It all started Thursday with the release of The Amazing Spider-Man 2.  I really enjoyed the flick. Does it have its flaws?  Sure.  But the good outweighs the bad (the bad including a villain whose name could easily be Edward Nigma, and a third act that drags a bit in a spot or two).  The good thing about being a nerd is even the bad things weren’t so bad when I saw the movie a second time, and there was no question I would see it again.  The second time does have the distinction of being the first time in a long while I’ve paid to see a movie that was not IMAX or large format.  Viewing number two was Friday evening with friends in another city, and not at the theater where I am employed.

I like that these new Spidey movies seem to have a cause and effect form of storytelling, where Oscorp is the cause of much of the issues facing Peter.  I like the actors in this and the tone much better than the Sam Raimi films (though I did enjoy those flicks despite not prescribing to the notion Spider-Man 2 is the greatest thing since sliced bread).  All in all I’m impressed and entertained by what they’ve done with the Amazing Spider-Man, and can’t wait to see where they go with it.

Before I could see the movie a second time, however, I had to make the journey from where I live to the Twin Cities metro area of Minnesota where my friends live and where Wizard World Minneapolis would be happening.  I took my sweet damn time, too.  It’s really only two hours worth of travel, and I had stops to make along the way.

First I got a great deal on some comfortable shoes from the Fleet Farm as I was about halfway to my destination.  Then there were supplies to be purchased to lessen the impact of my stay on my hosts.  Like any good Minnesotan I walked into a Super Target for that.

Next on the journey was getting a CD from Best Buy. It was released last year, but of course I was a little late to the party.  The album in question was Pop Evil’s Onyx, which I am happy to report was worth the extra effort of purchasing.  Getting to the physical Best Buy building itself lead me to the discovery that an infamously shitty road/bridge had been redone.  I was pleasantly surprised enough that I almost snapped a photo.

From there I was on to my next and last destination before heading to where I’d be sleeping and defecating for two days.  In Minneapolis, right by where the Metrodome used to be (the former home of the Minnesota Vikings, now a ginormous hole where their new home will be), is a tiny, somewhat rundown store/museum called Dome Plus.  Walking in there was like falling into the Metrodome’s garage sale.  The walls and tables filling this tiny building were littered and lined with apparel and various gifts and trinkets bearing the logos of Minnesota sports teams.  I got myself a few items, but more importantly got a few things for my father’s upcoming birthday.  I didn’t have time to get to the museum as I had to pee, wanted to eat, and it was getting a little later than I had planned, but I think a return visit to the store/museum is in my near future.

I would like to note that this was the first time I used the GPS navigation on my phone because I wasn’t quite sure where this Dome Plus was.  Aside from going around in a few squares and circles until I found it, the thing worked great.  I’m guessing the errors in direction were on my part.  The nav did take me on a little bit different route to my hosts’ home, but I got there next after all those stops.  There I met up with friend Beth and was introduced to my new feline friends- Old Kitty, Creepy Kitty, and Cuddly Kitty.  While we waited for friend Brian to get home from work, we watched some nerdy TV and movie trailers, and ate Papa John’s Pizza.

Once Brian got there, we got some grub at a great burger place called Junior’s (I had the Reuben), and went to said second showing of Spidey with some of Beth and Brian’s friends.  Friend John met us there, who I have not seen for a while and don’t see often.  It was a nice treat.  But the best treat came Saturday when I went to my first comic con, the inaugural Wizard World Minneapolis.

I’ve gushed about going to this in the past.  Instead of running down what the experience means to me, why don’t I just go through the shit that made me jump, and squeal, and geek out?  First up, the effing DeLorean was the first thing you see when you walked in the door.  Not A DeLorean, THE DeLorean.  Marty McFly and Doc Brown’s stylish time machine tricked out with the exhaust, Mr. Fusion, time circuits, and the Flux Capacitor (which makes time travel possible).  It was $20 to sit in it, with the money going to a Michael J Fox charity of some kind.  I saved my pennies for other things, but got a few snaps on the old phone camera.

The next thing to strike me was the sheer number and type of people there. These were my people.  Nerds, some dressed up, crowded around booths selling comics, t-shirts, toys, posters, comics, and more.  It was like a comic book store threw up in the Minneapolis Convention Center.  There was quite possibly everything a nerd could ever want to purchase at this thing, some items more affordable than others.  Case in point, some Ninja Turtles and Super Friends toys I had when I was younger were going for over $100.  Thems for Beverly Hills nerds, I think.

My people buying all these products representing pop culture icons of page and screen were also dressing the parts.  I’ve seen photos and television shows devoted to Cosplay, but never have I been in a place where there were cosplayers, and so many of them, too.  To my delight there were quite a few Star Trek costumes, Ghostbusters, and Gotham City residents.  A gaggle of Sith and Mr. Inspector Gadget were some of the highlights, but I don’t think there was a bad costume in the house.  Except for this whole Steam Punk movement.  What the hell is that about?  No, it’s not an interesting twist on a character’s look. To me, they all look like rejects from the Disney flick Treasure Planet.

There was one subset of costumes that had me feeling like I was out of touch a little with nerd culture, and that was all the Doctor Who running around.  There were Doctors with their Tardis, weeping angels, and more.  It was one of the few times in which I though perhaps I should start watching the show.

Fans weren’t only able to dress up as favorite characters, but able to meet some of the actors bringing those characters to life.  My personal highlight?  THE Incredible Hulk Mr. Lou Ferrigno.  Again, saving my pennies for other things prevented me from getting a photo taken with him or getting his autograph, but I snapped some pics of him as he was less than 20 feet away from me.  I also got a glimpse of William Shatner, Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin (the d-bag was wearing an LA Kings hat), and Minneapolis native, and all around Asian go-to, James Hong.  Ralph Macchio and Michael Rooker were within shouting distance, and Gilbert Gottfried walked so close to us he could have farted on Brian.

Oddly, besides Ferrigno, the person who gave me the most nostalgic warm and fuzzies was an unexpected one.  I knew Crow creator James O’Barr would be at the con, but once I came upon his table, with all his artwork, I started to reminisce about the 90’s when the movie starring Brandon Lee came out.  I was fairly big fan of it and to a lesser extent the television series.  It wasn’t til I looked at the art on his table that I remembered I had had a graphic novel or two of The Crow, and had since lost it to time and circumstance.  I got a pic of Mr. O’Barr sketching his signature character, one that had been a favorite of mine to sketch when all other subjects lost their luster.  It was my go-to for sketching.

If I had any regrets about the con, it would be that I didn’t get any art from Mr. O’Barr and didn’t get it signed.  There was also some art by Rob Prior that was awfully neato (Friends Beth and Brian both got prints of his).  Lastly, I wish I had shelled a few more pennies away to get my photo with, or an autograph from, someone like Lou Ferrigno.  I get wallet sized copies of that shit and carry it around with me.  Not to say I didn’t walk away without any souvenirs.  I have a shirt as I always seem to find, and I framed my program with my wristband for the day.  Oft-mentioned pennies will most definitely be saved for next year’s event (I’m fairly certain there will be a next year given the sheer number of people packed into the convention center).

After the con we went to Grumpy’s in Minneapolis for some burgers (I had the buffalo chicken sandwich), and it was yet again another great little burger place.  That was pretty much the theme for the dining- bar and grill or just grill.

Oh, one more thing.  I did get to see an episode of Doctor Who titled “Blink.”  Color me intrigued, and color my DVR set to record some BBC America.  After that episode I had Friend Brian watch Arrow, and by Monday evening he and Friend Beth had reached about episode 17.  I consider that a successful weekend…

Not sure how all these things came to be on the same weekend, but this kind of celestial alignment usually signals the end of civilization or the coming of some kind of deity. Whatever the case, however this happened, a week from now is a collection of days commemorating and celebrating geek culture in my neck of the woods like none I’ll have experienced before. Not all of these things will be a huge event for me, but the fact that they’re happening at once is Marvel-ous.

First up is the release of The Amazing Spider-Man 2 in the United States. Some pesky foreigners have already been allowed to see this flick but for us here in America, next Friday is the day. Of course I’ll be going to one of those fun Thursday 8 p.m. shows (glad they do those instead of Midnight, because I’m getting too old for that). Hence the half a day off from work so my normal Thursday evening activities can be shoved aside with plenty of time before the projector goes.

I really enjoyed the first installment, even excusing the Goomba-looking Lizard. Andrew Garfield is a better Spidey (Tobey Maguire’s facial expressions always looked like he was pooping), Emma Stone is a waaay better female lead, and the villains look crazy fun. The plus side to these new movies compared to the Raimi ones is I don’t have to look at Kirsten Dunst, and people don’t just start crying for no damn reason.

I do like the fact that Sony seems to be trying to build a whole multi-film franchise with this property, but who isn’t after the success of Marvel Studios. I am a little worried about overload of bad guys in AS2, though I’m thinking some of it could just be planting seeds for larger roles in movies to come. Doesn’t really matter. In the end I’ll see it a few times, probably the first weekend.

Next on the nerd itinerary is Free Comic Book Day. This is a day meant to get non-nerds into reading comic books by giving them away for nothing, along with other fun prizes and gifts. I’m pretty sure most of the people consuming these periodicals are the same people who buy them on a weekly basis. I know I might have some fun with it as I don’t read too many comics anymore, though I’ll be at the first ever Minnespolis Wizard World Convention, surrounded by comics.

That’s right, you can read me gush in more detail about it a few weeks back, but this will be my first comic con, and it will be spent with some good friends, and I hope some good strangers. There have been some guests who have cancelled, but there have also been some additions. I’m planning on getting my supplies in the next couple of days. Some granola bars, bottled water, Ninja Turtles fruit snacks, and maybe some Depends. After all, who can afford a bathroom break when you’re trying to meet Bill Shatner?

Ending the weekend is Star Wars Day on Sunday. It’s a holiday that’s really taken hold since about the time they were promoting those Prequels. Again, not really going to celebrate it, it’s not like I bought a cake for it or anything. But it’s nice to know that a day like this exists, and it falls on such a fun weekend. I do, however, plan on ending my dealings with other people with, “May the Force be with you.” Or, the Fourth, I guess.

This is going to be my shortest column yet. There isn’t much to say, because I’m sure there will be enough in a recap of next weekend’s events. I’m not going to write anything next week, either, because I’m on mini vacation dammit. Also, since apparently nobody likes free shit, I’m going to just discontinue the use of my lame signature sign off without the help of a giveaway. If anyone decides to answer the trivia question, you losers know where to find me. See ya in two weeks! May the Fourth be with you!

Let me explain.  Individual sports in which a person is judged can make a day really drag on.  What better way to spend a Saturday than sit through about twenty girls for an hour waiting for the one girl to compete for about two minutes, and then repeat through about four teams?

Needless to say, adults, teens, grannies, and anyone who needs to keep their sanity during the down times come prepared with fully charged electronic devices.  Kindles are all ablaze with the fiery passion of 50 Shades of Grey that middle-aged women are craving, teens are taking selfies as if their lives depended on how good their duck faces are, and I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one reading status updates and news links on the Facebook.

Imagine if you will, a slightly bored man in his early 30’s, cellular phone in hand, perusing articles on the most popular social media website known to man.  Now imagine an article that starts with “In case you missed it…” appears as an update from a regional publication.  What follows that simple beginning is enough for the man to barely contain his pure excitement, only read through part of the article before sharing it, and then tag as many of his friends as he can who will appreciate the content.

It was all I could do to not stand up on those ass-chapping bleachers and shout to the heavens, announcing that a Wizard World Convention was coming to our frozen wasteland of Minnesota!  I feverishly texted most of the very same people I had just tagged in said shared article, alternating between text and Facebook, updating as I read more of the details, including the guests that would be attending the inaugural event in Minneapolis.  I decided right then and there I wasn’t going to miss the opportunity to attend my first convention- saaaaay WHAT???

That’s right, a 32-year-old nerd and I have never been to a convention.  I have been to the now defunct Star Trek: The Experience in Las Vegas (I wanted to work at Quark’s Bar!), I’d been to another Star Trek traveling exhibit when I was just a young lad in the 90’s, a traveling exhibit featuring the dinos of Jurassic Park, and theme parks like Disney World and Universal Studios.  But never a convention.

Not that it wasn’t for a lack of trying.  Once again referring back to my bachelor, apartment living days, there were actually a few occasions that plans were made as well as hotel reservations.  Red-Haired Roommate, Sickly Looking Roommate, and myself were going to go to Wizard World Chicago.  It was going to be a road trip, Chicago a mere 8 hour or so journey, depending on traffic, speed, and caffeine.  As happens in those bachelor apartment years, funds were not there to support the plans.  And so the meeting of celebrities, the buying of exclusives, and the camaraderie of like-minded people was lost.
I do know that Red-Haired Roommate and Sickly-Looking Roommate made the trip one year with a local comic book storeowner, helping him in exchange for passage.  However, Sickly-Looking Roommate had a tendency to exclude me from things so I did not go.  Wizard World Chicago has long been a Holy Grail for me, partly because I’ve never been to any convention and partly because of the failed attempts in the past.  However, the arrival of this convention to my home state can wash away that unfulfilled wish.  And it’s a Wizard World production to boot.

Who cares if it’s Wizard World?  I do, actually.  Back when magazines weren’t available on screens, Wizard was a comics publication that covered various aspects of nerdery and all that could go with it- comic books, movies, television, gaming, toys and collectables- you name it.  They also had offshoots specific to some categories like ToyFare magazine that dealt with, you guessed it, toys.  I read these zines and enjoyed the brand of humor employed in their articles.  So going to what seemed to me to be a physical, three-dimensional representation of the periodical I enjoyed would be a dream come true.

Minneapolis is no stranger to conventions.  There have been some regional things usually taking place in and around the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, and even a Star Trek Convention.  But this is certainly big news, and I fully expect to make a big deal out of it.  I’ve already taken the Thursday and Friday off from work the week of the convention and have already been offered accommodations in the area by Red-Haired Roommate who is now married to Blonde-Haired Wifey, who I in no way intend to reduce to a mere appendage to Red-Haired Roommate by calling her that (she offered, actually- thanks, by the by).  All I need now is some less-expensive advance tickets and I’m set!

The whole weekend sounds like it will be worth the price of admission.  My MN sensibilities had me skeptical of the talent that would be brought in.  Knowing our luck, we’d get that guy from Critters 4 and Steve Guttenberg.  But to my amazement, the guest list is on par with the other Wizard World Conventions, and I am impressed. Dean Cain (Teri Hatcher’s Man of Steel in Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman), Jason David Frank (the original green Power Ranger), Ralph Macchio (The Karate Kid), and James Hong (all around go to elderly Asian guy) are some of the special guests that will appear.

Joss Whedon alums James Marsters and Nicholas Brendan (Spike and Xander of Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Sean Astin (Rudy, The Lord of the Rings), and Lou Ferrigno (TV’s The Incredible Hulk) are a few of the heavy hitters to be showing up.  There are also several actors from The Walking Dead (yay!) that will be there, including the always badass Michael Rooker, the adulterer everyone loves to hate Jon Bernthal, and Laurie Holden.

While I’m freaking out at the aspect of being in the same building as Ferrigno, the marquee guest, the main attraction, the big kahuna of the con will be Captain Kirk himself William Shatner.  If I even catch a glimpse of that guy, I pretty much guarantee a hug for the closest person.  Some of the comics talent I’m looking forward to is Crow creator James O’Barr, Neil Adams, and Ethan Van Sciver.

What helps to really make sure I get there is nowadays social media and blogs and forums like this are around to help hold us accountable.  By the very mention of going to the event I will be asked questions about the particulars.  Like telling everybody you’re on a diet on the Facebook.  The delay for this column had started to worry me.  Would I make it to the convention as I’m having a hard enough time declaring my intent?

What I’m saying, if I’m saying anything at all, is that large and small, the comic book convention is the mecca for nerds of all shapes, sizes, and persuasions.  They are a place for all who worship at the feet of superheroes, elves, and creative types across multiple medias to congregate, celebrate, salivate, and purchase.  From the local comic book shop to the hallowed halls of San Diego, these are a must for nerds, geeks, and fanboys.  But I have never been to one.  That is, until now. Like a true pimp (or really lazy person), I made the convention come to me.

The countdown to May begins…Until then, what are your favorite convention memories or aspirations?  Let me know, especially if you have any tips for how to survive.

We are also pleased to announce the winner of our contest is Knight Errant and Champion of the show Kip Reed! Thank you for all your support of the show, Kip!

A few of the Best Moments of the year:

My Favorites:

• Beebop and Rock Steady
• Dr. Zoidberg
• Hocus Pocus
• The Digital Underground
• Every Deadpool Ever
• Tucker and Dale
• Black Dynamite
• Naked Sims
• American Gladiators
• Death (Hellboy 2)
• The Periodic Table of Elements

If you’re curious about the “Carpet Camouflage” cosplayers they are at around 36:20.

I want to hear from you. What are your favorites?

1. It’s incredibly well-staffed and organized as shit. Seriously they had forming a queue down to a fucking science. All of the staff (almost all of the staff) were friendly and helpful and good-humored despite the fact that it was 8 am and already starting to reek of nerd in the building. This was a HUGE difference from Dragon*Con, where the only line that is ever organized is the registration line. You might not think this is a big deal but when 50-100+ people are all trying to get into the room at once and it’s a total free-for-all, you get closer to humanity than you ever care to. I have been mashed up against so many boobs, butts, and (most likely) wangs at Dragon*Con for no other reason than I’m being crushed between a Luigi and a female Sub-Zero.
2. The Floor. Again, more organized. To be fair, NYCC is held at a convention center, whereas Dragon*Con has to deal with more space restrictions. However, NYCC had a lot bigger names as far as vendors/booths. As soon as we walked in the door we were accosted by a rep from Showtime, who asked if she could interview us. Granted, it was 8 am and I was still mostly asleep but it never dawned on me that “interview” meant “on camera.” The problem with this was they wanted to discuss the new show they’ll be premiering, Penny Dreadful, and the premise sounded…well, dreadful. Every time the interviewer asked me a question I had to bite back a snide “Oh Victorian London? SUPER ORIGINAL, GUY!” or a “Oh Frankenstein with no bolts or visible scars? So you’re Beauty and the Beast-ing him?” Needless to say I didn’t say much in the interview. Thankfully, Sarah had plenty to say, though she swears now she can’t remember any of it. What was I saying? Oh yeah, booths. So there was a HUGE Image Comics booth where I picked up the first two volumes of Saga (and got 1 free!), some major publishing talent, including Richard Kadrey at the Harper Collins booth. He was an absolute gentleman and I got a free Guillermo del Toro tote bag, which was kind of amazeballs. So yeah, better booths, better freebies, bigger names.
3. The cosplay was not as prevelant. I did see a lot of costumes, but nowhere near in the amount you see at Dragon*Con. I also think that because it was in a convention center and NOT in a hotel, there wasn’t the nonstop party atmosphere you get at DC. At DC  you can just pop up to your room and drink or join a dance party that goes until 4 am, whereas the Javits Center closes up shop at 7 p.m.!!!  I can imagine the scoffs that would get at DC.

Whatever, Malfoy.

So overall NYCC is cleaner and more organized, which contributes a LOT to my enjoyment. But Dragon*Con is a lot more of a no-holds barred, full-tilt boogie extravaganza.

In this episode, Beth & Jo chat about cosplay, DragonCon and perceptions of women cosplayers.

Take a listen and let’s hear your feedback in the comments. Or give a shout to the hosts at :

Beth: tumblr | twitter   and   Jo: tumblr | twitter

Further Nerd Education:

• For more information on Conventions or to find one in your area – http://www.upcomingcons.com/comic-conventions

• The super-supportive people at Cosplay.com have lots of threads about construction and the technical side of Costume Construction.

• And the greatest cosplay party in the country: www.dragoncon.org

Carpet Cosplay