Memories To Live On and Prosper

While the internet continued to implode about a color changing dress and llamas, the geek/nerd community suffered a saddening blow today. We said goodbye to long time iconic figure Leonard Nimoy, best known of course for his portrayal of the character Spock in Star Trek (TOS, The Original Series). Within minutes of the announcement, social media was flooded with a sea of tweets, posts and messages--fans of all ages expressed their sadness at the news. On Twitter alone the hashtags #RIPLeonardNimoy and #LLAP (Live Long and Prosper) became trending topics while actors and musicians alike shared their condolences. Most notably, Nimoy's fellow Star Trek actor and friend, William Shatner.

Nimoy died at the age of 83 due to complications resulting from late stage chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a diagnosis he made public last year. He accredited the disease to his former smoking habit, even though he had not smoked in 30 years. I did recall having heard on the radio days ago that Leonard Nimoy had been admitted to the hospital but the breaking news of his death had certainly caught me off guard.

I'm far to young to have seen anything but re-runs of the old Star Trek series, but I remember watching them as a child along with Star Trek TNG (The Next Generation) and loving the show (s) completely. My mother remembers rushing home every day after playing outside, to be home in time to catch the newest episode of Star Trek. I have her to thank for my later adoration of the sci-fi show that started it all. 

I like to think of myself as a Trekkie, but compared to some I would probably be considered more of a fan. I can't quote entire episodes by heart and I don't remember which episode Kirk fights the Gorn in, but I do know that it's one of the cheesiest fight scenes ever and yet is still fantastic. But despite all of it: the low ratings, questionable stunt scenes, the shows cancellation after three seasons--the show was propelled to the top of the list as the most popular science fiction show of all time. The show's charm and like-able characters gave way to a passionate and enormous fan base spanning the decades. Of these characters my favorite has always and will continue to be Commander Spock, the half human/half Vulcan science office aboard the USS Enterprise. I'm of course not alone in my love of Nimoy's portrayal of the complex and emotionally neutral yet not to forget highly logical character. 

But what may surprise some, aside from being an actor, Nimoy was also a singer, photographer, author and director. He directed two of the original Star Trek movies (III and IV) as well as two Star Trek documentaries. He published two autobiographies titled: I Am Not Spock and I Am Spock,--along with works of poetry. His photos were displayed in art shows and he performed pop songs in addition to writing songs about Star Trek despite being regarded as not possessing a singing voice in the slightest by the music world. The man had a long and fulfilling career involving many different artistic endeavors. He will be missed but his legacy and contributions to the world will continue to live on in the hearts of sci-fi geeks and Trekkies everywhere.

Spider-Man Swings Back to Marvel

The news broke today regarding the long running rumors of a Marvel/Sony joint venture involving the web spinning super hero. Spider-man a high grossing franchise for Sony, has his roots in Marvel Comics--imagined from the mind of Stan Lee and the pencil of Steve Ditko. So this news was as no surprise to fans hopeful for Spidey's return home as part of the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe).

For the past decade and a half, Sony has had the pleasure of creative control of Spider-man and his human alter ego Peter Parker--in the realm of film. It's been a roller coaster ride aimed at success. With the original film (starring Toby McGuire) debut in 2002 and it's not quite so good predecessors, up to the reboot of The Amazing Spider-Man with Andrew Garfield's portrayal of the radioactively altered Parker in 2012.

With Marvel's undeniable reign atop the throne of superhero movies, Sony would have been foolish to have dismissed an opportunity such as this. This long awaited change to the web crawling crime fighter is not without it's limits. Sony will remain in creative control of Spider-man as their property and will continue with their planned film(s) for him. What this new partnership does mean for Marvel though is that Spider-man would make his first appearance back in an upcoming MCU film that has already been announced (fingers are crossed for Captain America:Civil War). In addition, Marvel will assist Sony with their future film (July 2017) by means of Kevin Feige (head of Marvel Studios) joining forces with Amy Pascal (Sony) as joint producers.

So, new Spider-man (that's right, it's doubtful Garfield will return to the role), new studio. Two rival studios working together to bring fans a glimmer of hope for their wall climbing photographer to once again associate with his fellow Marvel superheroes. This Marvel involved reboot has caused interesting changes to the upcoming Marvel movie line-up of already announced films. Four films have had their release dates pushed to take advantage of this new character opportunity. The changes in order: Thor Ragnarok has moved from the summer of 2017 to the fall of 2017 (Nov 3rd), Black Panther has moved from the fall of 2017 to summer of 2018 (July 6th), Captain Marvel has moved from summer of 2018 to the fall of 2018 (Nov 2nd), Inhumans has moved from fall of 2018 to the summer of 2019 (July 12th).

With all that said, if anyone could shoulder the responsibility of rebooting Spider-man, it would be Marvel. They are about to show Sony that with great power comes great responsibility...and they know how to handle it.

Stranger Conversations with Grant Markham

Next week, on February 17^th, my friend Grant will be premiering his solo podcast—The Stranger Conversations. I thought I would take the time to write up a post dedicated to this achievement. Grant has been podcasting for years, mostly with his best friend Jason as part of The Last Podcaster Standing and 7 Days A Geek (the latter of which is how I met the two of them). But this will be Grant’s first podcast without his ginger crutch (just kidding buddy), so it’s a big deal for him. This podcast is based on the idea that you could find out so much about another person just by having a conversation with them. Even people you may have known for years could still be a stranger to you because it’s hard to know everything about someone. Grant will spend time speaking with folks each episode getting to know them or more about them, simply by just having a conversation—the premise for the podcast.

I was fortunate enough to get to hear the first few episodes, among which-- the origin story. Grant talked with Neil C. from another great podcast, Dark Angels & Pretty Freaks which Neil hosts with his wife Annaleis. Being fellow podcasters and in some of the same podcast networks, they had gotten to know each other through Twitter and formed a friendship. This friendship furthered after a 4 hour conversation between the three of them which was then posted as an episode of Dark Angels & Pretty Freaks. Due to that conversation, it sparked an idea in Grant’s head about forming a show around that very thing. It had been so easy to chat with Neil and Annaleis for hours and through that interaction, he had gotten to know them both better. 

It’s these types of interactions that can truly enlighten a person. Most of us, meaning people in general, can go along spending most of their lives trapped within their own shells. It’s easy to be content with one’s surroundings and routines—rarely straying from them. But then you end up missing out on the remarkable things waiting just beyond your horizon.

In my youth, I was never what you would consider out going, possessing a soft spoken and shy personality. The invisible wall flower content with a life of work and school. Until I finally decided, I needed to make some changes. In the last few years, I stepped out of my comfort zone: joined the military, left the military (it didn’t work out), found an international scavenger hunt that forces you to embrace the abnormal. These things amongst others forced me out of my shell and gave me experiences that have impacted my life.

This is why I’m looking forward to Grant’s new show and have made effort to promote it. I love the concept and I’m not just saying this because I know the guy. When you move past that initial fear of trying something new…stepping beyond the barrier you have created for yourself, you open up a wealth of opportunities. Now I’m not saying, go jump off a mountain (interesting story, Grant has, you can hear more about that in Episode Zero)—baby steps people. Make the effort to get to know your neighbors, spend time with co-workers outside the work place, have open and honest conversations as often as possible. Then take what experiences and knowledge you’ve learned from these conversations and apply them to your own life. The outcome will be interesting to say the least.

But, how do I take that first step you ask? Well, I have one suggestion.

Go to TangentBoundNetwork.com or TheStrangerConversations.com on February 17^th to download/listen to the first episodes of The Stranger Conversations. Then drop a line to my friend Grant and let him know what you think--TheStrangerConversations@gmail.com or @TheStrangerCons on Twitter. I will be on the podcast (unless Grant changes his mind, haha) sooner or later. It will just come down to when we can schedule something. So that right there is something to look forward to, I know I am.

Super Bowl XLIX

Blue 42...Blue 42....hike! Ok, I admit...I have no idea what that means. My knowledge of American Football is limited and I've never been a huge fan, I don't follow most of it. I'll pay enough attention to know how our local team is doing--The Arizona Cardinals--and I will watch the culminating event of the entire football season, the Super Bowl. Who doesn't love Super Bowl commercials? But, if the teams are really good and it makes for an exciting game then I'll gladly watch it and cheer for whichever team I happen to like better.

I have no interest in statistics or learning the actual rules of the game. The object is getting the "football" (which is carried in someone's hands nearly the entire time, so please tell me how this was the proper name for this sport?) from one end of the field to the other, without getting knocked down too many times and scoring a touchdown. I don't need to know how many yards are in a 1st down or the difference between a linebacker and a receiver.

I'm a Soccer fan (excuse me, a real football fan) and will gladly sit watching a match that could quite possibly end in a 1-1 tie after an entire hour--finding it just as gripping if not more so than any other American sporting event. I used to be into basketball but that too I did not follow as closely. I find baseball boring and Golf is...is not a sport. I'm sorry, but it's not. Besides, The Phoenix Open made me late for work every day last week because everyone had to be there early in the morning and clog up rush hour traffic--I left early!! Bad form Golf, bad form.

There is one other sport which I don't follow closely but I would like to because I do find it interesting, Hockey. For me, Hockey is a lot like Soccer. It can end in a 1-1 tie after a grueling game and depends on fast paced passing of the puck to try and score goals, many similarities except of course for the fact that Hockey is played on ice. It's never too late to start getting into a sport and as I always say, better late than never.

But back to the matter at hand, Super Bowl XLIX (49). Held right here at home in Phoenix, Arizona, for the second time since I've been living here. So, it does add more interest in the matter to have spent the last few weeks driving by the stadium every day and watching it transform into the football media/fan capital of the US for this year. I've been trying to snap photos at various points during my morning commute to catch the huge tents and arches with big screens that have been built a top what is normally parking lot. Even downtown Phoenix--15-20 minutes away from the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale--has been revamped to cater to the tourists (lucky enough to make it out of snowmageddon) and local fans alike. Downtown has been a buzz with the NFL Experience, Victoria Secret Fashion Show and a Playboy Show.

Our desert city has done well to entertain and hype up this huge event. With just under two hours to go, the whole thing is about to come to fruition. I will be watching the Super Bowl in its entirety while enjoying some tasty snacks and beer (wings, chips and salsa, fried zucchini). I have no real investment in either team. I just hope for an exciting game, a good halftime show and some great commercials. May the best team win.

The Marvel Universe Welcomes Another Doctor

While DC might be squirming under the loss of an actor in one of their upcoming films this week, Marvel is welcoming an actor into their universe. David Tennant--most notably known for his role in the long running British series Doctor Who as the Tenth Doctor-- has been cast for the upcoming Marvel/Netflix joint venture project A.K.A. Jessica Jones. Proving that Marvel has a thing for timelords (I don't blame them), having previously cast Christopher Eccleston (Ninth Doctor) in Thor: The Dark World as Malekith.

UK fans have long since enjoyed the Scottish actor in his many stage productions as part of the Royal Shakespeare Company and other theaters (Hamlet, Richard II, Much Ado About Nothing), countless TV appearances including: Doctor Who, Broadchurch (Gracepoint in the US), Casanova, Blackpool and such film credits as: Fright Night, How to Train Your Dragon, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, The Decoy Bride.

So what does Marvel have in store for it's fans? Tennant bathed in purple. Yes, you read that correctly. He has been cast to play a major villain opposite the show's heroine Jessica Jones--Krysten Ritter, Don't Trust the B**** in Apartment 23 and Breaking Bad. Tennant will play the Purple Man, real name Zebediah Killgrave. Killgrave has the uncanny ability to control people's minds by way of pheromones he produces and the power to heal himself. Oh, and he also happens to have a purple skin tone as his name would suggest. Now, how purple Marvel plans to make the former timelord turned Jessica's blast from the past super villain, is yet to be seen.

For those of you unfamiliar with A.K.A. Jessica Jones. The series centers around Jessica Jones, a super hero whose short-lived and tragic career has left the young woman trying her hand at detective work in New York City. She often finds herself enthralled in cases involving people with special abilities which of course makes it hard for her to put her super hero past behind her and start anew. Think Super Girl meets Veronica Mars (for lack of a better reference).

This is the second of two Marvel related shows that Netflix is premiering, the first being Daredevil. The two Marvel characters do share a connection (in the comics) and a villain. So it makes sense that Marvel and Netflix would tackle these two series together.

I can hardly wait to binge watch both. But until then, I look forward to seeing who else is announced to round-out the cast along side Ritter, Tennant, and Mike Colter (Luke Cage).

Welcome to the Marvel Universe Doctor!

Suicide Squad Loses It's Flagg

I was racking my brain for a topic to write about tonight. It's been a week since my last blog post and that is far too long. But, I was not coming with anything. So what is a girl to do? Go to Google! When an idea is lacking, it's sometimes just easier to browse the web until you strike gold. I haven't been keeping up with super hero movie news, aside from the breaking trailers buzzing all around the interwebs.

So imagine my surprise when one of the first articles I come across happens to be an update on the DC based Suicide Squad movie. You will recall, Suicide Squad is a DC Comics movie set for 2016 surrounding various DC villains which announced his main cast a couple months back. It is now another update to it's cast with has caught my interest. Tom Hardy (from Dark Knight Rises, Inception and Warrior fame) has backed out of the movie vacating the role of Rick Flagg.

This is supposedly due to rumors that the new script is focused heavily on the Joker, considered a "guest star" of the movie, rather than it's title characters. But then, as stated it is a rumor and it's entirely possible that he left the movie for another reason.

Personally, his leaving the film is neither here nor there for me. I don't know much about the Suicide Squad or the Rick Flagg character. Would he have made a good Rick Flagg? I guess we'll never know. But this will open it up for someone who doesn't already have a DC movie under their belt to give it a shot. I think I actually prefer that better. It will be interesting to see who they find to replace him.

Birthday Musings

Here I sit, a hotel room in Flagstaff, Arizona, watching Top Gun (Yes, I feel the need...the need for speed). It's gone from the eve prior to my birthday, during the course of this movie, to being the day I escaped the womb. Literally, emergency C-section to keep me from being deprived of oxygen, but as crazy scary of a start to life as that was--28 years later life is pretty great. I'm able to enjoy a lovely birthday weekend partially away from home. 

Even a short trip out of town, up north, is a wonderful getaway. A chance to relax and unwind--it makes such a difference compared to staying at home. It's funny how that works, even though you could have the day off and spend the whole day inside the house doing nothing--you're never as well rested then when you go to some place different.

We're heading back today, so with that in mind, I should probably get to sleep (Especially since I also just watched Six Days & 7 Nights, while writing this as well). I just wasn't tired, probably all the coffee I had earlier. The plan is a birthday breakfast at The Galaxy Diner before we head back down to Phoenix. I'm not sure what the plan will be for the rest of the day yet. Sunday I have a get together planned, which is looking a bit slim in attendance but I didn't want to do anything too big. Much later on Sunday, I'm going to go to a bar that does karaoke. If there's one thing I definitely want to do during my birthday weekend...it's drink with friends and sing rock songs until my throat bleeds (ok, that may be slightly over exaggerating, but at least until it's sore). It's going to be awesome.

So on that note...happy birthday to me! Goodnight!

Discover Your Inner Geek at Phoenix Comicon!

Yesterday marked the beginning of the annual volunteer meetings for Phoenix Comicon. As far as first meetings go, it was impressively packed. Late comers were asked to listen to the meeting from out in the hallway because there was not enough seating. It's a good problem to have. I don't recall any previous year where we had this many people turn out for the very first meeting. It is a testament to the ever growing popularity of Phoenix Comicon and the increased willingness of folks wanting to give their time to making this such an awesome convention. It made me happy to see such a great turnout of volunteers.

I believe I may have mentioned it before, but I volunteer for Phoenix Comicon, as a coordinator for the Photo Booth. I'm a big fan of Phoenix Comicon, both as a volunteer and a geek. Prior to 2012, I had never attended the convention and so I was experiencing it for the first time by working it. It was fast pace and at times a bit stressful, but it was fun and an exciting atmosphere to be among so many people. I enjoyed it so much that this will be my 4th year in a row and I can hardly wait for that one weekend every year.

If you haven't guess it yet, Phoenix Comicon is a highlight in my year. But it's not just important to me, many others share those same sentiments. I work with some great people and have made some great friends at Comicon. We share common likes whether they be: comics, movies, TV shows, games. Then we take that enthusiasm and share it with thousands of people.

The best part: you don't have to geek out about the same thing as everyone else to feel included. Everyone is accepting and accepted, just there to have a genuine good time. You can meet a celebrity you've been a fan of for years, or become a fan of them by meeting them. You can buy comics and artwork or books and merchandise, supporting hardworking creators by doing so. You can dress up as your favorite character and get complimented by being asked to have your picture taken. There is something for everyone, young and old, at Phoenix Comicon. It's a family event, it's a networking event, it's a pop culture extravaganza.

Our previous motto was: to be the pop culture event of the Southwest. While it was a great motto, we've already achieved that and really it's more than that. Everyone has something that they love, that they're passionate about but may have felt like they did not have a place where they could express it. Phoenix Comicon is such a place--where you can add to your sonic screwdriver collection, get photos with Stormtroopers and Ghost Busters, spend hours sitting in rooms listening to favorite authors or actors discuss all sorts of things, meet up with old friends, make new friends, introduce a new generation to the things you grew up with...you can discover your inner geek.

It Has Begun!

No, not an ultimate martial arts battle to the death with a weird four-armed dude. That's next week, make sure you bring your own lightning god.

I am in fact referring to two very different occurrences: the return of favorite TV shows (the shows are back in town! You're welcome for that ear worm) and the return of Phoenix Comicon meetings (preparations and recruiting for the big show in May).

Today ends the hiatus of two Fox TV shows, Gotham and Sleepy Hollow. With the return of Gotham, we will begin to see what new adventures await our ousted detective Jim Gordon in the dark setting of Arkham Asylum. While Sleepy Hollow, picks up where our heroes Ichabod Crane and Abby Mills will have to deal with the repercussions of Henry having slain Moloch. 

Beyond that, we have the all new premier of Marvel's Agent Carter tomorrow, as Agent's of Shield is still on hiatus. Agent Carter of course referring to Agent Peggy Carter, founder of Shield and Captain America's old flame. I've been looking forward to this one. Yesterday marked the premier of the four-week musical extravaganza that is Galavant. I'm enjoying it so far and I have three words for you: Timothy Omundson's beard. That is all. Supernatural will be back on January 20th and The Walking Dead is due back in the beginning of February (the 9th, if I'm not mistaken).

Now to shamelessly plug my favorite geeky hobby/job, Phoenix Comicon. I spent all day Saturday with my fellow geeky coordinators our managers and directors plus our head honcho, the director of Phoenix Comicon--at a Leadership Retreat, where we discussed the successes of last year as well as what things we can continue to improve upon. It was a long day, but fun--reconnecting and catching up with our team and other folks from different departments. While the leadership retreat marks the beginning of the countdown clock for the leadership of Phoenix Comicon, the true countdown will begin at the first all hands meeting this Saturday, January 10th. So, dear readers, if you live in the Phoenix area and want to be a part of the pop culture experience of the Southwest, come on out. New volunteer orientation is at 9:15am (where info is given out on all the different departments) and the official meeting starts at 10:00am. The meeting usually lasts until about 12:00pm. This will be the only meeting for January and will continue again in February. I guess there's this sports type thing happening in between called the Super Bowl and is sort of a big deal. So folks will be busy with that, harrumph. I'm just kidding, sports fans, our city is hosting said sporting event...so that's good.

I am happy to be returning to my role of Photo Booth Coordinator for the fourth year in a row with a lot of the same people--we've had very little attrition on our team, except for a new manager. Apparently, last's year con broke the old manager. So our Onsite Tech Manager accepted a lateral move to become our Photo Booth Manager. He's a nice guy, easy to work with and he knows how to lead (needless to say we're pretty excited). He will finally break the curse, the Photo Booth Manager position has not been held by the same person for more than a year in over four years. Basically, it's our Defense Against the Dark Arts position. But the good news, he's already had the manager role of Photo Booth for a smaller show, so I've got high hopes.

Anyway, that's all which is fit to print for now. Farewell dear readers. 

Let Old Acquaintance...Oh You Know How It Goes

This is officially my first blog post of the new year, 2015. While my posts towards the end of the previous year were...sparse, this marks a new beginning to the continued effort that is this blog. The holidays are always a busy time even more so when you take on a second job for the season. It limits the time you have to focus on extra curricular activities (to coin a school phrase for lack of a better one). Although, I guess a more apt term would be passion. This blog is a passion of mine, one I enjoy and intend to keep going. 

My first New Year's Resolution (not randomly generated by a Facebook app) is related to this blog. It's to keep it updated more often, like it was in the beginning, and with more content. I try to keep up to date on all the "geek" news that interests me but it's been very Marvel focused so far and there is so much more out there. Superheroes are great as are the shows and movies dedicated to them but I'm leaving out other interests, such as: Astronomy (Space & NASA), Astro Physics (Stephen Hawking, Carl Sagen, Neil Degrasse Tyson, Brian Cox), Science, Science Fiction, etc.

So, stay tuned dear readers for new and exciting things. 2015 is going to be a great year!