Cons on a Budget

Do you want to be like the cool kids and go to all of the popular cons? Of course you do, but once you land on the show floor, the $ falls out of your wallet like rain? Or you have to scrap together the cash just to make enough room on your credit card to buy your ticket? If this is you, don't despair. You are not alone.

If you are like me, you keep seeing all of these tweets and posts about the cons people are attending and you are super jealous. I wish I could attend them all but my money tree won't grow! In order to make it to the cons I do attend, I have a few budgeting rules I follow.

1. Do your Research - Your new Golden Rule
Really, this is the only rule you need to follow. Knowing prices well in advance makes all the difference to your wallet. You need to plan your con trips out well in advance, and not just to make sure you can get a ticket. Every booth will have awesome stuff and some will even release a list of con exclusives. Going with an idea of how much you will spend will prevent an extra trip to the atm and those pesky fees. Also, make a point to look for local, inexpensive food. Buying food in the convention is crazy overpriced and it rarely tastes good.

2. Save your change
I know it sounds cheesy, but it really does add up. The change I save goes straight into my separate Con $ account. I save it up for spending cash and my con tickets. It really is pennies a day so you probably won't even notice it.  If you really get into the savings kick, try throwing a few singles in there too.

3. Buy a Water Bottle (or get one for free)
I know this sounds cheesy but buying beverages is the biggest ripoff ever anywhere! Save the $5-30 a day for stuff that lasts. Not a fan of water? Spend a buck on a box of individual drink mixes for flavor. If you are going to reuse one from childhood that looks stupid, take all of those free stickers they hand out and slap them on there. 

4. Make Sacrifices
I know that you want to go to every con, every year. Or you just can't live without getting every season of every TV show you watch on DVD. I get it, really. Sometimes, if you want to get to go to the good stuff, you gotta sacrifice.  Every time you want to buy something, think about if you want it more than a signed graphic novel, a con exclusive figure or a photo with your favorite actor. 

5. Volunteer
I went to MoCCA for free this year because I was willing to spend a few hours a day monitoring panels. In return for my service, I got to see a few packed panels, meet some awesome comic celebs, free food and walked away with a ton of free swag. I know that this wasn't the most expensive event, but I really had a blast volunteering experience. Every con needs volunteers to happen and you get a ton of perks for your service.

Hopefully these tips will help you on your way to your favorite con.   Let me know your favorite tricks to save for cons and how you finance your geek trips!

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The Smurfs - Racist and Anti-Semitic?

My mind was just blown. In scouring the internet for articles, I came across one from the Huffington Post about The Smurfs. The article is about a book, written by French sociologist and author Antoine Bueno, called "Le Petit Livre Bleu" or "The Little Blue Book," which discusses the racist and anti-semitic themes within The Smurfs. 

Papa Smurf - Benevolent Leader or Cruel Dictator?

I'm not sure how to feel about this. There are some interesting points made. The comments about "The Black Smurfs" were especially disturbing , but overall, I'm just not sure. I really want to get my hands on this book because I love The Smurfs. They are a happy part of my childhood. I still have many of my old toys. I love them enough that I am seriously considering seeing the movie, even though I am fairly positive that it will be a flop (there are some things Neil Patrick Harris cannot make better), but now I am looking at them in a whole other light. 


I know a lot of beloved pop culture characters have dark or twisted origins, but this one bothers me a little more than I'd like, mostly because other than the weirdness with Smurfette being the only female for the longest time, The Smurfs were one of the few cartoons I never really saw a dark side to. Goes to show what I know. I wonder if the Snorks have those kind of themes too.


Below is a video about the book and the reactions of people hearing this theory.





What do you think? Plausible theory or just plain looniness? 

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Sunday Links for June 5

The comics world was rocked this week with the news that DC would be updating and restarting all of their superheros in the DCU.  Every site out there went crazed with coverage and opnions, including us.  

(via Bleeding Cool, The Beat, Weekly Crisis, and [insertgeekhere])

Because of the DC boat-rocking, The Beat put together a comprehensive list of how DC crisis events have changed the universe and affected us all.  At the very least, it is a great way to catch up before it all changes again.

(via The Beat)

The gang in Riverdale becomes more and more with the times as they cover gays in the military in a very positive light.  Good for them! 

(via Bleeding Cool)

 

In getting ready for X-Men: First Class (which is totally awesome even though they screwed up the timeline way too much), Mike Romo from iFanboy writes about how he never connected with the X-Men because they were a grown-up comic.  In other movie news, if you are totally behind on the new releases, Action Chick just released her top picks of June.

(via iFanboy and Action Flick Chick)

Calling all Gamers!  GeekGirlCon is building their own WoW guild and needs your help!  You can be a part of its design from the very beginning, so go take part!!

(via GeekGirlCon)

Still trying to pick out the best gift for your geeky dad for Father's Day?  Elliot Serrano has you covered with a great list of gift ideas.  Time is running out, so go get shopping!

(via Geek To Me)

Have a great week!!

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Video Friday! 6/3/11

Hey all! I will be traveling for a chunk of June, but I didn't want to leave you without some great videos, so for the next few weeks, I'm going to be highlighting a few of the websites I've found the videos at. This week is all about the site Geeks Are Sexy.













That last one is my current favorite. Have a great weekend!

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DC Universe Reboot: Pros and Cons

The comic world is still flailing helplessly over the news that the entire DC Universe is going to be rebooted and upgraded. 

"We looked at what was going on in the marketplace and felt we really want to inject new life in our characters and line. This was a chance to start, not at the beginning, but at a point where our characters are younger and the stories are being told for today's audience."  

- Dan Didio, DC Comics co-publisher to USA Today

People are saying all sorts of responses, from the really good and excited to the psychotically angry. Personally, I am torn about this, so I'm going to look at this from all angles and see the Pros and Cons of this little endeavor.

Pros 

- Refreshing these characters that have been 

around forever may make them more 

appealing to the younger crowd. 

- Great way for new readers to jump into the DCU.  Definitely simpler than Marvel's Point One in a lot of ways.

- With less baggage, these characters can do all sorts of new and fun things.

- Character reboots happen all of the time, the only reason we are noticing now is because it is happening all at once.

- With the new stories as canon, the older DC books will raise in value. Now's the time to cash in!

Cons

- Great way to alienate current and loyal readers.

- These characters can't be changed too much anyway - everyone knows their origins!

- I read Batman Beyond, which is a fairly new series. Why dump something that just started? It doesn't even exist in current time DCU?!  Not to mention, what is my encouragement to keep reading if it is all changing in a few months?  

- One of the ways comic readers start is because a current comic reader shares a book that they enjoy. With everyone starting fresh, who is going to provide guidance and encouragement?

I'm sure that there are more reasons for or against the reboot, but in the end, it doesn't matter. This is happening no matter what any of us think. Only time will tell if this will be a good move by DC.

Alex Robinson from Too Cool to be Forgotten at the Midtown Comics Book Club

Midtown Comics Book Club was last week, and Thor & Zoe brought us a really good one: Too Cool To Be Forgotten by Alex Robinson.

In case you haven't read this awesome book from Top Shelf, here are the basics.  The story follows Andy Wicks on his quest to quit smoking. As a last ditch effort, his wife takes him to a hypnotist to help him stop. From there, Andy falls back in time to the '80's when he was in high school. He quickly realizes that here he can finally get to redo everything he regretted, including smoking.  Through his journey, he gets to the true root of his problem and it's not what he thinks.  

In this book, I love that he keeps remarking how he forgot how difficult it was to be a teen.  I think that every parent should read this just so they get the slap in the face about the horrors of high school.

WARNING:

This post contains face-melting spoilers.

Read at your face’s risk.

If symptoms continue for more than 4 hours, contact [insertgeekhere].

At the Q&A, Alex Robinson talked about how this book came to be. Surprisingly, this came about because his 20th High School reunion was happening. Even though he didn't attend, this book helped him deal with feelings that came up.

Thor asked about how the 1980's genre fit into the story.  Robinson said that he tried to avoid the classic characters that you see in every 80's movie that are too cool. He decided to go look at his own high school yearbook for inspiration and write more realistic teenagers.   The base style of the characters are based on his former classmates.  He even used some of his lunchroom conversations from school, just for realism.  One of the ways Robinson tried to convey realism is in the scene where Andy reaches out to one of the loners.  The loner kid ends up being mad at Andy for talking to him.  Robinson wanted to show that sometimes loners are anti-social for a reason.

Despite how Andy resembled Alex Robinson, there were differences.  Robinson had to make Andy more social, but he didn't go to parties as a kid.  He tended to stay home and draw a lot!  Robinson also never smoked; this was just used a device to send Andy back in time without too much tech.  Also, Robinson never lost his dad.  His father is still alive and well but because of this book, many fans go up to Robinson and tell him their own heart-wrenching tale.  However, Robinson didn't have the best relationship with his dad.  His parents did divorce and he had a rocky relationship for a while.

This is a fantastic book with so many great feelings wrapped up in it.  At first glance, I really had no idea the wild ride it would take me on.  I am not the only one that felt this way; Thor also remarked that in rereading this, he felt overwhelmed with all of the emotions that it brought on.  Robinson let it spill that it has been optioned for a live-action movie, so I can only hope that they do it true justice.

The June book is Northlanders Vol. 1 with writer Brian Wood.   I highly recommend that you read this.  When I picked this up, I couldn't put it down!   Make sure that you join us!

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Review: Daken #9.1

The next Point One in the bunch is Daken: Dark Wolverine #9.1. I have to admit, this is one I was very unsure of because I have never been a fan of this character.

This post is SPOILER-FILLED so if you are allergic to spoilers,

go read another tasty article on [insertgeekhere].

Daken is a character with some serious daddy issues. As the story begins, we watch as Daken takes down a crime boss in Madripoor. The boss, right before he dies, points out that Daken is following in his father's footsteps. This seems to haunt Daken tremendously, so the story moves to the Avengers Tower and some father/son bonding.  As the battle commences, we find out that Daken just wanted to tell his father that he is going to walk his own path now and goodbye.   Next stop for conquer: LA!  (I wonder if he is going to run into Moon Knight?)

I was surprised that I enjoyed this Point One. To be honest, this character just doesn't appeal to me. However, this issue serves as a great reboot for Daken's direction, even though he is still a criminal. As the series shifts directions and locations, it will be a brand new start for Daken and fans.

This was also a good issue for a look at the Avengers, even better than their Point One issue. I liked the bit of interaction between Daken and Wolverine. They have a difficult relationship, but you can see that they both care about each other.

This issue was a great one for jumping into this series. With Daken deciding to put his past behind him and take on his own challenges, this will be a great time to start reading.

Daken: Dark Wolverine #9.1

Written by Rob Williams
Art by Ron Garney

My Point One Journey so far: 
* Review: Alpha Flight
* Point One Update
* Review: Secret Avengers
* Review: The Avengers

* Review: Uncanny X-Men

* Review: Thor
* Review: Captain America
* Review: Uncanny X-Force

* Review: Hulk

* Review: Deadpool

* Review: The Amazing Spider-Man
* Review: Wolverine

* Review: The Invincible Iron Man

* My Point One Plan

* The info about the Point One Initiative

 

 Like what you just read? Let us know in the comments below and keep up to date by following us on Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr!

 

Sunday Links for May 29

This week, we celebrated Geek Pride Day and the 100th Birthday of the New York Public Library.  Even if you haven't been to the NYPL, you still know those iconic lions.  (via [insertgeekhere] and Mental Floss)  

In crazy spoiler news, if you are interested in The Amazing Spider-Man, check out this clip from Stan Lee about his cameo in the newest flick.  Like I said, Villain Spoiler Alert!  (via Bleeding Cool)

My favorite thing about geeks is how enterprising we are.  If we want something that doesn't exist, we do our best to create it.  So this week brought the news of a new con hitting the circuit - Power-Con / Thundercon 2011.  This is a joint con for Masters of the Universe and Thundercats fans.  Hello my childhood!  (via Robot 6)

As San Diego Comic Con gets closer and closer, we get to see how desperate fans get for tickets.  It brings a whole new perspective to the event.  What would you do for SDCC tickets?  (via Bleeding Cool)

If you need a laugh, go and check out Geek to Me's twitter feed because he has started a new hastag about the Most Interesting Geek in the World.  It's some funny stuff.  (via Geek to Me)

Finally, we want to just say thank you to all of the service men and women that have protected our country with their lives.  Have a great Memorial Day weekend.

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Video Friday! 5/27/11

Happy Friday everyone! 


Before we dive into the fun, a bit of sad news. Last week, the wrestling community lost one of its greats, Macho Man Randy Savage. He was a brilliant wrestler, entertainer and spokesman. (Snap into a Slim Jim!) He was one of my favorites and a long time ago, in an airport I don't remember, I got to meet him and Miss Elizabeth. I was trying to find a clip to highlight Macho Man's awesomeness but there was so much to choose from. I eventually came across this clip, courtesy of  My Take Radio, and this shows part of why I liked him so much. There's no question about his talent as a wrestler but he was also charismatic and hilarious. Definitely a guy I'd want to have a few drinks with.





Here's to you, Macho Man! Our thoughts are with your family and friends.


Wednesday was Geek Pride Day, so I've been on the lookout for the geekiest videos I could find this week. Here are a few.



Roll a D6 from Connor Anderson on Vimeo.


via Geeks Are Sexy





via Geeks Are Sexy



Goldfish - We Come Together (OFFICIAL) from Goldfish live on Vimeo.


via Vimeo





via Nerd Approved





via youtube


Have a great weekend everyone!


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Imagine That You Could Create A World...

That's what role playing is all about.   Living in a world of magic and mist, where creatures live as friend or foe. That is the world of Mistrunner, created by Glenn Randall Buettner. 

Glenn is a fan of role playing who decided that he wanted to be the creator of the world he played in. After years of careful planning, he is ready to share his creation with the world. Check out this video from the Kickstarter page:

The amount of detail is just amazing. Additionally, on the website is a letter from one character to another, explaining the Mistrunner world. It sounds so fantastic and big.

I have always been interested in role playing but never had the chance to take part. I think that this world might be my entry into role playing, so please check this out. If you are intrigued, please pledge some moolah towards making Mistrunner a reality for you, me and other role players out there!!

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Happy Geek Pride Day!!!!

Editor's note: This post may be old but it is still as true as ever.  
-Wilderowens

Today is the day to let your geek flag fly high! 

Today is the day you stand up and wish random people to "Live Long and Prosper" and proclaim that Greedo Shot First. 

Today is the day you let haters and the confused know that you are proud of who you are. 

Today is the day when arguments end and no one questions your dedication to your passion. 

Today is the day when n00bs and L33t stand together and Whedonites and Twihards join hands to say together that no matter what, YOU ARE PROUD TO BE A GEEK! 

Today is also the day certain fan groups celebrate a specific holiday, at least according to Wikipedia.

To Hitchhiker fans, have a Happy Towel Day.

To the Jedi, Sith, Stormtroopers and Rebels, have a Merry Star Wars Day.

Finally, I wish the best to Discworld fans on the Glorious 25 May. 

Please rejoice in your fandoms and 

have an amazing Geek Pride Day !!

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Review: Lucid Vol. 1

Borrowed from Archaia.com

I was lucky enough to attend a signing last week at Midtown Comics, where Zachary Quinto signed Lucid, the new comic he produced through his company Before The Door. His co-producer Corey Moosa was also on hand for the signing. Lucid is written by Michael McMillian, also know as Rev. Steve Newlin from True Blood and the art is done by Anna Wieszczyk.

Lucid follows Agent Matthew Dee, the mage newly appointed “Protector of the Realm,” to protect America from magical attacks. On his first mission, he gets embroiled in a plot to kill the president, who is believed to be the next King Arthur. As Dee continues down this path, his skill and faith are tested as his past secrets come back to haunt him. He has help from his mentor Edison, his mysterious girlfriend Ariah and British Necromage Agent Wren.

Borrowed from Archaia.com

This is a very big world that McMillian created and it can be hard to follow. One thing that helps is a guide to spells in the back of the book. Since each spell is shown as a sigil or mark, when reading it I had no idea what was going on. Once I found the handy guide, it was more interesting, even though it was tiresome to flip back and forth while reading.

Not surprisingly, Lucid read like a TV pilot with all of the elements there. A sad backstory for the protaganist who has a new job, older mentor, distant girlfriend with a mystery, and a hot co-worker with some sexual tension. A lot of time is spent building Agent Dee's backstory while more magical explanations are ignored. Because of this, the story felt a bit rushed and confusing at times.  Funnily enough, Lucid is listed on the Television page of Before the Door's ongoing projects.

Despite this, Lucid is a very interesting concept and I look forward to a more in-depth look at this world. I think that he tried to cram a lot into this first story, which left too many elements half-explained. With a continuing series, he would have more time to expand upon the rules and characters of this world.  However, I cannot find any indication that this will be more than the miniseries that it is. 

The art, I thought, was fantastic and really fit the story well.  According to her bio on the flap, Wieszczyk is a student, which I just don't believe.  I really enjoy her style and was thrilled to find her preliminary sketches in the back. 

I would recommend this to anyone who loves modern day magic tales.  My only hope is that they continue the series to give it a chance to grow unhindered.  If you are on the fence, you can read the first issue for free.  Lucid Vol. 1 comes to stores tomorrow.


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Sunday Links for May 23

The Dark Knight Rises released a really, really creeping chanting on their homepage this week.  Some fans went the distance though and cracked the code.  Did you figure it out or cheat like me?  (via Mashable)

In San Diego Comic Con buzz this week, a group of comics writers and artists decided to create a free-entry creative experience for con goers.  Trickster will provide a commercial opportunity for creators and fans to communicate as well as a nightclub spot for relaxation.  This seems like a great idea and makes me even sadder that I'm not going.  (via Comics Alliance)

With all of the sellout announcements recently, how does that really affects the comic creators?  Jason Wood breaks it down and shows how it impacts the creators, local comic shops and fans.  (via iFanboy)

In a rant after my own heart, Amy Ratcliffe wrote a great piece about the misspellings of Star Wars.  Everyone should read this!!! (via geek with curves)

In case you need a new computer or just want one, now is the time to go PC shopping.  With every new Microsoft PC, you get a free Xbox 360.  That's an awesome deal if you ask me.  (via Mashable)

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Review: Alpha Flight #0.1

Alpha Flight is an odd Point One issue because it is not a jumping on point for an ongoing series. Alpha Flight is a series that is being resurrected, so I looked at this more as a primer. 

This post is SPOILER-FILLED so if you are allergic to spoilers,

go read another tasty article on [insertgeekhere].

In this issue, we get to meet Alpha Flight, a team of Canadian superheroes. They were brought back to life during the Chaos War and now they continue to protect Canada. The country is thrown into chaos because of the upcoming election and poor economy.  As we see each Alpha Flight member get called to help stop the damage, we learn about each member and the past that still haunts them.  Ultimately, it is their past that put Canada in the danger they are fighting.

I didn't love or hate this issue but I left it feeling intrigued. I felt like I had questions but not anything that hurts the story for me. The story did a great job introducing the characters and a bit about their different personalities.  They also set the stage for ongoing political unrest, including in the ranks of the superheroes too.  As the story unfolds, I am sure we will see what problems Northstar and Guardian have with the government.  I wonder how long it will take Northstar to rejoin the team. 

Finally, it was a nice change to read a superhero comic not set in America.  It does have a different feel, although it is hard to explain.  I think that overall, this is a good introduction to this team and I am intrigued to see what happens next.

Alpha Flight #0.1

Written by Fred Van Lente and Greg Pak

Art by Ben Oliver with Dan Green

My Point One Journey so far: 
* Point One Update
* Review: Secret Avengers
* Review: The Avengers

* Review: Uncanny X-Men

* Review: Thor
* Review: Captain America
* Review: Uncanny X-Force

* Review: Hulk

* Review: Deadpool

* Review: The Amazing Spider-Man
* Review: Wolverine

* Review: The Invincible Iron Man

* My Point One Plan

* The info about the Point One Initiative

 

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The Pre-Rapture Video Friday!

Hi all! Real Life has been kicking me in the butt lately but luckily, I found some videos that helped stave off the insanity for a few minutes at a time.



A Love Story… In Milk from Catsnake on Vimeo.


via EPICponyz





via Dorkly





via Geekologie


NSFW!!!





via Brentalfloss


Now I don't want you to think I forgot that, according to some, tomorrow is when the rapture is upon us. I wasn't sure what to do, but then I came across this, and I knew all would be okay.





In case the world really does end tomorrow and I can't get internet access (NOOOO!!!), it's been swell and don't forget to grab your big bags for the post Rapture looting. Otherwise, have a great weekend!

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