George Lucas appears at convention

INDIANAPOLIS -- Fans of "Star Wars" took advantage of a rare opportunity Saturday to listen to the Jedi Master himself, George Lucas, who took center stage at a convention for the first time in about 18 years.\n"It was phenomenal. The best thing in the world, better than hearing the president speak," said Nicole Ryker, a lifelong fan.\nRyker, 20, of Greenwood, contended "Star Wars" creator Lucas would win if he ever ran for president. She waited in line for five hours to hear him speak at "Celebration III," the largest official "Star Wars" convention ever held.\nLynn Fox, Lucasfilm spokeswoman, estimated some 30,000 fans were attending the four-day event at the downtown convention center.\nLucas told fans he was surprised by the reaction he received at the only other convention he attended in 1987. It commemorated the 10-year anniversary of his first "Star Wars" movie, and he said he never thought he would be creating the movies 20 years later.\n"I am amazed at how this has had such an effect on people across the world. It's really gratifying," he said. "The whole phenomenon began with the fans."\nLucas began shopping around his idea of creating a new galaxy by attending science-fiction conventions before making the first "Star Wars."\n"That allowed it to be a huge success from the first day the movie opened," he said.\nFor some, Lucas is an icon.\nCherie Czepiel, 27, drove 10 hours from Marcy, N.Y. She waited in line from midnight to 7:30 a.m. in the cold rain to see Lucas.\n"He's such a creative mind, someone with a huge imagination," she said. "He's like an idol. I mean, who could come up with this stuff?"\nDuring one of three question-and-answer sessions, each attended by about 3,300 fans, a young boy became the envy of all.\nTyler, about 6 years old, of Maryland, stood at the microphone in his Jedi Knight outfit, but instead of asking Lucas a question, he paused and only said, "Thank you."\nFans then stood on their feet and applauded. Lucas invited Tyler onto center stage, where he shook the boy's hand and posed for pictures.\n"It was just like I was reliving my experience," said 34-year-old Paul Koburi, his eyes welling up with tears.\nKoburi said the boy simply told Lucas what everyone was thinking. And Lucas' response was "accepting and warm," showing what this is all about.\nKoburi, a fan since age 7, drove 16 hours from Orlando, Fla., and ditched work for a week to attend. Both he and his friend, Bill Truesdale, 50, of Chesterfield, Va., were dressed in white, plastic storm trooper garb, which Truesdale said cost at least $1,000.\nChristy Davis, 46, of Idaho Falls, Idaho, made her own white Princess Leia gown.\n"My hair is a story in itself," she said.\nShe dyed her original red hair twice to make it brown and then spent four hours creating the "buns" out of fake hair, a plastic foam ball and a glue-gun, she said. It took another half-hour to attach them to her head.\nSome people do not understand why she is a lifelong "Star Wars" fan, she said.\n"It's just a really good, clean movie that has all the elements: love, action, good, bad and heroes, but without blood and guts," she said.\nFans will have one more chance to see an original with the May 19 release of "Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith," the final film in George Lucas' prequel trilogy.