Events Archives

As the RedEye's resident geek, I'm not all that accustomed to having attractive women writing me.  So imagine my surprise when I got an e-mail from Chicago-based burlesque performer Red Hot Annie- who pretty much lives up to her name - wanting to let Geek To Me readers know about a special show she and her fellow performers will be putting on this coming Halloween. And since gorgeous redheads can get me to do just about anything, I was happy to oblige and pass the word along:

 

Extra! Extra! Read all about it!  What a way to celebrate Gamer Tuesday!  The good folks at Atom.com are setting up a live cyber-chat with the creators and cast of The Legend of Neil along with the scrum-diddly-umptious Felicia Day (The Guild, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along-Blog, Dollhouse).  Here's the 411 from Atom.com:

"...how's this for some real talk. Sandeep and the cast of Legend Of Neil are coming in to Atom HQ this Tuesday, October 20th at 6:00pm Pacific Time.

Legend of Neil, Season 2, Ep. 7 -- A Date With Destiny

"Here's how it'll go down. On Tuesday at 6:00pm Pacific (9:00pm Eastern), check back to this very space, and there should (will) be a video window here with show creator Sandeep Parikh, Tony Janning (Neil), Mike Rose (Old Man and Old Man) and Felicia Day (Fairy) and more! They'll be answering your questions, chatting, and enjoying some nice snacks. Did I mention Felicia Day will be there?"

So if you're a total mark for The Guild and would like to ask the lovely Ms. Day about what it's like to be tortured by Joss Whedon or put in a jar, be sure to check in TONIGHT!

A recent bout of 'the crud' has knocked me out of commission the last day or so, but I should be fully recovered for my appearance at The Comic Vault's 3 Year Anniversary on Saturday, October 10, 2009.  There will be quite a few comic luminaries there to meet and get your books signed. I'll be signing copies of Army of Darkness: Ash Saves Obama!  Sketch Colorist and friend of Geek To Me, Jeff Balke, will be there to color your variant covers too!  So come and meet the RedEye Geek at the Comic Vault this Saturday! The talent schedule is as follows:

11:00 - 1:00
Art Baltazar - Tiny Titans, Billy Batson and the Magic of Shazam, Patrick the Wolf Boy
Mike Gallinari & Lee John Cutrone - Under Red Sky, The Crush
Eric Jimenez - Temporal

1:30 - 3:30
Josh Elder - Mail Order Ninja, The Batman Strikes!
Shaun Lapacek - Lillim
Jeff Balke - Sketch Colorings

4:00 - 6:00
Elliott R. Serrano - Army of Darkness: Ash saves Obama
Matt Kubinski - Marauders
Rachelle Rosenburg - Jersey Gods, Barack the Barbarian, Temporal, Tyrese Gibson's Mayhem!
Kevin Sciretta - Alpha City Comics

6:15 - 8:00
Jim Terry - Lie Down Low, Coma D. Clown

The Comic Vault will be offering awesome deals on comics, toys and graphic novels.  They'll even have their BBQ fired up!  So be sure to come on by and say hi!

The Comic Vault is located at 1530 West Montrose, ph# 773.728.2001

Holy Bantha Tracks!  Geek To Me reader Mark sent me this message via sub-space communicator regarding the upcoming Star Wars: In Concert event at the United Center in December:

Star Wars: A Musical Journey Program Cover

"Just thought I'd let you know that Amex cardholders can purchase tix NOW (using their Amex, of course) by visiting:

http://www.ticketmaster.com/search?tm_link=tm_header_search&q=star+wars

When I entered "best seats", it gave me the option of section 6 (on the floor) row 4 (about $94 per ticket)

I could also choose highest price and 100's, and it gave me section 113, row 9

Didn't want to spend that much, so I chose the middle priced seats and got section 310 row 1 for $70 per ticket."

So if you're one of those lucky Jedi Knights with good credit and an American Express Card, you can head on over to the Ticketmaster site and buy those tickets!

If you ask me the Nerd Information Network just isn't what it used to be.  To whit:as I was flipping channels on Sunday night, I stumbled across a program on Channel 11 (PBS) about the Star Wars in Concert musical event that's been touring North America.

Star Wars: In Concert - Lucasfilm Ltd.

The show combines a live orchestra with clips from all six Star Wars films, projected onto a giant High-Definition screen, creating a new kind of experience for music and film lovers alike.  I'd been waiting for news of the show coming to Chicago for some time now, so imagine my surprise to discover when and where it would be playing in the Windy City at the tail end of the PBS program.

Ok, before everyone gets on me for writing such a - ahem - titillating headline, know that this is being done for a good cause, that being Breast Cancer Research and Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which happens to be October.

Image courtesy BoobieWednesday.blogspot.com

True geeks with Twitter accounts know about 'Boobie Wednesday', the brainchild of two wonderful geekettes who are trying to raise awareness and money for breast cancer research.  As a part of 'boobie wednesday', people are encouraged to change their twitter avatars to one of several...uh...provocative images provided on the Boobie Wednesday blog:

So guess who's gonna be at the Great @redeyechicago Outdoor Tweetup this Thursday giving out t-shirts and stuff?

:::points two thumbs at self:::  Oh yeah, this guy!

I'll be on hand to chat, along with a some other RedEye bloggers, at Pioneer Court, south of the Tribune Tower at 435 N. Michigan Ave.  Click HERE for all the details.

We'll be listening to music, twittering, answering trivia questions, eating some grub and having fun.

I sure hope that I'm not the only geek in attendance and that I see YOU there!

Listen up comic-book nerds!  If you weren't already aware, the Windy City Comic Con makes its return this weekend on Saturday, September 19th from 10:00 am - 6:00 pm at The Center on Halsted (3656 N. Halsted, Chicago IL 60613).

Some of the guests who will be in attendance are names like Gene Ha, Tony Moore and the GUEST OF HONOR Geof Darrow.  The guest list is just chock full of comic-book luminaries!

I went last year and had a great time!  The show is a smaller, more intimate affair than Wizard World and gives you the opportunity to really interact with your favorite creators.  Here are a couple interviews from last year:





I'll be roving the show again with my camera and microphone so be sure to say 'hey' and let me know what you think about Geek To Me!

Posted at 9:25 a.m. - Thursday, June 25

The good people of Challengers Comics + Conversation sent me word of this super-cool cookout that they're having where you not only get to hang out with one on Marvel Comics' top comic-book writers, but also raise money for a good cause:

"Challengers Comics + Conversation will be holding a cookout from 12:00-3:00pm on June 27, 2009 featuring writer Kathryn Immonen and her new Marvel Comics graphic novel release, Patsy Walker: Hellcat.  Ms. Immonen will be on hand to sign copies of the trade as well as her first issue of Marvel Comics’ Runaways. All food items (hamburgers, soda, etc.) at the cookout will be $1. All proceeds will go to the Anti Cruelty Society of Chicago. Challengers Comics is located at 1845 N. Western Ave. 2R in Bucktown.

“Female heroines kicking butt and doing good is right up our alley,” explained Patrick Brower co-owner of Challengers Comics.  “The Anti Cruelty Society does really amazing things not only to enable people to take better care of their pets but also works to help communities understand and empathize with the animal world.  The more you learn about animals the more you will want to protect them and do right by them. Doing the right thing and protecting the innocent is what Patsy Walker: Hellcat is all about!” Fun on a bun!"

If you missed the Amber Benson signing last week (I'll be posting my interview with her soon!), you missed out on a great time, so don't let this one pass you by and hang with some of the coolest folk in the comic book biz.

Check this one out and be sure to tell 'em you read about it here on the Geek To Me blog!

Posted at 12:05 p.m. - Tuesday, June 23

Comic book creator and self-styled 'sketch colorist' Jeff Balke sent me the following info via the GeekToMe hotline:

"Hey Elliott,

How are you?  Whatcha been up to lately? So hey, I was wondering if there was a way we can get Zombie Con in the blog for the Red Eye?  The con is this Saturday.  I'm excited about it!  I'm really thinking its going to KICK ASS and I'm hoping its going to be bigger next year !

But anyway, I have the flier attached.  I hope you can make it there."

Well, Jeff, ask and ye shall receive!

In addition to Jeff, you'll also have a chance to meet comic artist and Hack/Slash creator, Tim Seeley!

So, if you are a fan of all things undead, check out Zombie-Con!  Maybe I'll see you there?

And as always, if you've got an event that Chicago's geek and nerd population is gonna dig, drop me a line!

Posted at 9:15 a.m. - Tuesday, June 16

Courtesy of Marvel.com:

Folks who have been reading Captain America for the last year or two know about the subplot of Sharon Carter (AKA Agent 13) and her involvement with the 'assassination' of Steve Rogers, the original Captain America.  Writer Ed Brubaker has dropped subtle hints about what really happened that fateful day on those court house steps and now it appears that he's going to reveal the 'truth' behind the 'death' of Captain America.

Here's the problem, though.  Ever since James 'Bucky' Barnes took over the role as Captain America last year, he's developed a very loyal fan base.  Many current Cap readers have voiced their displeasure over Rogers' proposed return, vowing to drop the book if he does.  (Even a noted pop-culture scholar prefers Bucky over Steve.)

So what fate lies ahead for our good Captain?  To be continued...

Posted at 1:55 p.m. - Thursday, June 11

The folks of the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo have already started putting together little 'events' to whet the appetites of fanboys and fangirls in Chicago.  In anticipation of the mega-sized event that will be coming to town in 2010, the C2E2 crew has put together a 'virtual panel' where 'attendees' can interact with local artist/creator superstar Alex Ross!

If you'd like to be a part of this on-line event, go to the C2E2 web site and register!

Virtual 'attendance' is limited to 999 people, so don't delay.

Now I'm holding hope that this event is the mother-of-all-chicago-cons as it's being hyped as being.  After going to the San Diego Comic Convention the past few years, there's nothing that tells me that we don't deserve an event as mega-sized and as extravagant as SDCC.

Sure, we've got Wizard World in Rosemont, but lately it appears as if the crews of the major comic companies are skipping WW for SD.  Perhaps with the attention that this new convention will bring, we'll see more big feature talents appearing in our city.

One can only hope.

Posted at 12:55 p.m. - Tuesday, June 9

It was on this day seventy-five years ago that an ill-tempered and cantankerous duck in a sailor suit would debut on the silver screen.  Yeah folks, it's Donald Duck's birthday!

To celebrate the occasion, Disney is offering a special once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a piece of history.  From D23: The Official Community for Disney Fans :

"For the first time ever, Disney is turning to fans to create an official portrait of one of its biggest stars.  Finalists in the Donald Duck 75th Anniversary Portrait Contest will have their work unveiled and displayed at the inaugural D23 Expo, which will be held September 10-13 at the Anaheim Convention Center, adjacent to DisneyLand.

The contest is hosted by D23: The Official Community for Disney Fans, and is open to all D23 Members who are 18 or older. Full-length oil, acrylic or watercolor canvas portraits of Donald Duck, no larger than 24” W x 36” H, are eligible.  Artists must first submit an original sketch, in any medium or size, of the planned artwork.  The submission form, as well as full contest rules and additional details, can be found at the official D23 website, http://www.disney.com/D23.  All finalists selected to have their works displayed will be eligible for two complimentary, four-day admission passes to the D23 Expo.

The creator of the winning portrait will receive an authentic “Duckster” – an award that Walt Disney personally commissioned in 1960 and which has been presented fewer than two dozen times to people who made significant contributions to the Walt Disney Studios.  The last time a “Duckster” was awarded was nearly 20 years ago, and only a few of these rare, bronze statuettes of Donald Duck remain in the Walt Disney Archives. Among the past recipients of the “Duckster” are Clarence Nash, the original voice of Donald Duck, and famed Donald illustrator Carl Barks."

Now, I've always been partial to the fowl-mouthed (get it? 'fowl'? LOL!) Donald myself, preferring his hot-tempered antics to the comparatively cool-as-a-cucumber Mickey Mouse.  As a matter of fact, the Noah's Ark sequence of FANTASIA 2000, starring Donald as the legendary ship-builder is my all-time fave.  Although, can someone explain to me why Mickey, Minnie and Goofy ALL WEAR PANTS but DONALD DOESN'T?

Posted at 11:35 a.m. - Thursday, May 28



Dear Archie,

Please allow me to congratulate you on finally making the decision that millions of readers have waited decades for you to make.  After what seemed like an eternity for us - although you've never seemed to age at all in that time - you've decided to take the plunge and settle down with one of Riverdale's most sought-after bachelorettes.  I'm sure that the choice was a tough one, and that Veronica sure is a looker.

I just have one question to ask...

WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU!!!

REALLY!?  You chose VERONICA over BETTY!?  Good God man, have you no sense?

For how many years did that self-centered, rich, spoiled Paris-Hilton-in-the-making torment you?  How many times did you have to take that humiliating part-time job so you could have the $$$ to keep a woman like that happy?  And for how long did she dangle that rich snob Reggie over your head as competition?

Sure, she's appeared to have changed a bit recently.  A little more humble, not so materialistic.  But you do know that adage about a leopard and its spots, don't you?

And through all that, Betty stood by your side.  Always there for you, ready to listen to you when you were down and not expecting anything in return.

Man, that's just cold.

You do realize that you're going to need to make some serious cheddar if you plan on keeping Ronnie happy.  The girl does have a certain standard of living which includes multiple trips to Macy's, Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's.  Be ready to get some serious credit card bills, buddy.

And ya' think you're not gonna go into hock over that wedding?  Think again.  I know that it's customary for the father of the bride to pay for the wedding, but I'm not sure he's going to be all that pleased to hear that the apple of his eye picked the one dude in all of Riverdale who can't stay gainfully employed.  He may stick you with the bill just to teach you a lesson.

Oh yeah, and those days of Jughead coming by your place, crashing on your couch and eating you out of house and home?  Those days are OVER my friend.  Better tell your pal that he's gonna need to find someone else to sponge off of.

Right now, all I can think about is poor Betty.  She must be devastated right now.  All those years of hoping, praying, waiting...all for nought.  She's gonna need a friend right now to see her through.

Can I have her number?

***************************************

Read more about the historic Archie #600 at the Archie Comics web site.

Posted at 10:05 a.m. - Wednesday, May 27

Oh, what a wondrous time to be a geek!  If only they had this event when I was in High School (Whitney Young MHS - GO DOLPHINS!) maybe I wouldn't have been so emotionally scarred after my prom date refused my offer to go dressed as Han Solo and Princess Leia Organa.  What?  Why not go as Luke and Leia?  Would YOU take your sister to the prom?  EWWWWWWW...

Check out PumpingStationOne.org for more info!

Posted at 2:25 p.m. - Tuesday, May 19

Earlier today I told you about the Pinball Tournament that's being held at Gameworks, at the Streets of Woodfield in Schaumburg, IL.  Now, local pinball pro Zach Sharpe (showing off one of his tournament trophies below) shares some tips on how to improve your game:

4. Dead flipping - Sometimes it's better to NOT flip and to let the ball bounce over in order to regain control.
5. Probably the best tip and staple of pinball.....shoot the flashing lights!  Games are very good at showing you what to shoot for via lights.

Posted at 1:25 p.m. - Tuesday, May 19

While toiling on a top-secret comic book project in the Fortress of Geekitude, local pinball wizard Zach Sharpe sent me a message via teh interwebs:

"Hi Elliott,

It's your resident pinball pro once again passing along the good word.  You wrote a small piece back in December about a local tournament that took place at the GameWorks in the Streets of Woodfield (Schaumburg). The tournament ended up being a rousing success and over this upcoming Memorial Day Weekend, GameWorks will be teaming up with the IFPA to run an even bigger pinball tournament.

The press release Zach sent me offered this:

"Due to the overwhelming success and feedback from their first tournament held last December, GameWorks at the Streets of Woodfield in Schaumburg IL , will be holding its second major pinball tournament this Memorial Weekend. Many of the world’s top-ranked players will be traveling in for the May 22nd to 24th marathon competition. They’ll test their skills in the second GameWorks Pinball Tournament Of Champions with an increased prize package of over $1,300 in cash and prizes up for grabs."

"The World Pinball Tour features over $100,000 in cash and prizes given away each year. With fifteen international country directors, the IFPA has additionally created the first official player ranking system, which awards points based upon player performance. The World Pinball Player Rankings (WPPR) includes over 5000 players from 20 different countries.  And these numbers keep increasing with the venerable entertainment attraction—pinball—continuing to captivate and challenge both the young and young at heart after a more than 135 year history of unparalleled technological innovation and tactile interactivity."

[Photo courtesy Z. Sharpe]

"The GameWorks Pinball Tournament of Champions kicks off its qualifying rounds beginning Friday May 22nd from 6PM to Midnight and then again on Saturday May 23rd from Noon until Midnight and then on Sunday May 24th from Noon to 2PM. The Finals will then begin at 3PM and are scheduled to run until the last Champion is standing at approximately 8PM. Entries into the competition are priced at only $4 for one game or three games for $10. The tournament is open to the public for anyone who wants to try their flipper skills."

So for all you pinball maniacs out there, the event is this weekend and open to the public.  I'll be there myself checking out the scene and perhaps giving the ol' flipper fingers a try!

Check back later today when Zach will be offering tips on how to be a successful pinball player.

If you'd like to learn more about the event, visit GameWorks.com.

See you there!

Posted at 10:05 p.m. - Friday, May 15

ATTENTION ALL FANBOYS & FANGIRLS!  Dark Horse Comics is joining forces with G4 to offer a sweet deal for the pop-culture fanatic who can prove their geekiness and/or nerdiness in an exemplary fashion and win a spot as a Special Correspondent at Comic Con International in San Diego!  Here's the 411 from the 'horse's mouth':

MILWAUKIE, OR, May 15 – Beginning today, G4 and Dark Horse Comics are kicking off a search for the ultimate Comic-Con fan who will receive the opportunity of a lifetime – the chance to appear in G4’s special coverage of the year’s most buzzed about convention. One lucky winner will be selected as a “Special Correspondent” to G4 and join “Attack of the Show” hosts Olivia Munn and Kevin Pereira, as well as Comic Book Expert Blair Butler on the show floor.  Dark Horse, one of the largest comic book publishers, with titles like Hellboy, Star Wars, Umbrella Academy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Alien will also welcome the winner as their “official guest,” granting access to their special event and more. To enter, fans are encouraged to create a video that demonstrates their pop culture knowledge and on-camera abilities, and submit to g4tv.com/comiccon. 

Sounds like fun to me!  The winner will get airfare and accomodations provided, along with some cool swag and an opportunity to see a ton of behind-the-scenes stuff. The contest kicks off today and ends on June 22nd, so get those digital cameras going folks, and maybe I'll see you in San Diego!

Posted at 8:30 a.m. - Friday, April 24

As I mentioned in my last posting, the ChicagoCon Ethical Hacking Conference returns on May 8-9th, 2009 with a focus on 'Social Engineering.'

Yesterday, Donald C. Donzal, Editor-In-Chief of The Ethical Hacker Network & the founder and organizer of ChicagoCon, explained what Social Engineering was.  Now he helps non-nerds understand what they can do to prevent getting scammed by 'human hackers':

G2M: What are some of the things that people need to be aware of?

Donald Donzal: I’m glad you used the word aware. Awareness is the most powerful tool against these types of attacks. Now that you simply know of some examples from the above answers, do you think you are less susceptible? I would think so.

G2M: Is 'social engineering' always a bad thing?

DD: No. If the same techniques are used by an organization to test their own security, then they can plug the holes that will eventually be used by the bad guys. This method goes by many names including ethical hacking, penetration testing or if you’re an accounting firm, it’s an audit. There are even courses that teach corporations how to incorporate the thinking of the bad guys into their own audits of the internal networks, wireless networks and web-enables applications. One such class even exists for SE. The Social Engineering Master Class instructs students on how attacking humans is actually a repeatable process suitable for inclusion in their audits. I thought this was such a fantastic idea, that I brought the class to my local security event, ChicagoCon May 4 – 9.

G2M: What are some of the most famous/infamous cases of social engineering?

DD: (Bernard) Madoff is the best example right now. He took advantage of people based on three very human traits: 1. Our ability and need to trust  2. Our desire to make money 3. Our need to feel good about ourselves and give to charitable organizations. He later added a fourth which is our desire to be part of the ‘in’ crowd. You couldn’t just go to Bernie Madoff and ask to be part of his investment group. You had to be recommended by a current client… er… victim. Now that’s slick. As far as a popular attack not necessarily linked to a single case, there’s phishing. Phishing and its variants are huge right now. In fact, there’s so much information of individual people online these days that Spear Phishing, direct attacks on specific individuals, is much easier. If you can target one person or a smaller group of people who have what you want, your rate of success is much greater. And if an email message looks like it came from your bank, the link looks like your banks web site and the graphics match your banks logo and envelopes, then it must be from your bank, right? And now for the final push over the edge, why don’t we just add a small threat like, “If you don’t act now, your account will be frozen.” That’s pretty slick, too. And it again preys on our natural fears as human beings.

G2M: What are some simple things that people can do to protect themselves?

DD: There are many answers to this, but the simplest answer should come first. The use of common sense works like a charm. These attacks were here long before computers, so the best defenses are the same that they were 2000 years ago. If a Nigerian Politician needs you to send him $30,000 to get him out of the country, and I turn he’ll give you $1,000,000, just delete the email! When people got this in their snail mailboxes 50 years ago, throwing it away was the best answer. That remains true today. Awareness as mentioned above is also a great protection.

******************
For more information on ChicagoCon09, visit the event website and also be sure to check out the Ethical Hackers Network site!

Posted at 12:50 p.m. - Thursday, April 23

The ChicagoCon Ethical Hacking Conference returns on May 8-9th, 2009 with an interesting new topic: 'human hacking' AKA 'Social Engineering.'

In advance of the conference, Donald C. Donzal, Editor-In-Chief of The Ethical Hacker Network & the founder and organizer of ChicagoCon, explains what Social Engineering is:

G2M: For those who are not familiar, explain 'social engineering.'  How does one 'hack a human?'

Donald Donzal: Social Engineering is defined by Wikipedia as “the act of manipulating people into performing actions or divulging confidential information. While similar to a confidence trick or simple fraud, the term typically applies to trickery or deception for the purpose of information gathering, fraud or computer system access; in most cases the attacker never comes face-to-face with the victim.” While not totally accurate, it serves as a good starting point for the uninitiated. So how does one do this? It’s actually much easier than you might think. In these tough economic times where tax refunds are almost like that crucial extra paycheck, it might be very beneficial to get that money quicker. What if I sent you an email message with a way to do it for free? All you have to do is click on this link, send me your personal information including bank accounts for direct deposit, and I’d be willing to bet that lots of people would do it.

G2M: Is his something that happens solely on the internet, or can it happen in any social situation?

DD: One simply has to look at the (Bernard) Madoff case to see that not only are humans easily duped, but even the ones that are highly educated and affluent. So whether the attack is over the phone, via snail mail or on the Internet, the common denominator is trust. If we feel like we trust the person, the look of the envelope or the source of the email message, we are more likely to trust the contents. This has been true long before computers, and will continue long after the next big thing.

G2M: What does a 'social engineer' stand to gain from 'human hacking.'?

DD: Easier access into systems with no trace except for a memory in someone’s head. Even better is that the shame of being duped is another protection in the attacker’s favor. Imagine if I convinced you over the phone that I was one of your local technical support staffers that was helping your company recover from a possible breach in security. In order to prevent you from losing access for a day or more to network resources or even the Internet, I can help you on the phone right now change your password. All I need is your current username and password, so I can help you avoid any downtime. How many would fall for that? Now I have full access to whatever that person had. And if anything bad happens, do they find me? No. It looks like the employee I impersonated.

G2M: What is ChicagoCon?

ChicagoCon is actually 2 events in one, training and a conference. Training courses like the SE Master Class are held from Monday to Friday afternoon May 4 - 8. Then at 2:00 PM on Friday and all day Saturday is where the fun is. This is an entire 2-day Ethical Hacking Conference May 8 – 9 focused on helping the good guys learn the tools and techniques of the bad guys to bring back to their own businesses for better security. We have numerous presentations, free career counseling for this exciting field, a hands-on computer lab with a Capture the Flag contest, a lock picking instructional session, food and much more. Tickets to the 2-day Conference are just $100. Details can be found at www.chicagocon.com

Next up: How To Protect Yourself from Getting 'Hacked' by a 'Social Engineer.'

Posted at 9:25 a.m. - Monday, April 20

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES!

Info about this super-cool event came to mia via Geek Mail today:

Posted at 8:20 a.m. - Friday, March 20

Here's another interview from the Fangoria Weekend of Horrors, this time with 'horror hunk' Justin Alvarez.  Justin talks about his newest film 'Stronger Than Death' and his part in the Hot Hunks of Horror Calendar fundraiser for the Lynn Sage Foundation and breast cancer awareness.

You can learn more about Justin by visiting his web site!

Posted at 9:25 a.m. - Monday, March 16

Here's another Geek To Me TV segment from Fango Con, this one with horror movie actor/director/sfx artist Tom Savini.   Note: No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't get on Mr. Savini's good side.  :-(

You can learn more about Tom's school for aspiring movie makers at Savini.com.

Posted at 10:55 a.m. - Friday, March 13

Oh boy, this is one fight that's gonna be bloody:

In the brown corner: the 'Browncoats', fans of the under-appreciated sci-fi series 'Serenity' by Joss Whedon.

In the Red, White and Blue corner: the 'Colbert Nation,' followers of faux-pundit and uber-geekoid funnyman Stephen Colbert.

The Contest: Who can gets the most votes to have a NASA module named for their favorite show/personality.

As of this writing, Serenity leads the votes among the four names NASA had chosen for the public to vote on.  'COLBERT' is in the lead of write-in votes, this after Stephen Colbert himself rallied the Nation to visit the site and vote for him as a write-in candidate.

Now comes this spirited skirmish between the two Nerd Nations, exemplified quite nicely by some trash-talk on the No Fact Zone, a Colbert fan-site.

I've seen what the 'Whedonites' can do when they come together.  Last year they scored a massive upset by voting Buffy The Vampire Slayer as the Best Superhero in the RedEye Superhero Tournament, ousting such popular heroes like Superman and Spiderman.  But can they take down the Lord of All Geeks?  (I mean, the guy played D & D as a youngster and even had Gary Gygax sign his Dungeon Master Rule Book.)

So, just who is going to come out on top is anyone's guess, but I've got my money on the guy with the arctophobia. 

Look it up, already.  Isn't that what the internet is for?  ;-)

Posted at 9:00 a.m. - Thursday, March 12

This past weekend saw the many personalities of the world of horror descend on Rosemont, IL for the 2009 Fangoria Weekend of Horrors.  Horror movie geeks of all kinds came to meet their fave celebs and share in their love of all things spooky and gory.  Braving the torential rains that were coming down outside, I grabbed my digital cam and managed to get a few 'Blair Witch Project' style interviews with some of the nice folks who were in attendance.  My first interview is with the 2009 Fangoria Spooksmodel, Shannon Lark:

Check back for more interviews!

Posted at 9:30 p.m. - Wednesday, March 4

Local comic book creator Art Baltazar sends out word of a very special fund raiser that he's holding this coming weekend:

Aw Yeah REMINDER!
Benefit Concert/Live Art show
for ASHLEY BALTAZAR!!!

My family is having a benefit concert for my 19 year old cousin Ashley Baltazar!
She's been in a coma since September and her parents need LOTS of help with hospital bills!

Saturday, March 7th, 2009!!!!
Cornerstone Bar
7pm till midnight!
8025 South Cass Avenue
1/3 Mile north of I-55 on Cass Avenue
in Darien, Illinois
(630) 960-1600

Live concert by THE HOUSEBOYZ!!
Featured Artists will be painting and drawing for donations!

Art Baltazar -cartoonist for DC Comics and Disney Adventures, Patrick the Wolf Boy!
Patrick Brower – Owner of Challengers Comic shop and inker for Devil’s Due Publishing
Rene Castellano - artist/creator of the Fighter and Dorks comics from Instant Press
David Gruba - creator of White Knife from Instant Press
Matt Kapolczynski –artist from The Nerve Gallery
Nino Mesarina - artist/creator of The Unbelievable Laundry Detergent Man.
Mike Norton - artist for Marvel and DC Comics
Edmund Nowiszewski –artist from the Nerve Gallery
Walter Piper - artist from the Nerve Gallery
Bob Renzas - cartoonist/animator for TRIX Rabbit and Animal Quackers Art Studio
Tim Seeley - artist of GI JOE and MARVEL and creator of Hack/Slash from Devil’s due publishing
Greg Titus – artist for Marvel comics, DC Comics, Lucasfilm.
-------------------------------------
$10 Cover, children under 12 years free.
Silent Auctions and Raffles, awesome artwork and much more!!!

Please join us and make history!!!!

More info here…
http://www.thehouseboyz.com/#
http://www.cornerstonebanquets.com/
http://www.artbaltazar.com/news

************************************************************

Now, if you're a fan of comics, want to help a good cause and meet some of the top talents in the business, you want to go to this event!  You know I'll be there!

As Art often says 'AW YEAH MAN'!

Posted at 12:15 p.m. - Wednesday, February 11

On the first leg of the Geek To Me Comic Shop Tour, I stopped off to visit with the fine folks of Challengers Comics and Conversation.  Now these cool cats are holding a special Valentine's Day event with local comic book creator Art Baltazar.  (Click on image below for details.)

(If you've never read Tiny Titans, its a wonderful book for fans of all ages.  It's a great title to turn younger readers on to, but also has plenty of fun stuff for older readers as well.)

And just so you know, not only are the guys and gals at Challengers C & C a real treat to hang out with, Art is a real hoot too!  So, if you're a fanboy who really wants to impress your fangirl-friend, this is the thing to take her to.  And if you go, tell 'em you heard about it on Geek To Me!

Here's the video from my first visit to Challengers:

 

Posted at 4:10 p.m. - Monday, February 2

Today's announcement of a new comic convention in Chicago may come as a surprise to some.  Those who are familiar with what's been going on in the convention scene have already seen the postponement and outright cancellation of some shows in other cities, so the thought of yet another NEW show being started may seem strange.

But I guess it all comes down to the idea that Chicago can and will support a show that 'will feature "artists, creators and celebrities from Hollywood, TV , comics, books, video games, toys, Anime, Manga and all other applicable aspects of the popular arts" much like Wizard World Chicago does.  But do we need another Wizard World?

I say 'NO'.

What we NEED, and let's face it, DESERVE to have is something that approaches the magnitude of the Mother of All Comic Book Conventions: San Diego Comic Con International.

Now, I know that you're going to have some folks who are going to grouse that SDCCI is more of a festival for Hollywood these days, but I'm getting a bit tired of the Left Coast getting all the attention as capital of  fanboy media and entertainment.  If we can turn some of that spotlight over to the Midwest I know the Windy City can really get a chance to shine.

Another thing is that the biggest complaint you hear about Wizard World Chicago is that you never get a chance to see the REAL Chicago since the whole thing takes place in Rosemont, IL.  The guys who put together the Windy City Comic Con have already shown that if you build it in the city, they will come.

Let's have a show that gives Chicago's comic nerds, and geeks all across the Midwest, a chance to bask in the glory that is the exploding pop-culture entertainment scene without having to buy a plane ticket to California to do so.

Is that what is being planned with the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo? We can only hope.

Posted at 3:30 a.m. - Wednesday, January 7

Here's a little sumtin'-sumtin that came to me via 'Geek Mail':

'Who loves Chicago? The Fuglees love Chicago and the Fuglees love to rock! Polygroin Records recording artist “The Fuglees” will be performing in Chicago this Saturday (January 10th) at Martyr’s. You may already know this entertaining power-pop trio for their hit songs “Crazy Girls” and “David Lee Roth”. Their high energy midwestern sound is reminiscent of Cheap Trick with the humor of Ben Folds. You can take a listen at thefuglees.com.'

 

'Comic book nerds may know the band’s bass player, comic book artist Andy Kuhn. For the past 15 years he has drawn comics for just about everyone including Marvel and DC. Andy’s current comic book “Firebreather” (published by Image Comics) is being produced as an animated feature for The Cartoon Network. The band’s third CD is due out this summer. If you’re wondering how Andy finds the time to do both, you can come out to Martyr’s this Saturday and ask him in person.'

Sounds like a good time to me!  Tickets are available online through MusicToday.Com.

And as always, if you've got an event that Geek & Nerd Nation should hear about, just drop me a line!

Posted at 4:00 p.m. -Monday, January 5

As I had stated in a previous post, after meeting Rich Koz on the set of the Svengoolie show, I was inspired to come up the with idea I propose in this video:

If you are interested in participating in what is now being called The Coffin Building Project, drop me a line!

It's my hope that we can have a new casket to present to Rich in 2009 as his 30th anniversary gift, celebrating 30 years as Svengoolie!

Posted at 9:15 p.m. - Wednesday, December 3

A few weeks ago, I spent a day on the set of the Svengoolie show to research a feature for the Redeye.  The article will see print within the next couple weeks, but before it does I'll be sharing some video I shot while on the 'Svet.'

You can also meet the man himself this Friday, December 5th,  6 - 8 pm at the Comic Collector comics shop, located at 3246 Harlem in Riverside.  Rich Koz AKA Svengoolie will be there in his 'Sventa Claus' outfit and will be signing autographs and taking pictures with fans. 

Now it should go without saying that meeting Mr. Koz was one of the biggest geek-outs I've ever had.  The man is funny, charming and a true class act.  He and his crew went out of their way to give me a real behind-the-scenes experience, showing me so much that it pained me to edit anything out of my article.

I hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I did putting it together!

I'll be out of town this weekend, otherwise I'd be at 'Sventa Claus' appearance myself, so if you go, say hi to Rich - ahem, I mean Sven - for me!

Posted at 10:35 p.m. - Tuesday, November 25

Robert Kurztman has been working in the horror movie genre since his college days, starting off as an effects artist on Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead series before going on to building an impressive resume on a number of different genre features, including The Rage, a movie he directed and co-wrote with John Bisson.  The Rage will be shown as part of the MonstersHD Thanksgiving Day of the Dead Marathon.  Kurtzman spoke with me about the marathon, his experiences in film and what it’s like to work in Bollywood.

Geek To Me: Where did the idea of having a monster movie marathon on Thanksgiving come up?

 

Robert Kurtzman: I would guess,[it's like] when I was growing up there was the ‘monster movie weekend,’ you had the late night horror host on Friday night, Saturday horror host – afternoon super host – and then your afternoon movie which was always a genre movie.  Most of the time King Kong played on the holiday weekend, y’know on Thanksgiving.   So when I was a kid I was looking forward every year as I got to watch King Kong.

 

So I would suppose that they [Monsters HD producers] had a similar thing when they were growing up, so they’re thinking ‘hey, Thanksgiving weekend marathon! Plus, it’s a zombie marathon and you eat a lot!’

 

G2M: What are some of the projects you’ve worked on that you look back on with the most fondness?

 

RK: Probably working on the Evil Dead movies, Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness.  I’m most fond of the ‘hey day’ movies when creature effects was kind of the burgeoning industry, y’know in the eighties, that’s when I got into it.  Movies like that, Bride of Re-Animator and films like that, I really enjoyed working on.

 

Army of Darkness is probably the best time I’ve ever had working on a film.  You’re a big kid out there, you get to play with skeleton puppets, and guys on horseback with swordplay.  That’s great.

 

The second one (Evil Dead 2) was a blast to work on too.  We were kids, I was probably about twenty, and they stuck us in this ‘Texas Chainsaw’ type house, the effects guys were all in this house out in the country, a scary barn with the pillars out front.  We all stayed in the house while making a movie, being shot in an abandoned middle school, which is were they built all the stuff for Evil Dead, all the cabin sets and interiors.  It was three months in North Carolina, with Sam Raimi who’s a big kid, having a blast with a bunch of rubber monsters.

 

G2M: And beating the crap out of Bruce Campbell.

 

RK: Yeah, that’s the other thing.  Sam’s whole thing is ‘the innocent must suffer.’  Which is great because that’s the great things about the Die Hard films too, John McClane gets his ass kicked.

 

Then there’s other movies like Dances With Wolves and Misery, films like that, more main stream, aren’t so much genre movies, but I enjoyed them as well.

 

G2M: What is it about zombies that you think really strike a chord with people?

 

RK: Probably just the primal fear of having your flesh eaten by another human being and being eaten alive.  And the taboo of eating human flesh, it all plays into the thing, the phobia.  [It] continues to resonate over the years, as do vampires and werewolves for various reasons.

 

G2M: There are those that say that the zombie genre is played out, that there's nothing new you can do with them.  What are some of the challenges that you find as a creator to make these types of archetypes, like zombies, effective and resonate with people?

 

RK: There are two kinds of [approaches]: the very realistic approach to them, [recreating] what they would really look like decaying which is what you always try to make using the technology and make-up effects, creature effects and advances and that. You just try to make them more realistic and more anatomically correct.

 

And then you have the fantasy element, which [are] the goofier movies that are [created] really to be more fun than anything. 

The genre is never dead because someone eventually puts a twist on it and revives it somehow and comes up with a new idea.  Same with vampires and whatever, they get into that rut where it kind of overused and everything’s kind of similar, and then, you know, it dies out for a few years, and then – bam – somebody comes up with something real interesting.

 

I don’t think it ever truly dead.

 

G2M: Have you seen any of the current work in comic books being done with Zombies, like Robert Kirkman’s Walking Dead or Garth Ennis’ Crossed?

 

RK: I don’t really follow [them].  I’d been dabbling with the comics with The Rage release, but I really don’t collect them anymore.  Stopped doing that when I was in my teens, unfortunately.  Couldn’t afford it.

 

G2M : Speaking about The Rage, what do you felt worked best about that project?

 

RK: We set out to make a really fun kind of b-movie, roller coaster ride.  It has a lot of things, elements from films I grew up on, everything from Re-Animator to the old 40’s and 50’s (Bela) Legosi movies; mad doctor films and mix it in with some mutant animals, some living dead mutants; kind of a mix of everything where we just have fun with it.

 

It’s totally kind of a fun throwback movie.  We made it on a shoestring budget.  We kind of did it to experiment.  Me and John [Bisson] kind of wanted to experience the process that they did on Evil Dead when they went out and raised money and shot a movie outside the system kind of on their own in the back yard.  So we put a film crew together, in our home town, on my studio and everything and we made the movie.  Even though we’d made other films over the years, we went ‘hey, let’s go back and make a movie like we were making our first film.’  We basically did everything ourselves.  I was the DP (Director of Photography), John was production designer, and he was also writing and storyboarding the film.  We were doing a little of everything, built our own sets and it was that kind of guerilla movie.

 

G2M: Do you think you would want to re-visit The Rage like Sam Raimi did the Evil Dead movies?

 

RK: If there’s an opportunity, we already have ideas for spinning it off. It just depends on what’s going on at the time, what the market is and raising the financing again.

 

G2M: What do you think is going to be the next thing in horror that is going to strike a chord with fans of the genre?

 

RK: I think it’s going to be somebody coming up with an original concept that doesn’t use any of those creatures like vampires, werewolves and things.  They have been so overused. I think coming up with a new mythology for something, or experimenting with other cultures’ mythology. I just finished a film called ‘Hiss’ which is an Indian production, its all wrapped around their Snake Woman legend.  So there’s things that we’re not familiar with over here that might be a new inspiration for films over here like a golem-type film.

 

[‘Hiss’] is an all Hindi movie which definitely a different thing, working with an Indian crew and translators was an experience.  It was really cool.

 

G2M: Do scary movies go over in India?

 

RK: Yeah, they actually have a lot of horror films that come out, even our [American] films come out.  They had their 'Hammer Films' period over there too.  They made fifty of these snake movies, but they never had any with real transformations and snakes or special make-up.  They’ve been making these types of movies for a long time: supernatural movies and movies with witches.

G2M: Robert, thanks so much for taking this time to speak with me.

RK: Thank you.

******************************************

Visit MonstersHD.com for more info on their Thanksgiving Day of the Dead!

Posted at 8:25 p.m. - Monday, November 17

Got this notice from local film-maker Joe Avella:

Our latest short film Action City Bathroom is premiering tomorrow night at the Indie Incubator Film Fest!

One tough cop…
One ruthless killer…
One shitty bathroom.
Action City Bathroom!

The Indie Incubator is at The Original Mother’s, 26 W. Division Street.

The show is totally FREE!
Doors open at 7pm, show at 8pm.
Sponsored by Jameson Irish Whiskey.

A.C.B. Synopsis
Action City Bathroom is a nonstop-action-crime-thriller that takes place completely in my bathroom. It’s directed by Matt Kelley; written by Joe Avella and Matt Kelley; and stars Joe Avella, Tim Heurlin, Kate Lambert, Matt Kelley, Tim Racine, Neil Arsenty, and Kyle.

Come join us tomorrow for a night of drinking and sweet flicks!

**************

If you check out the show, be sure to tell Joe you read about it on Geek To Me!

Posted at 7:35 p.m. - Thursday, November 13

Courtesy of Yahoo Movies comes a new Watchmen trailer:

Zach Snyder has nailed the opening sequence to the series with this imagery.  As Borat would say: Verrrrry Niiiize.

I'd like to know what Geek To Me readers think about it so comment below!

Posted at 7:15 p.m. - Tuesday, November 11

Earlier today I posted a REDEYE EXCLUSIVE COMIC STRIP (Hey Newsarama!  You guys know what 'exclusive' means, right?) featuring the Savage Dragon congratulating President-Elect Barack Obama.  The strip was created by Erik Larsen on what was a killer deadline (thanks Erik!) and will be included in Savage Dragon #145.  So now I present to you, the COVER to that issue, due out in February 2009!

Posted at 9:55 a.m. - Tuesday, November 11

Here is a RedEye Geek to Me EXCLUSIVE!  To commemorate the Savage Dragon's return to the Chicago Police Department, Image Comics has provided us with a never-before-seen Savage Dragon strip produced exclusively for the RedEye!  Read my article on the Dragon's goin' blue in today's Redeye Geek To Me!

Click on image to view FULL SIZE! [Savage Dragon strip courtesy of Erik Larsen/Image Comics]

Posted at 1:55 p.m. - Tuesday, November 4

Using the very best that modern technology has to offer, the votes have all been tallied and the next President of the United States has been determined...

Ok, not really, but Geek To Me readers may recall the Rock The Vote 'election' that took place on-line to determine who would be our next toon leader.

This is from the Peanuts Rock The Vote site:

The red states, blue states, swing states, dog states and cat states have all had their say. The votes have been tallied across the country. And today, the balloons are dropping from the ceiling of the doghouse: Snoopy has been declared the winner in the online (mock) Presidential election at www.peanutsrocksthevote.com.

The fiercely contested five-way race also featured strong showings by Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus and Sally, who offered diverse platforms and campaign slogans (such as Charlie Brown’s “Equal rights for blockheads!” Linus’s “Improving education—about the Great Pumpkin” and Lucy’s “Crabbiness you can count on!”). Voters were also encouraged to register to vote in the real Presidential election on November 4.

Several thousand participants nationwide voted in the Peanuts election, with California boasting a particularly strong turnout. Snoopy was the golden boy in the Golden State, beating the next runner-up, Linus, by more than 2 to 1.  Yet the blanket-clutching, thumb-sucking philosopher found his own independent-minded constituency in New England, winning both Vermont and New Hampshire.

Voters in Nebraska, Montana and Maryland know a real man when they see one, giving Charlie Brown a victory over his own dog in those states. He also made a strong showing in non-wishy-washy South Dakota.

A strong female candidate played well with voters in New Mexico, Delaware and Michigan, who cast their ballots for Linus’ bossy big sister, Lucy: She won New Mexico, tied Snoopy in Delaware, and came in a strong second in Michigan.  While Sally didn’t win any states outright, Charlie Brown’s little sister did come in second to Snoopy in the Sunshine State of Florida—and as the youngest of the group, Sally’s political light may be just beginning to shine.

So...a female President in our future?  Time will tell...

Posted at 2:20 p.m. - Friday, October 31

My coverage of the Windy City Comic Con concludes with this interview with Len Kody and Jenny Frison, the creative team behind Image/Shadowline Comics' Chicago 1968.

(Geek To Me readers may remember that Chicago 1968 received the Kryptonite Medal in the Geek Factor Olympics, and Len Kody says he couldn't have been happier!)

 

Thanks to the great folks of the WCCC!  It was a great event and I can't wait to see what they have in store for next year!

Posted at 1:20 p.m. - Friday, October 31

Local publisher Avatar Press had a presence at the Windy City Comic Con and I managed to get David Marks to get on camera and talk about what the indie publisher has been doing and what the future will bring (Lord knows my future will involve lots of stomach crunches):

Check back later today for a Geek To Me podcast from Windy City Comic Con!

Posted at 11:20 a.m. - Friday, October 31

With all the craziness going on around him, Windy City Comic Con promoter Chris Neseman took some time to talk to me and give me his take on how the WCCC was going down and if there will be another one next year (and no, I did not swallow a basketball before the interview):

You can learn more about the WCCC at their web site!
Check back later today for more Geek To Me from the WCCC!

Posted at 8:20 a.m. - Friday, October 31

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE! My interviews from the Windy City Comic Con continue with this little chat with the nice folks of Evil Squirrel Comics of Rogers Park:

You can check out their website and tell them you saw them on Geek To Me TV!

Check back cuz' there's more to come!

Posted at 1:20 p.m. - Thursday, October 30

This is an interview I've been trying to get since Geek To Me started...Jeffrey Brown, indie graphic novelist and Transformers aficionado:

Keep checking back for more interviews!

Posted at 11:40 a.m. - Thursday, October 30

My coverage of last weekend's Windy City Comic Con continues with my interview with local indie comic book creator Jeff Zwirek!:

(FYI, Jeff will be appearing at Dreamland Comics on November 8th from 1pm - 3pm with Art Balatzar and yours truly for a comic book signing.)

Keep checking back because there's a lot more to come from the WCCC!

Posted at 8:20 a.m. - Thursday, October 30

The Windy City Comic Con gave me a few opportunities to meet and talk with some of Chicago's best and brightest creators.  Over the next couple days, I'll be sharing my interviews with a few creators, a comic shop owner and one of the WCCC's organizers.

Here's one to start us off:

I sit down with local comic book artist/writer Tim Seeley who talks to me about his hit comic Hack/Slash!

In a previous post, IT Security expert Don Donzal shared his Top 5 Non-Technical Tips for keeping your computer safe.  In today's Geek To Me feature, I spoke with Don about the term 'ethical hacker' and his Information Technology conference dubbed ChicagoCon.

I asked Don for some more details about ChicagoCon and this is what he had to share:

Microsoft Hackers Headline ChicagoCon on Oct 31 – Nov 1, 2008

Microsoft pen testers AKA ethical hackers, Billy Rios and John Walton, headline an impressive list of presentations by security researchers, practitioners and executives on Oct 31 & Nov 1, 2008 for the fall edition of ChicagoCon. For only $100 including food and swag, it's a steal. And without an exhibit hall full of sales pitches, you're free to learn from the pros, network with peers and advance your career. Register Now!

The Ethical Hacking Conference will have as it's opening keynote presentation, Billy Rios and John Walton, members of Microsoft's own pen testing team AKA Blue Hats:

Mischievous Eyes and Malicious Mindsets

The browser is our window to your secrets... and we've got mischievous eyes. As organizations push to increase the "richness" of online user experiences, they are also unwittingly increasing attack surface for organizations and their users. Join two of the best looking security researchers in the world as we dissect the current state of client side and web application security. We'll dive into the gory details and demonstrate the impact of client side vulnerabilities, blended threats, and targeted attacks. We'll cover everything from benign application vulnerabilities that gave college hopefuls a sneak peak on their admissions status, all the way to vulnerabilities used to steal your data and compromise your machine.

Other speakers during this conference dedicated to the legitimate profession of hacking include:

    * Karsten Abata (Halock Security Labs) on "Nailing the Insider"
    * Michael A. Davis (CEO of Savid Technologies) sheds light on the new focus of organized crime in "Modernization of Malware Factories"
    * Donald C. Donzal (Founder of ChicagoCon) brings you "DIY Career in Ethical Hacking"
    * Michael Gregg (Author, Superior Solutions, Inc.) on "Malware - The Continuing Evolving Threat"
    * Daniel V. Hoffman (SMobile Systems) enlightens with "Smartphones Aren't Currently Being Exploited - And the Titantic is Unsinkable"
    * Ryan Linn (SAS) helps you get the most from your security investment with "Pen Testing ROI"
    * Brian Wilson (Cisco) offer up his mastery of network security in "Layer 2 Tai Sigung"
    * Arlene Yetnikoff (DePaul) ponders “What Are We *Really* Supposed to be Worrying About?”
    * and many others.

Registration is still open and the ethical hacking conference alone sounds worth the price of admission.  So check it out and tell them you read about it on Geek To Me!

Posted at 4:05 p.m. - Tuesday, October 21

Here's a trailer for Marvel Comics' Ultimatum mini-series which is rumored to bring an 'end' to the current 'Ultimate Marvel Universe.'  For those who don't know, a few years back, Marvel Comics launched a series of 'ultimate' books designed to attract new readers to comics.  The theory was that if you 're-boot' the characters without decades of continuity and back story bogging them down, the average non-comic reader would be encouraged to try the book out.  Problem was that in the short time that the books were published, the continuity got just as complicated as the '616' Universe (what fanboys call the 'main' Marvel titles) and folks lost interest real fast.  I myself gave up on the Ultimate X-Men book as it seemed that they were trying to fit every character from the 616 Universe into the book and losing sight of what the whole purpose of rebooting a line was for.

I have my doubts, quite frankly, as the last 'event' mini-series Jeph Loeb was involved with was Onslaught Reborn, and anyone who read that book can tell you what an infuriating experience that was for the reader.

Lord knows I'll be thinking twice before plunking my hard-earned three bucks down on it.

Posted at 9:35 a.m. - Monday, October 20

October 27th will see the start of ChicagoCon, the Windy City's ONLY Ethical Hacking Conference for Computer and IT Professionals, and in advance of the event, organizer Donald Donzal is sharing some tips and tidbits with Geek To Me readers.  Our first nugget of cyber-wisdom comes in the form of a Top 5 list for non-nerds:

Top 5 Non-Technical Ways to Improve Online Security by Donald C. Donzal

The Big 4 technical solutions are still needed: Automatic Updates, Anti-Virus, Anti-Malware and Firewalls, and there are many Suites of products that combine them all and more. But the bad guys are no dummies. They realize that the weakest link in the security chain was, is and will remain people. With that in mind, here are 5 simple ideas to prevent the hacking of wetware… your brain:

1. Don’t Get Click Happy – It is human nature to just shoo away pop-ups like annoying gnats. Take the time to actually read what is being displayed before clicking anything. Or better yet, just close the window. Don’t click anywhere inside the window as it may just be a picture of a cancel button and take you elsewhere.

2. Use Real-World Common Sense – The exiled African Diplomat scam we have all seen plastered in our Inboxes actually predates the Internet, computers and for that matter telephones. Email is simply a new, cheap way to get more of you to fall for this scam. If this or any other hoax hit your real mailbox at your home, you’d throw it in the garbage without a second glance. Use that same real-world common sense in the electronic world.

3. Don’t Open Attachments – Currently, the number one way for a criminal to take control of your computer is through email attachments. Even if it’s from your Mother, question it. Especially if it ends with .exe!

4. REMEMBER: Everything Online Can be Captured – It’s not just your favorite search engine recording your buying habits. There are numerous ways that numerous groups (good and bad) can record everything you do online. If you keep this in the ‘front’ of your mind at all times, it may just change your habits.

5. Be Password Savvy – Passwords are not perfect, but they secure the vast majority of systems today. Try using pass-phrases instead of passwords. Don’t use the same password for MySpace as you would for online banking. And finally, learn the fine art of lying. When asked a special question for those password reminder forms – LIE!! Especially if you are a government official whose secret question may be answered with a simple Google search… Gov. Palin!

LOL!  Good one, Don!

You can learn more about the ChicagoCon - Ethical Hacking Conference by visiting their web site.  Also, read more of Don's security tips on The Ethical Hacker Network web magazine.

And keep checking back here on the Geek To Me blog!

Posted at 10:15 p.m. - Friday, October 17

The first reviews of the new James Bond flick 'The Quantum of Solace' are hitting the internet.  This one from the BBC describes it as 'a film that feels like the second part of a trilogy, with this being the bleaker second act. '  Oh yeah, that's the stuff.

Now, as someone who grew up with the Roger Moore Bond, followed by a general apathy for the Timothy Dalton Bond, and then had my interest in the character revived by the Pierce Brosnan Bond, I've gotta say that Daniel Craig has been really selling it and I've been buying it.  My only quibble with Casino Royale is that it felt a tad too long for what it was, with a rather abrupt ending.  My feeling is that Quantum will make up for that with a shorter run time and by tying up the loose ends of the first flick.

Check out the review and you can also see the trailer for Quantum of Solace!

Posted at 10:25 a.m. - Friday, October 17

Way cool news on the comic book convention front, as finally the local comic scene is going to get the spotlight in a convention FOR Chicago folks BY Chicago folks!  The good folks from the Windy City Comic Con sent me the following press release:

Comic Book Fandom Returns to Sweet Home Chicago.

Over a decade ago, Chicago was home to one if the best comic book
conventions in the world. To the dismay of thousands of fans, there has not
been a proper comic book convention in the city, for far too long. Now
Chicago will once again have a Comic Book convention to call its own. On
Saturday Oct. 25th, more than fifty comic book professionals, publishers and
vendors will be gathered together for the first ever Windy City Comicon.

The guest list includes top industry talent like Gene Ha, Don Kramer,
Skottie Young, Mike Norton, Jeffrey Brown, Jeff Lemire, Tim Seeley, Will
Pfeifer and dozens more. Comic book publishers Avatar Press, Olympian
Publishing, Short Pants Press, and Moonstone Books will also exhibit a wide
variety of new titles and upcoming projects.

"Diversity and quality is what we were looking for in our guest list. We
couldn't be happier on both accounts." commented show co-promoter Brion
Salazar. All of the guests are excited to finally have a traditional comic
show right here in the city.²

Additionally, comic book retailers from around the area will offers
thousands of back-issues, collectibles, toys, games, statues and apparel,
all at discounted prices.

Starting at noon on the day of the show, free seminars will be offered,
presented by comic book professionals teaching the craft of creating comics.

Tournaments and pick-up games for Magic: The Gathering and HeroClix players,
will be offered throughout the day. There is room for over a hundred gamers
to match wits and compete for Limited Edition prizes.

The Hero Initiative, a not-for-profit organization, will have guest signings
and exclusive products with all proceeds going to help veteran creators in
need. Also, a special Heroclix tournament option offers a fun and easy way
to help The Siegel and Shuster Society¹s efforts to save the home of
Superman co-creator Jerry Siegel.

The Center on Halsted will be the home for the 2008 Windy City Comicon on
Saturday October 25th, from 10:00am to 6:00pm. This brand new community
center is in the heart of Chicago's North Side, blocks from Wrigley Field.

"The Center has everything we were looking for in a venue.² said show
co-promoter Christopher Neseman. ³Attendees are steps away from an endless
variety of eateries, shopping and entertainment when the convention
concludes. We¹re excited to show why we feel Chicago is the greatest city in
the world."

Tickets are still available and only $5.00. Free gift packs for the first
500 attendees.

To purchase tickets, see a complete list of guests, exhibitors and
retailers, or find additional information on the show, visit the Windy City
Comicon website at www.windycitycomicon.com.

***************************************************************************
This promises to be a top-notch event with great talent and it deserves the full support that the local fanboy and fangirl community can give!  I know I'll be there and I hope to see you there as well!

Posted at 2:45 p.m. - Wednesday, October 15

This message got to me via Geek Mail.  Sounds cool so I'm passing it on to you, my readers, AKA the League of Extraordi-Nerdy Geeks :

'Hey Elliott!

Here at WonderHowTo.com, we have launched the inaugural WonderHowTo Awards.  What is WonderHowTo.com you ask?  It is the online super-site for all how-to videos.  You can learn to do pretty much anything on this site – finally giving you the instruction you need to pull of those MacGyver or Jack Bauer moves.

The 2008 WonderHowTo Video Awards celebrates excellent how-to videos in a variety of unique categories including Weird Science, Hacks, World War III, and McLovin’s Playbook, among others.  You will have the opportunity to vote on your favorite videos in each category once a day until November 13 when the winners are announced.

Be sure to tell all of your friends about the competition and you can snag a FREE WonderHowTo.com t-shirt.  Click here, as Jackass front man Johnny Knoxville and WonderHowTo President Stephen Chao tell you how.

Vote early and often for the WonderHowTo.com Awards!'

Check it out and tell your friends.  And don't forget to let them know you heard about it here on the Geek To Me blog!

Posted at 9:00 a.m. - Sunday, October 12

It was a fun Saturday afternoon at the TNA Wrestling Fan Interactive Event where hundreds of wrestling fans came out to meet their favorite stars.  I managed to get a couple interviews with some of the talent: The Motor City Machine Guns, The Rock n' Rave Infection (w/Christy Hemme) and Consequences Creed.

[Special thanks to Steven Godfrey and the PR Dept. of TNA Wrestling for all their help.]

MotorCity MachineGun Alex Shelley administers the G.N.A.T. (Geek Nerd Analysis Test) to his partner Chris Sabin.

The Rock n' Rave Infection talks to me about their fellow wrestlers, the creative process in wrestling and who they'd like to work with. Now this was FUN...X-Division Contender Consequences Creed takes the G.N.A.T. and really gets into it, truly thinking over his answers.  He even liked a catch phrase I suggested!

Posted at 9:00 a.m. - Saturday, October 11

[Kurt Angle in TNA iMPACT! video game image courtesy Midway Games]

After discussing the nature of the current goings-on within TNA Wrestling with Jeff Jarrett, I was able to sit down with TNA Superstar and former Olympic Gold Medalist, Kurt Angle. Angle was open and frank about what he was expecting at Bound For Glory IV and gave a 'shoot' interview, saying what he truly thought about Jeff Jarrett and their upcoming match.  Kurt also gave his opinion about 'gimmick matches', the blurring of fiction and reality in TNA's television storylines, and what Jeff Jarrett should expect in their match at Bound for Glory.

Posted at 11:05 a.m. - Tuesday, October 7

This event is so cool and comes to us via BoingBoing.net - A Directory of Wonderful things:

"Our WIRED friend Melanie Cornwell gives us a heads up on the final two special events at the ongoing WIRED NextFest in Chicago this week. If you're in town, you gotta go! Melanie explains:

  [First, an] homage to "Inside the Actors Studio" called "Inside the Gamers Studio" with Chris Hardwick tackling the Lipton role in a live interview with Alex Seropian, founder of Bungie Studios and EP of Halo.  

This will be followed by our first ever Brain Bowl, in which super smart Chicago-area college students who play Quiz Bowl take on Wired editors, Chicago professors and other notables. We’ve been unofficially calling this event “Are you smarter than a Wired editor?” and when it comes to the students, the answer is surely “Yes!” As one of our editors noted, the students are still in the process of learning, while he spends a lot of his time forgetting. :-) Hardwick returns to his game show roots as host, it should be hilarious.

 

WHERE: Chicago’s Millennium Park
  WHEN: Wednesday, October 8, 2008
  Inside the Gamers Studio - 4:30-5:30pm
  Beer/Soft Drink Break – 5:30-6pm
  Brain Bowl – 6-8pm

 

They're our final NextFest events and are free and open to the public."

Way cool stuff going on in Millenium Park!  Be sure to check it out!

Posted at 8:30 a.m. - Tuesday, October 7

Following up on my interview with TNA Wrestling founder Jeff Jarrett, I have a conversation with Alex Shelley of the Motor City Machine Guns tag team.  The MCMGs are part of the promotion’s ‘X-Division’, where wrestlers excel with spectacular moves in and above the ring.  Alex and his partner, Chris Sabin, will be part of the Steel Asylum Match at Bound For Glory IV, which will be held at the Sears Center in Hoffman Estates this Sunday, October 12th.

It was cool to discuss the culture of the wrestling locker room with Alex, and he was pretty open and happy to satisfy my curiosity about why some wrestlers insist on being called by their ‘stage names.’  He even agreed to take the GNAT (Geek Nerd Analysis Test) to see if he was either a Geek or a Nerd, and I thought he had some pretty well thought out rationales as to why he made each pick:

Posted at 12:35 p.m. - Friday, October 3

Here's part of an e-mail that was sent out to all those who were members of the Invisible Army, the group Brad Meltzer asks folks to be a part of to help save the childhood home of Jerry Siegel:

'...thank you for what you did to save the house where Superman was created.  As you know, the goal was to raise $50,000 just to work on the outside of the house.  Instead, we raised $101,000. 101! Thousand!  Which now means we'll be working on the inside of the house as well.

This has been one of the most incredible, humbling, spectacular experiences I've even been a part of.  Of course, now the hard work begins as the Siegel & Shuster Society does the real fixing of the
house.  And just to show you what you unleashed, here's a photo from the impromptu clean-up at the house from this past weekend.

Finally, and perhaps most important, let me share what Jerry Siegel's
wife and daughter asked me to share with everyone who has been a part
of this:

We are overwhelmed by the generosity of everyone involved in this
massive undertaking.  We have great admiration for you and what you
are accomplishing with the auction.  We deeply appreciate the love and
care you put into it.  The amount of money that's already been raised to restore Jerry's house is a magnificent tribute to Jerry's memory!

We thank you and everyone who made this effort possible for honoring Jerry in this very special way.'

Sincerely,
Joanne Siegel and Laura Siegel Larson

And if that don't bring a tear to your eye, you are made of stone...

Posted at 10:20 a.m. - Thursday, October 2

As someone who is a fan of almost all things geeky, I will be covering the upcoming Total Nonstop Action Wrestling events coming to Chicago next week.  Wrestling geeks from all over Chicago and the Midwest will get a chance to see the TNA brand of pro-wrestling live and in person.

Because the folks at TNA are so cool and want to reach as many of their fans as they can, they have agreed to let me interview some of their talent, so I'm asking YOU, my readers, to suggest some questions to ask of TNA founder Jeff Jarrett, TNA Knockout Karen Angle, and the Motor City Machineguns.

If there's something you've always wanted to ask a pro wrestler, now's your chance.

Feel free to comment below or drop me a line!

Posted at 11:30 a.m. - Monday, September 29

Howdy pardners!  The cowpokes over at Moonstone Books are havin' a good, ol' fashioned hoedown where you'll get to meet some of the talented folks who write and draw them-there picture books.

Get yer best hat, put on yer spurs, and mosey on over to Amazing Fantasy Books in Frankfort, on Friday October 10th and tell 'em the Comic Book Kid sent ya'!

Posted at 2:10 p.m. - Tuesday, September 23

This one is too good to pass up folks.  From the Siegel & Shuster Society Auction:

'Right before Superman creator Jerry Siegel died, he signed a few T-shirts for his immediate family — and told his wife Joanne, that if the family ever needed money, they should sell the shirts.  No one knows these shirts exist.  But now, Joanne Siegel has donated one of these truly priceless items to the auction to save her husband's house. Forget the MasterCard ads.  This is what "priceless" means.  And best part?  The autograph sits directly on a bright red T-shirt for Superman IV:  The Quest for Peace.  Here it is, one of the rare autographs by the man who created Superman.

Jerry Siegel is without question one of the most important figures in comic history.  His contribution, in the form of a myth who flies, is probably the greatest contribution by any single individual in the history of comics.  As co-creator of the most famous of all mythical beings, the immortal Superman, he along with Joe Shuster propelled the superhero into the public consciousness, injecting popular American culture with one of the most enduring icons of the twentieth century.'

This item is a part of the Siegel & Shuster Society auction to help Save the Siegel House.

As of this writing, the bidding stands at $109.50 (reserve not met), which is really unbelievable.

THIS WAS THE CREATOR OF SUPERMAN!!!  Here is a chance to own something incredibly rare and extremely valuable, whether its monetary, historical or culturally.

VISIT THE AUCTION!  SAVE SUPERMAN!

Posted at 1:35 p.m. - Tuesday, September 16

I've written about it before

and like the shark in JAWS, it's back!

And this time, it's personal...

Just kidding.

But seriously, Local film maker Dan Lamoureux wrote me an e-mail to announce the latest developments with his film 'Nerdcore For Life.:

'Our Chicago screening is on!  It's going to be at Reggie's Music Joint
in the south loop on Sunday, October 5th.  We're having it at Reggie's
so we can do some live nerdcore performances right afterwords.  Here's
a blog post I just did with all the details.'

And here's what I lifted from his post:

NERDCORE FOR LIFE Screening

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 5th @ 5:00PM
REGGIE'S MUSIC JOINT
2105 South State Street, Chicago, IL
TICKETS: $8.00, AGES 18 and up only!
BAR and RESTAURANT will be OPEN and serving during the event!

So be there AND be square....

Posted at 9:05 p.m. - Tuesday, September 9

What does the term 'Dark Reign' mean for Marvel Comics?  According to the latest 'Marvel Pulse' news release, it's the follow-up to the best-selling mini-series Secret Invasion.  Details are sketchy and the creators are being intentionally vague, but this is what we know: Brian Michael Bendis, the mastermind behind Secret Invasion is leaving Mighty Avengers with issue #20 to start a new title: Dark Avengers.

Also, the 'status quo' in the Marvel Universe will change yet again, as it did after the Civil War mini-series with the super-heroes being divided into two factions.  What this new status quo is going to be, though, has not been disclosed.

I don't know.  As of late, these 'events' with supposedely 'far-reaching repercussions for the Marvel U'  have been geared to get people to read more and more books than is simply necessary, just to get a complete story.  While Marvel has been successful, for the most part, with telling the Secret Invasion story, these types of stunts tend to leave a sour taste in my mouth.

And for how long will these 'far-reaching repercussions' actually matter in the Marvel U?  Civil War saw Spider-man unmask, only to have the whole storyline annulled by Mephisto in the One More Day storyline.

After a while, these 'events' get pretty tiresome and it seems to me that after House of M, then Civil War, closely followed by Secret Invasion, it's getting played out rather quickly.

What say you, Marvelites?

Posted at 10:30 p.m. - Monday, September 1

Many of us read comic books for entertainment and some of us look to them for inspiration.  To us, the heroes in comics represent the very best we can be and they inspire us to overcome the injustices we encounter in our own lives.  These heroes often rescue us in our time of need, sometimes by helping us have hope, making us smile or just giving us an escape from the everyday.  Now, one of our heroes needs US to rescue HIM. 

Brad Meltzer, best-selling novelist and comic-book writer, has just announced the launch of The Siegel & Schuster Society, an organization dedicated to the preservation of the boyhood home of Jerry Siegel, where the character of Superman was first created.

It should go without saying that to allow a place of such cultural significance to degrade and decay would be an unpardonable offense.  Now's the time for fanboys and fangirls, geek and nerds, comic book fans of all types, to rally for this cause.  We're not being asked to change the course of a mighty river or to leap over a tall building.  All we're being asked to do is pitch in a bit.  Buy a shirt or bid on an auction item. Visit the site and you'll see they've got some pretty cool stuff that any comic book fan would want.  If we all work together, we can save a house and a home filled with memories.

Watch the video.  Visit the site.  Buy a shirt or bid on an auction item.  Do your part to help save a piece of history.

Save Superman.

Posted at 10:15 p.m. - Sunday, August 31

So it appears to come as a tremendous surprise that The Dark Knight has passed the $500 million mark, even entertaining the possibility that it will challenge all time Box-office champ Titanic.  But in reality, I'm sure it's not going to topple the historic romantic tragedy, and I'm going to go as far as saying that it shouldn't.

See, while I'm all giddy as a school girl that TDK has raked in buckets of cash, thus insuring the future of more Batman flicks and superhero flicks in general, a comment made by a WB exec about their plans for future superhero films has me worried:

(From the Wall Street Journal)' Like the recent Batman sequel -- which has become the highest-grossing film of the year thus far -- [Warner Bros. Pictures Group President] Mr. [Jeff] Robinov wants his next pack of superhero movies to be bathed in the same brooding tone as "The Dark Knight." Creatively, he sees exploring the evil side to characters as the key to unlocking some of Warner Bros.' DC properties. "We're going to try to go dark to the extent that the characters allow it," he says. That goes for the company's Superman franchise as well.'

Ahem.  'That goes for the Superman franchise as well'?

If that's the direction they decide to go in, then it will be painfully obvious that the execs at Warner Bros. have no idea what they're dealing with.  The Dark Knight was successful not because it was dark, brooding or 'evil', but because it was FAITHFUL TO THE ESSENCE OF THE CHARACTER (which just happened to be 'dark and brooding')!  Chris Nolan knew what elements of the Caped Crusader would translate well to celluloid and he brought those out.  He didn't have to change a thing.   Now, if you try to explore the 'dark side' of Superman, you're doing the exact opposite and that is going to seriously piss comic book fans off.

TDK succeeded because fanboys and fangirls recognized that a character they loved was being treated with respect to its origins, with reverence for all the work that previous creators had done to make the Batman what he is today.  If you have these loyal, obsessive (and sometimes rabid) fans in your corner, of course you're going to experience some measure of success.

But let's not fool ourselves, TDK is one of those once-in-a-generation-film experiences (like The Godfather or The Empire Strikes Back - two films that TDK compares favorably with) that probably won't be repeated in any of the upcoming Batman sequels.  The WB execs should avoid trying to recapture that 'lightning in a bottle' by trying to apply the same formula to the other characters.

The Batman film was dark because the CHARACTER is dark, Mr. Robinov, Superman IS NOT.

Superman is a hero from the opposite side of the spectrum.  Where Batman is darkness and shadows, Superman is glory and light.  If you expect comic books fans to see a 'dark, brooding' Superman film, you can stop counting them chickens, cuz they ain't gonna hatch.

Posted at 3:30 p.m. - Sunday, August 31

 

[Image by Lenil Francis Yu, courtesy of Marvel Comics]

The Skrull Invasion of the Marvel Universe passed its midpoint when Secret Invasion #5 came out a week or so ago.  Writer Brian Michael Bendis has been supplementing the goings-on in the main series with 'flashback' episodes in his Avengers titles (Mighty Avengers & New Avengers) and this past week revealed how the shape-shifting Skrulls figured out how to disguise themselves among us without being detected.

The story takes place in New Avengers #44 and reveals just how cruel and vengeful the Skrulls can be.  I won't go into any detail for those who haven't read it yet, but the torture that Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic of the Fantastic Four) endures at the hands of his alien interrogators is unsettling to say the least.

The book continues a trend of BMB taking real-life scenarios (muggings on video; violence against women; torture of 'enemy combatants') and plugging them into his books to give them a real-world resonance. I'm not sure how I feel about that just yet and have debated Bendis' methods with my fellow comic geeks ad nauseum.

I'd like to hear what Geek To Me readers think!  Have you been reading Secret Invasion?  And if so, has it been worth the 3 bucks a pop (for each issue) for you?

Comment away!

Posted at 8:00 a.m. - Thursday, August 28

This peculiar letter came via e-mail last night:

For those who aren't familiar, M.A.R.S. is the weapons manufacturing arm of COBRA, the evil arch-nemesis of GI Joe.  The message came as part of Hasbro's pre-launch hype of the new GI Joe line.  Joe fans are eagerly awaiting this new line, along with details on the new live-action film that's due out soon.

Apart from that, I understand that Hasbro has gotten Warren Ellis (Iron Man: Extremis, Transmetropolitan, Black Summer) to write the comic-book tie-in that will be available with the new toys.  Anyone who's read Ellis' stuff should know that the book will prove to be pretty freaky!

If you want to get in on the action, and be able to download a free GI Joe Poster, go to Hasbro.com and sign up for their FREE e-newsletter.  (Or just keep checking back here for new details.  Don't worry, I've got your back.)

Posted at 7:50 p.m. - Friday, August 22

On Saturday, August 23^rd, Amazing Fantasy Books (www.afbooks.com) will be holding their ‘Manga Mania’ event. Anime and Manga (pronounced mahn- gah) fans who come dressed as their favorite characters are eligible to win gift certificates and get extra discounts!

Which leads me to ask: Where were all the cute fangirls who dressed in Sailor Moon outfits when I was a young (er) fanboy?

Posted at 8:30 a.m. - Tuesday, August 19

If you've read V for Vendetta and Watchmen, you know who Alan Moore is, but do you really know who he is?  In anticipation of the Watchmen feature film, a biographical documentary is being released called The Mindscape of Alan Moore...

Posted at 2:30 p.m. - Wednesday, August 13

Virgin Comics, ever the maverick publishing company, has pulled out the stops in promoting their newest upcoming title: NOWHERE MAN.  They're holding a contest where 5 lucky winners will get to hang out with Hugh Jackman...in a comic book!

Posted at 8:30 a.m. - Tuesday, August 12

As hard as the folks at Warner Bros. are trying to keep a lid on it, the advance buzz on the new Star Wars Animated film : The Clone Wars isn't all that good.  Harry Knowles at Ain't It Cool News ripped the feature before being told to remove his review from his site with WB brass citing an 'embargo' on reviews until the release date.  That didn't stop some other outlets from posting their reviews, though...

Posted at 8:30 a.m. - Monday, August 11

Researching my piece on the 'SUPERDOGunderdog: Knuckle Opera for the Socially Challenged' comic art exhibit gave me an opportunity to meet some very talented folks, among them independent comic creator Jeff Zwirek (who featured prominently in the REDEYE Article)...

Posted at 10:28 p.m. - Sunday, August 10

Ok, I'll admit that I'm not a big Star Trek fan, but I am rather stoked about the JJ Abrams reboot of the Star Trek film franchise....

Posted at 8:46 a.m. - Monday, August 4

My upcoming  piece on the SUPERDOGunderdog: ‘Knuckle-Opera for the Socially Challenged' comic art exhibit just scratched the surface of what I was able to learn from the artists and the gallery's owner, Diane Tanios...

Posted at 8:38 a.m. - Wednesday, July 30

My Comic Con experience was drawing to a close and I had yet to speak to my last interview, Grant Morrison.  Most comic book readers know Grant from his work at Marvel (Marvel Boy) and DC (Final Crisis), but he was in town to plug his involvement in the Virgin Comics on-line feature tentatively titled 'MBX' based on The Mahabhrata, a considerably epic tome of Indian origin...

Posted at 8:36 a.m. PST - Sunday, July 27

While at Comic Con in San Diego, I had a chance to sit down with Peter Robbins, the original voice actor for Charlie Brown.  He and the entire Peanuts Gang have reunited to promote a new Peanuts Anniversary DVD set.