Tor Post: “The Nerd Machine: What Geek Culture Should Be”

Zachary Levi hosts a “Conversations for a Cause” panel at SDCC 2012.

When I was at SDCC, I also had the pleasure of going to my first NERD HQ, first just to hang out, then for the Grimm signing and Q&A event, and I loved it! Check out my latest piece at Tor.com about Zachary Levi’s awesome collective of nerds!

Excerpt:

A big part of that warm, friendly vibe was due to Levi. I’ve never watched Chuck (though I plan on remedying that immediately), so I wasn’t really familiar with him before seeing him host a panel at NERD HQ, and I was impressed by how genuine and humble he is. He engages with fans as equals, and seems honored to be in a position to both deliver a unique experience and bring those fans together. The staff follows Levi’s lead, and that sense of community is reflected in everything they do. The fans give the love right back, taking pride in things like their latest Nerd Machine purchases, or their NERD number (the earlier you joined the Nerdvolution, the lower your number – Levi’s is 1), fostering a welcoming, friendly environment for each other.

For the full article, or to comment on the post, CLICK HERE!

Tor Post: #SDCC 2012 Cosplay Round-Up

Photo of one of my photogs of choice – Ms. Emily Heyer modelling her SDCC press badge, because I love forcing people into cheesy poses. That’s why SHE’S the photographer, and I’m the writer.

My last SDCC-related post is up at Tor.com! It’s the SDCC 2012 Cosplay Round-Up with some fabulous photos by Emily Heyer (follow her on Twitter at @GotThatMoxie).

Excerpt:

SDCC is geekdom’s largest showcase, so it’s no wonder that cosplayers prepare elaborate costumes all year so that they can bring their “A” games to Comic-Con. That said, this being my first-ever SDCC, I was surprised by how few costumes there were. Cosplay round-ups past have made it seem like there’d be costumes galore, so I was surprised by how few and far between the costumes seemed as I walked around the convention center and San Diego. Perhaps someone else who went can comment below and tell me how this year compared to previous years as far as number of costumes at the con? In any case, there was still plenty to catch my eye. This was Comic-Con after all, and tons of people arrived ready to make a splash!

For photos galore, and to comment on the SDCC cosplay this year, CLICK HERE.

Tor Post: “The Joss Whedon SDCC Firefly Talk You Might Have Missed”

Adam Baldwin, Alan Tudyk, Tim Minear, Sean Maher, Nathan Fillian, and Joss Whedon. (Summer Glau is next to Whedon on the floor, but that tattooed dude got in front of me so I couldn’t maneuver! A photographer, I am not.)

We’re in the home stretch of SDCC posts, Ladies and Gentlemen! Karin Kross over at Tor.com did a great write-up of the Firefly 10th Anniversary SDCC panel in Ballroom 20. I, however, was lucky enough to get into the Firefly 10th Anniversary press conference immediately afterward, where I got to hear a little more in-depth discussion about Firefly and what it means to the creators and cast.

Excerpt:

One of the more interesting quotes of the day came from Whedon, when a reporter, who brought up Star Trek as a more hopeful look at our future and Firefly as a less utopian one, asked him what he thinks Firefly says to us about our future. “We’re doomed? [laughs] I don’t have any faith in mankind, but I love my friends desperately, and the faith that I have is in their ability to band together when things are appalling and protect each other. That is the definition and biological reason for family. And created family is what I believe in. And so, no, I don’t think we’re gonna solve the problems and have the Federation…”

For the complete article, or to comment on the post, CLICK HERE.

Tor Post: “SDCC: The Grimm Experience”

David Giuntoli, Bitsie Tulloch, Silas Weir Mitchell, Bree Turner, Russell Hornsby, Reggie Lee, and Sasha Roiz at the SDCC 2012 Grimm Panel. Photo by Emily Heyer. (@GotThatMoxie on Twitter)

As a proud Grimmster, the best part of my San Diego Comic-Con experience was the Saturday, which ended up being Grimm Day! Check out my piece over at Tor.com about all the fabulous offerings NBC provided for fans at SDCC to promote Season 2 of Grimm!

Excerpt:

FIRST ACT OF SEASON TWO OMGWTFHOLYCRAP! — Those in attendance at the Grimm SDCC panel were treated to the first act of the first episode of Season 2. I’m not going to spoil anything (even though plenty of other sites have — you want spoilers, you can go look for them), but I will say that the episode looks amazeballs. There are new saber-tooth tiger wesen that are really vicious; we find out not only more about Nick’s mom, but about what happened to his father; and there’s a violent encounter between Nick’s mom and Monroe! Also, there’s Captain Renard in casual wear looking suspicious even as he’s being really helpful, because that’s just what he does now.

For the full write-up on all the Grimm fan events at SDCC, or to comment on the post, CLICK HERE!

Tor Post – New Genre TV at SDCC: “Beauty and the Beast” and “Elementary”

I know, I know – it’s been a while. I’ve been traveling up a storm! First, I spent three weeks in New York, then I spent most of a week in San Diego for Comic-Con, so there’s been zero time to blog. Don’t worry, there will definitely be posts about New York and SDCC! Lots to tell and lots of pictures to show!

But right now, there’s my write-up at Tor.com of two of the genre shows I got to see previewed at SDCC: Beauty and the Beast and Elementary. One of them was really good, the other one was crap.

Wanna know which was which? CLICK HERE for the full post!

SDCC, Here I Come!

Guess who’s just been approved for her first press badge for SDCC? Guess who will get to go to Preview Night ON HER BIRTHDAY?

——————————————>THIS GIRL!<———————————————

That’s right! I will be attending my very first San Diego Comic Con this year, covering the massive event for Tor.com along with my partner-in-crime/photographer extraordinaire, Emily Heyer! I’m very excited, and will be working hard to see all there is to be seen, give you lots of coverage from a first-timer perspective both at Tor and here, and hopefully not getting so lost in the convention center that I don’t find my way home.

Now, here’s the thing, while I’ll be getting into SDCC for free, there’s still the matter of where I’m going to stay (I have a couple of options I’m looking into), as well as things like, you know, eating, and spending money, and money for drinks (of which I hear there are lots). It’s my first time at Geek Christmas, AND it’s my birthday week – so I’d like to be able to have a good time and not have to be desperately worried about funds.

While I’m not doing a specific drive for this the way I have in the past for Gally, if you’ve ever considered reading some of my fiction, now would be a GREAT time to purchase a copy of my chapbook, On the Ground Floor. It’s got two short stories in it that were crafted with love. They’re not genre stories, but they are short stories that are very close to my heart. And it’s so purdy:

Photo by Mike Bucher.

/shameless plug. Actually, it’s not a shameless plug. It’s a very legitimate plug for a very legitimate product on my very legitimate blog. So there. If you like short fiction, or if you’d like to help me have a great birthday week at SDCC, consider buying a copy of On the Ground Floor.

WOO HOO! More to come…

ChinaShop Post: Morgan Spurlock Takes On Comic Con

He’s taken on fast food, consumerism and religion, and Osama Bin Laden. Now, he’s taking on…geeks. Morgan Spurlock’s latest documentary, Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope, was recently released on Video On Demand, and will be rolling out in theaters in the weeks to come. And guess what? I went to a screening!

Excerpt:

Geeks tend to think that everyone knows the things they know, using the word “everyone” in a manner I lovingly refer to as Geek Hipster to imply that only someone completely out of the loop wouldn’t know about the thing to which they are referring, forgetting that the things they love, while much more popular now, are still really niche in the grand scheme of things. One of these geeks might wonder why we’d need a documentary about San Diego Comic Con. After all, everyone knows about Comic-Con.

Don’t they?

While Comic-Con has become immensely popular in the past few years, going from comic book convention to the place where Hollywood hawks their wares, Average Person On The Street probably doesn’t know much about it. Sure, they might have heard the term “comic-con” in passing, but as to what it is, who it’s for, and what happens there, it’s still very insidery. As for the geeks themselves, they generally go there with their own focus, and the event is so large, that one can experience only one aspect of it and still know nothing about what happens everywhere else.

In his documentary, Comic-Con Episode IV: A Fan’s Hope, director Morgan Spurlock attempts to cater to both these groups.

For the rest of the review, to vote (click on the teacups at the bottom!), or to comment on the post, CLICK HERE!

You Don’t Need to Go to SDCC to Be Eyeball-Deep in Geekery

Magda Apanowicz, Sasha Roiz, Alessandra Torresani, and Esai Morales at the SyFy Upfronts this year

San Diego Comic Con is this week.  Even if I’d been able to afford the trip, which I couldn’t, by the time I looked at prices it was mostly sold out.  Ah, well.  From what I hear, it’s become an overcrowded, Hollywood circle-jerk at which you couldn’t even find an actual comic if you wanted to.  So, I suppose I’m better off at home indulging in my geekery full-on.

(That’s a lie.  I’m SO JEALOUS OF EVERYONE WHO’S THERE RIGHT NOW! Especially everyone who can go to the Caprica panel!)

But there’s geeking-out to be done on the homefront, and that’s just what I’m going to continue to do, even in the face of #SDCC-tagged Tweets and a million emails from comics publishers and TV shows I follow letting me know where their booths/panels/signings are.

In fact, I’ve just written an article about a show that will be prominently featured at SDCC – Caprica!  Word just came down from on high that the second half of Caprica’s first season will air in January 2011.  But never fear, for I’m here to help you get through the Caprica drought!  Check out “Beating Caprica Withdrawal 2: Electric Boogaloo” for suggestions on how you can make the most of this too-long hiatus.  Beating Caprica Withdrawal will be a series of articles between now and January, and I have some big stuff planned for it!  So, stay tuned!

In fact, the Caprica panel at SDCC is THIS MORNING!  Those of you lucky enough to go – or lucky enough to get pictures/autographs/face time with anyone on the Caprica team, leave a comment here w/a way to contact you!  An upcoming Caprica Tor post will include fan experiences at SDCC!  And have fun!