutting-edge digital techniques.

• Legacy exhibits: Don’t miss the heartfelt tribute to Marvel Comics icon Stan Lee, or the anime-themed installations celebrating Cowboy Bebop and My Hero Academia.

Dr. Schindler noted the museum, opened in November 2021 by San Diego Comic-Con, allows people, including those unable to attend the massive San Diego convention, to have the Comic-Con experience throughout the year.

“Essentially our mission at Comic Con is to celebrate the popular culture,” she told us. 

“We always have big dreams,” Dr. Schindler said. “The fun part of my job is finding the dreams that we can do. There’s no shortage of inspiration here.”

For more about the museum, see comic-con.org/museum.

Watch out! The Daleks have taken over the San Diego Comic-Con museum in Balboa Park in San Diego. The USS Wessex recently beamed down there on an away mission. (Photos by Ron Coleman/Region 4)

Jennifer Coleman and Richard Cortopposi of the USS Wessex beam down to the Comic Con Museum in San Diego’s Balboa Park. The giant toucan is the mascot for San Diego Comic-Con.

A TARDIS model is part of the “Doctor Who” exhibit. Don’t let it fool you! It’s bigger on the inside.

A TARDIS console and the Doctors’ wardrobe grace an exhibit at the Comic-Con Museum.

Richard Cortopposi and Jennifer Coleman of the USS Wessex stand outside the Comic-Con Museum in Balboa Park in San Diego.

“Doctor Who” aliens visit the Comic-Con Museum in San Diego.

The Comic=Con Museum stands in the former Hall of Champions in Balboa Park in San Diego.