The founders of Houstoncon were Roy Bonario and Marc Schooley; Houston area entrepreneur Ed Blair, Jr. was also a key member of the organizing committee.
Houstoncon featured a large range of pop culture elements, primarily comic books but also radio and television serials, science fiction/fantasy (particularly Star Trek), film/television, animation, toys, and horror, as well as a costume contest.
Nostalgia for times past played an important role: all Houstoncon events featured screenings of classic science fiction films and old television serials.
"[3] The HCCA, spearheaded by Bonario and fellow enthusiasts Marc Schooley and Jerry Poscovsky, put on the first Houstoncon (officially known as the Houston Comic Convention)[4] at the Ramada Inn on June 16–18, 1967.
Houstoncon 1973 became notorious for a major van crash involving Robert Beerbohm, Bud Plant, Terry Stroud and Dick Swan as they were leaving the show.
[10] The 1975 show, which took place June 25–29 at the Royal Coach Inn,[11] was again merged with the Houston Star Trek convention; guests included C. C. Beck, George Takei, Jock Mahoney, John Wooley, and Don "Red" Barry.
Houstoncon '77 guests included Frank Brunner, Spanky McFarland, Jock Mahoney, George Takei, Forrest J Ackerman, and Roy Rogers.
[1] Houstoncon '78 guests include Frankie Thomas, Kirk Alyn, Ron Goulart, Gil Kane, Jenette Kahn, Frank Brunner, Ray Harryhausen, Greg Jein, Jim Newsome, and Paula Crist.
[1] Organized by local fan Jerry Wilhite,[1] and scheduled for shortly after the release of Star Trek II, Ultimate Fantasy assembled almost the entire main cast of the original Star Trek TV series as guests of the show, which was promoted with magazine advertising, laser light shows, billboards, a huge venue, and other promotional gimmicks.