Rick Riordan Came to My Town and I Got Prezzies!

Rick Riordan gave a lecture this past weekend at Adelphi University.  Mr. Riordan is the genius behind the Percy Jackson series, the Kane Chronicles, the 39 Clues and the Tres Navarre series.  He shared a lot of interesting facts about his books and even gave us some spoilers for his upcoming book The Lost Hero.  But first, some fun facts!

I suck at getting non blurry pictures so this was the best

Fun Facts about Rick Riordan


- He created Percy Jackson to help his son study.  His son, like Percy, is dyslexic and has ADHD so this was a great way to teach him about Greek myths.  His son was even the one to encourage him to publish it.

- His own students were the first people to edit Percy Jackson and the Lighting Thief.

- When he first sent Percy Jackson and the Lighting Thief to publishers, he signed it as "Ransom Reese."

- His favorite Percy Jackson book is The Last Olympian.

- The big battle scene at the end of The Last Olympian was inspired by The Iliad.

- The House of Life from The Red Pyramid actually existed and was the inspiration for the Kane Chronicles.

- If he was a god, he would like to be Poseidon or Hermes but figures he would end up being Dionysus.

Found on Wikipedia

SPOILER ALERT

We got to hear a never-before read passage of The Lost Hero. You can already read the first two chapters here.  I will admit, I took crappy notes when he read this chapter.  I don't really like giving away too much, plus I was mesmerized with what I heard.

I can tell you a few things about the scene we heard.  Piper, a new character, was getting her camp tour from Annabeth.  Piper senses something is off when they walk past Hera's cabin.  When they go inside, they find a giant statue of Hera and....Rachel Elizabeth Dare.  While the three of them are talking, we learn that not only is Percy missing but the Gods themselves have stopped communicating with the world.  As this conversation continues, Rachel goes into a trance and grabs Piper.  She says in a dark tone "Free Me...."

SPOILER ALERT OVER

And then there was some more, but I didn't write it down.  But don't worry, The Lost Hero comes out on October 12!


And now for what you have been scrolling for.....Prezzies!

After the lecture, there was a book signing.  I have a copy of Percy Jackson and the Lighting Thief autographed by the man himself, Rick Riordan.  I had to brave a hoard of pre-teens to get this, so I hope you treasure it!  In order to win this, you have to go to twitter, follow us at @IGHInsider and retweet about this giveaway.  We will use a randomizer to pick the winner on October 7th. 

Comics I Came Into Too Late

Are there comics that you started reading long after they finished their run? Maybe you didn’t like the writer/artist. Maybe you were too young and didn’t understand them or maybe, like me, you were too broke to afford them. For whatever reason, you’ve only recently discovered their awesomeness and you’re now kicking yourself for not being a rabid fan earlier. 

This is what’s been happening to me. I was an avid collector for several years, amassing a fairly respectable collection in a relatively short amount of time but then money became tight and instead of getting at least twelve titles a month, I was lucky to get one and eventually I had to give up my precious comics. Then something happened that helped bring me back to the medium. Trade paperbacks. They’ve been around for forever but as comics became more mainstream, they became more prominently featured in bookstores and popped up more frequently in libraries. Not to sound too mushy but getting my hands on the TPBs felt almost like coming home. What can I say? Comics make me ridiculously happy.

That brings me to the point of this post – I’m playing catch up and the first series I discovered was 100 Bullets by Brian Azzarello and Eduardo Risso. I’m only up to the third TPB but so far I’m loving it.

100 Bullets starts off asking if you were given a gun and 100 untraceable bullets to right a horrible wrong that’s been committed against you, could you use it? What would the cost be to you? Would there be any cost? Deep, right?

Then the underlying thread starts to appear and even more questions are asked? Who is Agent Graves, the man who has provided the guns to these people? Why is he giving it to them? Who are the Minutemen and the Trust? What’s the bigger picture?

The writing itself is slick. Brian Azzarello has created characters I’d believe exist in our world. They’re real. These are people, for good or bad, who you’ve seen or know (hopefully not intimately, some of these people are twisted). For every arc, Azzarello captures the place and the individuals that live there while maintaining a noir-like feel to everything.

As for the art, my initial impression was unimpressed. I felt like something was lacking. I just wasn’t connecting with it, but as I kept reading, I found myself drawn more and more into the story, and suddenly a light bulb turned on and I got it. The art made sense to me. It worked with the writing. It offers a heightened sense of reality that brings the story to life. Do I think it’s perfect? No. Right now, my main pet peeve is the water droplets on the people without color. I can’t stand it. It makes them look like they’ve suddenly become riddled with insta-acne or the plague. But then again, what’s a few random pustules when he’s able to portray someone’s heart being ripped out so brilliantly?

I love the character study aspect of the story. Who will pull the trigger? What will happen when they do? Will they be able to live with themselves? These are the questions that really have me coming back for more. For those of you who have already read the series, you know the answers, but for those of you who haven’t, go to your local comic book store or go online and pick up 100 Bullets.

I’ll post again about this once I’ve finished the series. I can’t wait to see how I feel after I’ve finished it and I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.

The Event: "I haven't told you everything"

 This is spoiler-filled so read it at your own risk.

"I haven't told you everything."


That final line of the episode sums up how I felt after watching the premiere of The Event.  It is a confusing world that this show lives in, following in the likes of Lost, FlashForward, and The Hills.

It follows a group of random people that have been caught up in situations beyond their control.  You start off during a plane attack and jump into the past with each character.  Each time you jump, you gain a sliver of insight but the story is still very tangled and yet simple.  The father and boyfriend looking for the daughter/girlfriend they lost; The US President trying to keep control while he protects his people, the strange spy who is trying to do the right thing, and the strange women who is a prisoner and seems to know it all.  Then there is teleportation/wormholes.  That is the sci-fi angle, which will be explained eventually (hopefully).

I will admit, I think Laura Innes is going to rock this role.  She has an air of importance that her character needs to keep control of an impossible situation.  If I watch this for any actor, she will make it worth it.

So we wait for tonight.  I think I will give it another shot.  Shows like this, that start off secretive and confusing, can either be amazing or irritating.  I will give it a chance.  Will you?

Special Events During New York Comic Con

We have less than two weeks to go and there are more and more amazing things getting announced.  As we get closer, there are many fun events happening that need to be on your radar.  As we hear of additional events, we will be updating this post, so keep checking back in!

Dave & Busters NYCC Fan Meet Up

Thursday Sept. 30th at 6pm

According to their tweet, there will be a chance to get tickets.  This will also be a good chance to meet some fellow fans.

Nicholas Brendon Meet and Greet Dinner with Fans

Saturday, Oct. 2 at 7:30 pm

This is your chance to spend time with Nick Brendon face to face without a line of screaming fans behind you!  There are still a few tickets available so get them quick!  They are available on his website here.

The New York Comic Jam
Thursday, Oct. 7 at 7pm


At this event, they gather the best from New York's indie comics community to get drunk and draw comics.  Sounds like a night to remember and a great way to kick off the con!  This event is hosted by House of 12 Comics and you can learn about them here and here.



 

CBLDF NYCC Welcome Party 
Thursday, Oct. 7 - 8 pm


Spend time with some of your favorite creators as you enjoy an open bar, free apps,  and giveaways while supporting free speech. For more information, check out the Facebook link here.


GGN Geek Tweet Up @ NYCC

Friday, October 8 · 8:30pm

Have you ever wanted to meet all of those people you tweet with?  Now is your chance!  Geek Girls Network is doing a Geek Tweet Up during NYCC and  it looks to be a great time!

Lord of The Rings: The Two Towers at Radio City

Friday and Saturday, Oct 8-9

They are showing the movie on a giant screen while playing the score live.  They did this last year with the first movie and it was a hit!  It is sponsored by NYCC and if you use special offer code of TTT to buy tickets, it includes a custom-designed poster, autographed by award-winning composer Howard Shore. Hurry, this special offer will end October 4th!

UGO & 1UP Present "Hells Yeah, NYCC!" Meet-Up 
Saturday, Oct. 9


The wacky folks over at UGO Entertainment are having the be-all-to-end-all meet ups. Kick back with a brew, hang out with friends, make new ones, dress in costume, or get into Star Trek vs Star Wars debates.... anything goes. Find out more here


iFanboys Meet Up/Party 
Saturday, Oct. 9


Meet the iFanboys. Explore Brooklyn, enjoy an open bar, and hang out with special guests GEOFF JOHNS AND FRANCIS MANAPUL! For more info check out their site, www.ifanboy.com

Rock Comic Con NYC's Nerd Rock Festival *updated

Saturday, Oct. 9 

The premiere NYC Nerd Rock Festival featuring great, rockin' nerd bands, Kirby Krackle, .H2Awesome, Fortress of Attitude & Bedlam Rock! Find out more allthingsfangirl

Dark Horse Comics Night *updated

Saturday, October 9 

Join Dark Horse Comics staff and creators for a special New York Comic Con celebration at St. Marks Comics on St. Marks Place, with the event featuring Q&A, trivia, giveaways and more!  More info here.

 
Books of Wonder Signing 
Sunday, Oct. 10


Eleven of 2010 debut tweens/teens authors will be on hand to talk about their books, take questions and do a signing. Some of those who will be in attendance are Emily Horner, Shaun David Hutchinson, Josh Berk, and AMBER BENSON. Join them and the rest at Books of Wonder and bring the kids!


Unofficial NYCC After Party *updated
Sunday, Oct. 10


A fan asked Lance Fensterman if there was going to be an after party and when Lance said no, this fan, Chris Pacicca, took matters into his own hands. Hang out at Perdition at 692 10th Ave starting at 9 until whenever.


You can check out our last post about New York Comic Con here.

Iron Man 2 - Alternate Opening

*Sorry it is gone, but if you find it elsewhere, let us know.


Watch It Before It's Too Late!!!

Recently, a bootlegged clip of an alternate opening for Iron Man 2 came out. I love the clip. It opens with Tony puking on a toilet. It's funny and it's character appropriate. It hasn't really been addressed in the movies but for those familiar with the comics know that Tony is an alcoholic. So why didn't this clip make the movie? 

Little kids worship Iron Man. Having the hero puking and hung over doesn't really portray him in the best light, which could possibly lead to less kiddie worshipping, which means less revenue for Marvel. Not only that, on the flip side, it could lead to kids asking questions parents aren't quite ready to answer. It's a lot easier to to have a discussion about the dangers of explosions or Whiplash than trying to explain why someone feels the need to drown themselves in booze, especially someone who is as awesome as Tony. It might humanize him, which is great, but when they're young, who wants to possibly tear down a kid's hero? 

I would love to see this clip make it to the special features of one of the inevitable Iron Man collector's editions or super packs but I doubt it so enjoy this while you can.

*side note - How awesome is Pepper Potts? I love her in this scene.

Musical Friday! (Tolkien Version)

In honor of Tolkien Week, we bring you a few of the most interesting videos out there celebrating Hobbit-y goodness. Enjoy!

The Harper & The Minstrel ~ with guests Wyldefyre & The Limeybirds - The Hobbit Drinking Song

This was performed at a special event at the Florida Renaissance Festival, Feb 22, 2009, Deerfield Beach, Florida. The interpretive dancing is what really sells this.

Flight of the Concords - Frodo, Don't Wear The Ring (Season 1, ep. 11) The guys get roped into making a LOTR tribute video. This is just hilarious.

Leonard Nimoy's Ballad of Bilbo Baggins - No musical Tolkien tribute would be complete without this well-known gem of WTF-ery? Seriously? What was he thinking? Better yet, what was he on?

J.R.R. Tolkien Recites the Ring Verse - It seemed only appropriate to conclude this, not with a song but with a reading from the man himself.

*Due to a technical glitch, this posted earlier than planned, but hey, it's Friday somewhere! 

Why I Don’t Hate Dawn Summers

This summer I was one of the lucky few to attend San Diego Comic Con.  Con ends with a showing of the Buffy Musical.  As a huge Buffy the Vampire Slayer fan, and I mean crazy psycho huge, I was excited to attend this.  I had never done Once More With Feeling in public, unless you count me singing in the subway.  We get there and the musical starts….then the heckling begins.  Not minor teasing heckling, but people are shouting “DIE!” or “Shut Up” every time Dawn comes on the screen!  WTF people!  I admit, Dawn was never my favorite character, but she doesn’t deserve that level of hatred.  This really got to me because it just didn’t seem fair.  I even did some online searches and found a hate listing for Dawn!  In response to this travesty, I have made a list of 7 reasons why we should not hate Dawn.


(WARNING: These are kinda spoilery for the character through the TV series and the comic books.)

Seven Reasons NOT to Hate Dawn Summers

1. Great sister bickering.  Made me feel like my own big sister was there! (Hi KJ!)

2. As the Scoobies got older and Joyce passed away, Buffy needed someone to care for; Dawn provided that outlet.

3. Stop blaming Dawn for Buffy “Walking Through the Fire.”  It was Xander’s Fault!!  Just because we all love him doesn’t mean he isn’t an idiot sometimes.

4. Nice change from Xander and/or Willow being the one who caused all of the trouble.

5. If you were 13 and being cut open on top of a metal structure built by crazy people, you would cry too!  (Don’t lie, I saw you!)

6. She was a giant, a doll and a freaking centaur.  That’s just awesome.

7. Dawn may have been an annoying kid but every preteen is annoying!  Just go to your local mall if you don’t believe me.

What do you think?  What are your reasons?


I may continue this topic with other characters that people hate for no real reason.  If there is a character you want me to defend, leave their name in the comments below.

Happy Hobbit Day!

Photo found at http://www.soloparolesparse.com

HAPPY HOBBIT DAY!!

This day is in celebration of our favorite people of the Shire, the Hobbits.  We celebrate this day because this is the birthday of the two most influential hobbits, Bilbo and Frodo Baggins.  This is the high point of Tolkien week, which is right now!  There is some controversy over the day; some people believe their true birthday should be Sept. 14th due to the calendars differences.  Wikipedia has some info about that here.

Photo fromhttp://www.theage.com.au

There are many traditional ways to celebrate.  Across the world, parties are held to celebrate the birthdays.  Some even show screenings of the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.  This blogger posted a menu that was made a few years ago, touching upon all of the traditional hobbit eating times.  You can also find more information at The American Tolkien Society.

Of course, the best and simplest way is to just go barefoot just like the Hobbits!

Photo found at http://beautyeditor.ca

Happy Talk Like a Pirate Day!

Avast You Salty Sea Dogs!  Today is Talk Like a Pirate Day!  It is the one day a year that saying "Arrr!" for every other word is totally ok.  You can also switch your facebook language to Pirate.  If you are not sure how to talk Pirate, see this instruction video which I found courtesy of  this Mental Floss article:






ARRRR Enjoy ye day!

Musical Friday!

We here at [insertgeekhere] are trying to get posts up in a more timely fashion but we're still getting ourselves organized and real life gets in the way so to pass the time and because I love them so I give you awesome geeky music videos. Enjoy!




Danny Fong is ridiculously talented. He has several other tracks and you should check him out at http://www.youtube.com/user/daniscool99



With themes from beloved shows like Reading Rainbow, Duck Tales, Pinky and the Brain, Gummi Bears and in later episodes, Jem, GI Joe, Heathcliff, X-Men, Golden Girls and Gilligan's Island, DeStorm serves up a series of videos that invoke nostalgia while making them something new and exciting. Find him at http://www.youtube.com/user/DeStorm





I have a confession to make: I was not that interested in The Guild when it first debuted. Wilderowens kept telling me how awesome it was but I remained unconvinced until this came out. When I saw this in all its amazing geeky perfection I realized just how special The Guild is. If you haven't been watching it, you should. Catch up with episodes at http://www.youtube.com/user/watchtheguild or www.watchtheguild.com  And if Date My Avatar doesn't convince you of the awesomeness of The Guild, then this should.....




Hope you enjoy these as much as we do. More posts will be coming soon and be sure to keep checking for our tips and coverage of New York Comic Con!

Can't Stop the Serenity

This past weekend, I attended a Can’t Stop the Serenity event in Plainview, NY.  It was a gathering of local Whedon fans to come together, watch some movies and support a great cause.  CSTS is an amazing event that is totally fan-run and fan-supported all over the globe.  It was started five years ago by @theonetruebix, and has grown to 52 cities in five countries.  Every year this event supports Joss Whedon’s charity of choice, Equality Now.  Equality Now is an international women's rights advocacy group that was started by Joss’s mother.  They work for the protection and promotion of the human rights of women around the world. Working with national human rights organizations and individual activists, Equality Now documents violence and discrimination against women and mobilizes international action to support their efforts to stop these human rights abuses.  CSTS also supports Kids Need to Read, who works to create a culture of reading for children by providing inspiring books to underfunded schools, libraries, and literacy programs across the United States, especially those serving disadvantaged children.

This year, my local event was held at Ravenblood Games in Plainview, so it had a unique gamer feel.  Every person there was interested in supporting the cause and also had fun stories to tell about their own geeky experiences. We had a Dr. Horrible Sing-A-Long Blog screening (which included some first-time watchers!) and a screening of the big damn movie, Serenity.  In between was a fundraising auction, in which I scored a replica axe that River uses in the final fight scene in Serenity.  This particular event was a smaller group of people, but the store owner is excited to make it grow, so I am already excited for next year!

CSTS is near and dear to my heart, and this post doesn’t do it justice.  It is not very often that you can attend a fan event that really makes a difference.  If you have a chance to attend one of these events, do it!  It is a great way to meet local geeks and have a great time supporting a great cause!

To learn more check out www.equalitynow.org, www.cantstoptheserenity.com, and www.kidsneedtoread.org.

Fun Videos Floating Around

There's something about Lego Zombies that makes me all warm and fuzzy inside....unless that's the infection talking....



John Williams IS the man! And this guy is pretty good too!


Geek and Gamer Girls Song - Watch more Funny Videos

Do I really need to explain why this one made the cut?

I know the first two videos have been around for awhile but they still awesome and worth seeing.

Pull the Trigger

Hello gentle readers, we are @wilderowens and @wysefyre, the writers of [insertgeekhere].

As an introduction, we want to make sure that you (and we) know what this blog is about.

1. We are Fans First! We love pop culture and want to share
that love with you. Both of us are authentic geek girls.


2. We started this blog to show appreciation to the artists out
there that give us such great comics/tv/movies/web series/
music/art/buttons/opinions.


3. We also want to use this blog to learn more from our
readers. Too many wonderful things are out there and we
want to see as much as we can. When you find stuff, send
it our way. If there is something you want covered, tell us
or better yet, cover it and we will post it. This blog is ready
to grow with your help.


4. We are inspired to follow those groundbreaking
geek girls that are at the forefront of geek culture
such as @geekgirldiva, @feliciaday, @geekgirls, @comixace,
@thenerdybird, @damiella, @tabz, @actionchick, and @jul_weiss.

Finally, we are just excited to start this. This dream has been years in the making and we can’t wait to see where this takes us.

Thank you for joining us.

@wilderowens & @wysefyre

Follow us on Twitter @IGHInsider for all of our up-to-date discoveries.