Adventures of a New (and clueless) Comic Fan

Guest Post by Pirate Jenny

I always knew that one day, I'd want to do it.

I figured, if I was going to go through with it, I needed to do it sooner rather than later.

But what if I don't know what to do? What if I make a fool of myself? The concerns raced on.

Finally, I couldn't take it anymore, the wondering was getting to me. I had to just get on with it, if I truly wanted to know what it was like. I had to see for myself.

I had to bite the bullet, and visit a comic book store.

I've heard and read about these great experiences that others have had about hanging out at their local comic store, that it's a place they value that brings fun and connection for them. I've wanted to experience that for myself, and I've had a daydream or ten about what these visits look like. I imagine the regulars mosey in and peruse the aisles, loudly swapping banter with the employees. Because I had yet to visit a comic store, I had no real concept of what was discussed, but my imagination suggested discourse that was heady, reflective of a deep fervor for all things illustrative, or tech, or...well, how the hell should I know, I’d yet to go there.

I feel pretty confident that I’ve been completely romanticizing this experience (as I tend to do with most things), and that in fact, I would probably just come across a very boring old store that had folks trying to get the latest issues and be on their way. Or worse, find nothing but irritation as I completely made a fool of myself trying to maneuver that space. Nevertheless, I was still excited to carry out my goal.

A sunny Saturday arrived. After a quick Google search, I found the nearest store in my area, and headed over. Pulled into the parking lot, and walked in. A gentleman was standing in the nearest aisle, a few comics in tow as he checked out the selections. He quickly glanced at me, then returned to his search. Strange, I thought. He’s supposed to be giving me the stink eye. I continued on. I end up near two guys deep in conversation about Marvel-something-or-other. I quickly try to learn the store’s layout and organization, all while trying to find my desired comic (Storm). What was old? What was new? Do I just seek out a section that says Storm? Or are things listed by author? Who wrote Storm? I should probably know that. “I need so much help,” I muttered.

“Do you need help, ma’am?” Weird. He’s supposed to be completely unaffected by my business.

I replied, “Sure. I’m just looking for something for my nephew.”

What? Why do I feel the need to throw my ten-year-old nephew into this?!

The employee, one of the two gentlemen chatting, walks up to me. “What specific comic do you need?”

“Oh. “Star Wars”. He’s into that “Rebels” show right now.” I’m a mess.

The employee was kind of enough to take his time showing me comics for my nephew, and as I take the comics and listen to his reasons behind his recommendations, I feel like a jackass for even lying about my visit in the first place. Here’s this comic store employee, completely willing to help me, not the least bit pretentious. And here I am, afraid to be honest about what I don’t know and what I want to know, so much so that I’d rather spend money on comics for a kid who won’t even read them (trust me, he won’t; watching a tv show title sequence is about as much reading as he likes to dive into).

He finishes his suggestions. It’s now or never girl.

“Um, do you happen to have, uh, “Storm” I guess?” Do not ask or wonder why I phrased the question that way.

“I do. That’s a good one, I like that series.”

Success!

We didn’t chat too much about the comic, just a few comments on the importance of the series. But it was nice all the same. I paid for the comics, and thanked him for his help. “Come back and see us,” he said with a warm smile.

I’ve yet to revisit that store, but I’m certainly sold on the comic store experience. I’m anxious to learn more, to see everything else that’s out there. With comics there seems to be such an expansive culture of narratives. And frankly, you’re not born a comic guru; you have to start somewhere. So while this new territory definitely overwhelms me, if I start small, and look to some trustworthy folks for great suggestions, I think I’ll have fun with all of this.

Pirate Jenny works with youth and their communities.  She observes, live tweets and enjoys copious amounts of Skittles.  She wishes she wrote more.  You can usually find her on Twitter: @pirate_jenn

Dating at the Speed of Light: A Marvel Concept

A Guest Post By Sistah Geek

I have plenty of stories to share about my escapades into the Realm of Speed Dating. I’ve lived to tell these tales so, sit back, relax, take a few aspirin and listen as I share “Dating at the Speed of Light: A Marvel Concept.”

Since you can pretty much use Google to look up anything you wish, there won’t be a history of the origins of speed dating listed in this article. This is more a showcase of my experiences, my reactions, and what I took away from the encounters. I am definitely not touting myself as an expert and this is not a dating-how-to guide. It’s just plain old unadulterated fun with bits of “No HE didn’t” moments thrown in for good measure.

Now, let’s get down to the nitty gritty.

Preparing to Play: Once you arrive at the event location, you are given a badge that may either have your first name on it or a number. This badge will be your specific identifier for each person you “date.”

The Basics: Depending on the organizer’s budget, you’ll either get a fancy pre-printed score card or a small blank sheet of haphazardly ripped computer paper used to keep track of the people you speak to during your “dates.” These are timed “dates” where you’ll have three to six minutes to see if you make a connection. Unless you have somehow managed to retain an eidetic memory since childhood, do not expect to recall everything about everyone you encounter.

How it Works: The organizers will use some sort of signal (i.e. gong, symbol, chimes, or shouting) to indicate the end of a “date.” Once this signal is given, the men move on to the next woman in line (oh, yes, I meant to write it just like that) and everyone repeats the process. During this shifting time (usually less than 30 seconds) you’ll have the opportunity to use the score card to rate your “date.” The key here is to be brief but concise to help you remember what was said. Keeping it to “Yes/No” and maybe one or two interesting tidbits is far better than writing a dissertation on the reason why you wouldn’t go out with him if he were the last man to walk the planet even if your biological clock was a ticking bomb. You won’t have the time!

And the Winner Is: At the end you tally up your score card and see if your “Yes, I’d like to see him again” matches with his, “Yes, I’d like to see her again.” If so, a connection is born and you take it from there (without the organizers). If there is no connection, then you come away with an experience for the ages! Plus, how else will you get that many dates in one evening and not go to jail?

My Story: I became intrigued with the concept of speed dating when I relocated back to the US after living in Japan and NOT HAVING ANY dating prospects while there (living in a small rural town up in the mountains kind of limits a foreign girl’s choices). After watching “Hitch” and “The 40-year-old Virgin,” I talked a friend into signing up for a local event sponsored by Cupid.com. I had no idea what to expect, but luckily the organizers were magnificent and put together a fun-filled event. Although no love connections were made, I still had a wonderful time and conversed with some fascinating men.

From that moment on, I was a little hooked and started attending events throughout the area with different single friends as a way to spice up a Friday evening and get out of the non-dating blahs. It got to a point where I was attending one event a month and at one point I attended a Lock-n-Key party at one of the local restaurants. This party consisted of the women being given pad locks to carry while the men were given keys. The purpose was for each man to walk around the room and find the lock that his key would open. In the process of making this discovery, he’d strike up conversations along the way while trying his key in many different locks. Okay, just reading this back makes it sound so much worse than it was! No wonder I never attended another such party!

My interest in speed dating started to wane when event after event I was typically the only POC in attendance or if there were other POC women there, I was the only one with the chocolate-hued skin. Although the events did not categorize by ethnicity, and I was an equal opportunity dater, it seemed that most of the men (even the occasional Brotha) were often surprised to see me there and did not seem too keen on dating a Sistah. Was their hesitance due to my Angela Davis afro and my Soul Sistah earrings? Hmmmmm. I refuse to believe it actually had anything else to do with ME!

A few years passed before I attended another speed dating event. It happened when I purchased tickets for a comic book convention and there was a special event for speed dating. Oh! My radar went off on that. What better way to meet like-minded people than to speed date at a convention while wearing a costume? I was in! Especially since all the male slots were already full for each session for all three days of the CON! (Uh oh, shoulda listened to that red flag!)

Here are my most memorable experiences:

The Good: Choco-latte. The world was moving in slow motion as I watched this guy with a killer swagger, ripped muscles beckoning, bald head glistening, and a smile to die for walk the three feet to where I was seated. He was G-O-R-G-E-O-U-S and I was secretly squealing inside (odd, since I never thought I was much of a squealer). When he sat down, all I could think was that he was a nerd/geek and I was expecting the cure for cancer to fall from his lips. Instead he just said, “Hi” and asked me what video games I played. I hesitated because he sounded so familiar to me… his voice…I’d heard it before. I responded that I didn’t play any video games at the moment, but wanted to learn. As I listened to him talk, I kept trying to figure out why he sounded so familiar...somewhere in my memory banks…yes…I got it now…Steve Urkel! This revelation snapped me out of my day dream and I began to focus more clearly on what he was saying. Other than asking me about the video game I played, he never asked me another question but proceeded to tell me about all the games he played, how many conventions he went to, and how many comic books he read. I did manage to ask if he did anything else, but he gave me a blank stare as though to say, “What else is there?” WHAT???! After that, all I did was stare at his arms and wonder, “Do you do the pushups in your basement?” Bad me! But so much potential! It was heartbreaking when those three minutes were up!

The Bad: No Love for the ‘Fro. There was the guy who wanted to know why I was wearing an Afro. Initially I thought he was genuinely interested in my character, but when I explained about her, he then chastised me for wearing an Afro in “these days and times.” He went on to smugly tell me that the Afro was outdated and my character should be updated in the comics. I sat there in shock for a minute before telling him, “I wear an Afro in my daily life and I don’t need to be updated.” Just as I was about to read him more of the riot act, the signal was given for our next “date.” Talk about Saved By the Bell!

The Ugly: Time for Adventure. There was the guy who dressed as Finn from Adventure Time. It was all good because the majority of us were dressed in some sort of costume. What was NOT good was that this guy decided to remain in character as Finn. Mind you, I didn’t know much about the show so all I saw was a grown man with what looked like white underoos on his head, some sort of knapsack on his back, wearing skin tight shorts, and carrying something that looked like a paper sword. My mind was in overdrive trying to put this all together, but when he stood up on the chair, thrust the sword into the air, and started chanting in a child-like voice, I almost lost it. I was dressed as a Gao’uld from Stargate. Shoulda taken my symbiote out and smacked him with it!

Synopsis: Don’t be afraid to try speed dating whether at a convention or an event at your neighborhood restaurant. It is a great way to meet people and although I haven’t found my “one” I would definitely be up for trying again!

If you do venture out and try speed dating, remember to bring these three items with you to the event:

1. Sense of Humor
2. Sense of Adventure
3. Sense of You (know your 30second ad)

Sistah Geek is an avid world traveler, lifelong storyteller, sci-fi/fantasy/horror devotee, sporadic runner, budding cosplayer, comic book collector, gamer-in-training, and a self-proclaimed Cool Blerd with geek tendencies. Her mission in life is to show little girls of all hues how to embrace their talents, accept their uniqueness, and follow their dreams. She spends her free time volunteering, trying new recipes, writing letters (with pen and paper, people), working out, and staying one step ahead of her two Dobermans. Twitter:  @S_Hero4Hire

How to Host a Successful Live Tweet Event

You probably know what Live-Tweeting is. But just in case you don't - Live Tweeting is when you use twitter to tweet about an event or something happening while you are watching or listening to it.  It may be a speaker or panel you are listening to, or a comic-con.  The purpose is to inform your followers about an event that they might not be able to attend.  It's a great way to distribute information in real time.  And you would probably use a hashtag to let people easily find your tweets.

But live tweeting a movie that you are watching is slightly different.  First off, I'm not talking about tweeting in a film theater. Do that and you will get some unwanted attention from ushers and fellow film goers.  I'm talking about a movie that you are watching at home. Either on TV, or streaming from Netflix, Amazon Instant Video or various other sources.  It's fun to tell your followers your thoughts about the film, whether if it's cheesy, or how much you love some scene.

But like most things in life, Live Tweeting by yourself isn't as fun as doing it with other people.  I mean, it's social media, right? A couple friends make it way better. Why stop there? Imagine that it wasn't just you and your couple friends, but a whole group of people on twitter watching the same movie and all of you were adding comments in real time.  Even with people you don't know or follow!  And imagine if you were the person that set the whole thing up? 

That's Hosting a Live Tweet.

Here are a few steps that I've learned that makes for a successful Live Tweet.  Follow them if you think they are a good fit for the kind of event you are thinking of.

PICK A MOVIE OR TV SHOW

You can pick either one.  If you pick a TV show, or movie that's airing live on TV, then just make sure you mention what Timezone you are watching in.  For the US, East coast audiences get to see a TV show 3 hours before the West coast.  If you are live tweeting a movie or TV Series that is not airing on a network but is actually streaming online, then make sure you tell your followers what streaming service it is so they can join.  Some might not have Netflix or Amazon Video.  If there is a link then include that in your tweets to let people know where the movie is online.

BE AWARE OF YOUR FOLLOWERS' DEMOGRAPHIC

Think about what kind of movie or TV show you would like to host. Will it be a movie that everybody is familiar with or something that you think people would enjoy but is under-rated.  You can host a very good movie, or something so bad that people will enjoy making fun of it.  It can be old or new.  Think about your followers and what kind of audience they might be.  If you are hosting a live tweet for a very gory Horror film, or something very violent or has sexual content, you should give them a heads up.  Be mindful that just because a movie holds a special place in your heart, doesn't mean everyone will enjoy it.  But don't be afraid to introduce new things to people.

CHOOSING A HASHTAG

Of course the obvious hashtag would be the name of the Movie or TV show.  Television networks caught on to live tweeting quick and post hashtags on their broadcasts so people can interact with each other and the show.  If you are planning to watch Terminator 2 then by all means you can use #Terminator2.  But you also can make a unique hashtag that people can follow, and it might be more interesting or fun.  Instead of #Terminator2 it could be #T1000Blues or #SarahConnerWins.  If you plan on doing several consecutive live tweets on a weekly or monthly basis then use something that can brand the ongoing event better. #SaturdayNightSciFi is a hashtag which I use to tweet different Science Fiction films and #FridayNightHorror was created by Graveyard Shift Sisters.  Another popular one was #JemLiveTweet that Black Girl Nerds started a while ago.  My suggestion is not to make it too long so people can have room in their tweets to talk about the film. Don't forget to make memes that include your hashtags with the dates and times of your live tweet event on them.

ASK PEOPLE TO JOIN YOU, ESPECIALLY YOUR WITTY FRIENDS
Pick one or two people that you think will be great at tweeting with you.  Include them in your promotional tweets as co-hosts.  They may be funny on twitter or be insightful of the film or TV show you're tweeting.  Don't even worry if they have never done it before. If you think they will enjoy it then invite them.

SEE IF A STAR OF THE FILM IS AVAILABLE TO JOIN, BUT BE CAREFUL
See if the director or an actor is available to join in the live tweet.  But be careful.  If everybody is going to talk about how bad the character is in the film then you might not want to invite that particular star of the movie.

AND NOW FOR THE ACTUAL LIVE TWEETING
Don't put pressure on yourself. If you have done any live tweeting of a show or film then you know how it goes.  Be your same interesting twitter self that you always are.  The beauty of having people join in is that there will be plenty of tweets to keep everybody entertained, so don't think you have to come up with best tweets.  If you are new to it then just remember to have fun, crack jokes or tweet interesting thoughts about what you are watching.  If you know any trivia about the film or TV show then that will add to the conversation. But try not to tweet too much trivia. I have found that people enjoy the humor that live tweeting generates the most.

THANK EVERYBODY FOR JOINING
Let them know when the next Live Tweet is taking place if you have one planned. Thank everybody for joining in, especially the ones you invited to co-host with you.  It's also a perfect time to let everybody know that you have a blog or podcast, book on Amazon or some other project you might be doing.

I hope these suggestions can help you host a very successful Live Tweet Event.  Good luck! 

The Second Annual #BlerdGeekHolidayParty of 2014!

Come one and all to the 2nd Annual online Blerd Geek Holiday Party of 2014!!! The movie feature this year is TRADING PLACES with Eddie Murphy and Dan Aykroyd!

Date and Time: Sunday, Dec. 21st at 9pm EDT.

Location: Twitter! Use Hashtag #BlerdGeekHolidayParty

Festivities:

• Live Tweeting TRADING PLACES with your hosts - @geeksoulbrother, @blackgirlnerds, @indiamovies
• Meet new Blerds, Geeks and Nerds!
• Tweet Holiday Pics! Selfies, food, crazy socks, Santa hats, etc.
• Live Podcast Chat with Me - Geek Soul Brother - and friends from 9pm to 11pm-ish. Just go to talkshoe.com at the link HERE. The number is 724-444-7444 with Call ID: 118765#

You can watch TRADING PLACES on Netflix or Amazon Prime. Grab your favorite Christmas Cheer or Holiday Beverage and come join us for fun times.

What's in a Girl's Handshake?

I was introduced to a friend of my son the other day. Let's call her Rhea.  She was very polite and reached out with a greeting open hand. When we shook hands I was surprised at how strong her grip was.  "Wow, that's a strong handshake" I said with a smile.  She replied "My father taught me well" 

I've met women with strong handshakes before, but this time my curious mind raced to analyze what was happening here.  Why was I surprised?  What did I assume?  What was Rhea trying to say with her grip, if anything at all?

I knew why I was surprised initially. Those typical dude-man assumptions I had about the roles of males and females kicked in at first.  What did Rhea say with that grip?  What anyone would normally say with it - "I respect you and look to be respected back". 

"So what do other guys say when you shake their hands? Do you get different reactions?" I asked.
Rhea answered "Some guys get a little defensive. They say 'Don't break my hand' or something like that." 

So a woman showing her confidence through a handshake should be taken as something to be defensive over?  Or maybe those guys had soft handshakes. Like those that Hip-hop centered podcaster Combat Jack calls Scarf Hands.

I know I read too much into this, as some of you readers are probably thinking. But that's what I do.  That being said, I'm fairly certain that business women have to deal with this on the daily, and on a more conscious level; balancing between 'strong, but not too strong' while dealing with some of society's double-standards.
Rhea and I talked a bit more about it before moving on to some other subject. I told Rhea that I would be writing about this split-second gesture that's so common, and yet in this case not so common. Hey Rhea! 

So ladies, have you ever been told that you have a Strong handshake?  Did it ever cross your mind?  And fellas, how did you respond to a woman with a strong handshake?  What crossed your. Mind?  Comment below.

ECBACC - EAST COAST BLACK AGE OF COMICS CONVENTION

HEY PHILADELPHIA!! ARE YOU READY FOR SOME COMIC-CON FUN?

EAST COAST BLACK AGE OF COMICS CONVENTION

THE RECEPTION / GLYPH COMIC AWARDS will be held Friday, May 16th from 6:30 p.m. until 9 p.m at the African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106. 

THE COMIC CONVENTION / ECBACC will be held Saturday, May 17, from 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. at The Enterprise Center, 4548 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19139. $10 Fee.

"This year will mark ECBACC’s 13th year of commemorating positive Black images in comic books, comic strips, novels, films, animation, and the science-fiction, fantasy, and storytelling industry.
Please help us welcome the official 2014 ECBACC Invited Guests! Thank you, to those in front of and behind the scenes that make ECBACC a great event!"

HIT THE FACEBOOK PAGE FOR UP-TO-DATE INFO - facebook.com/ECBACC.page

Geekness and Black Culture! Where Do They Meet?

"Sun, Moon, Stars, Quasars, !@#$% sound like Elroy Jetson!" Come on, which brother you know uses the word Quasars and isn't a geek? Doughboy, your cover is Blown!  And you watch Hanna Barbara.

I think that sometimes a person's inner geek clashes with the culture they grow up with.  And I think this is especially true with African Americans.  I feel that my black people sometimes fall for the beliefs that they should look and act a certain way, and that geeks and nerds act a certain other way. In their minds one rarely looks like the other.  And let's not talk about the PoC out there that don't even realize they are under-cover geeks and nerds.  Ever strike up a conversation with a brother or sister and find out he / she collected comics, knows all kinds of characters, watched The Matrix and all the Superhero flix, gets into arguments about Twilight Zone episodes and is a serious gamer?  But if you tell them that they sound like a geek they get all defensive "Man, I'm not a geek!  I just like stuff."  No dude, no sister, you're a geek.

I love addressing people about their geek-phobic ways.   Because when they start to accept their passions for things in the geek universe, they open up their imagination and find out it's okay to tell stories and dive into their own Scifi fantasy worlds.  It gives them opportunity to find even more content, more worlds to explore.  It's a lesson that says that being a geek and being black doesn't have to be a point of denial or inner conflict.

The terms geek and nerd don't have the same connotation they used to.  Many people of all backgrounds are calling themselves a 'this' geek or 'that' nerd.  Some of that acceptance is spilling over into the black community.  But the acceptance doesn't necessarily come with plaid shirts and pocket protectors. Their geek comes with Echo, cultural dialects, new dance moves and a tight haircut.  Black people are learning how to blend their inner geek and nerd into their outer culture so they don't have to clash with themselves or the people around them.

And the epitome of the mixing of geek and black culture are manifesting in examples like Afrofuturism and SteamFunk.  There are all kinds of sites, blogs, podcasts and youtubers that express themselves and their nerdy passions with cultural flavor and flare.

I'm hoping that not too long from now the face of geekdom won't be the stereotypical pimply faced young white guy, but a person of any shade, background and gender.  The more I connect with black geeks and nerds around the internet, the more that face looks more like mine.