Last year I sat down with two other geeky guests almost immediately after leaving the floor of Emerald City Comic Con for one of our very first podcast episodes. ECCC was probably the best con I attended last year and I have plans to go back. This week ReedPOP, who is known for putting on shows like NYCC, C2E2 and both PAX shows, announced that they had acquired ECCC. While I am a huge fan of NYCC, I, along with many people, was more than a little concerned by this news. ECCC has a reputation for being a special kind of show, huge but still comic and creator focused, unlike the circus that NYCC has become. Comics Alliance sat down with Lance Fensterman of ReedPOP and Jim Demonakos of ECCC to talk about their plans for the future of both ReedPOP and ECCC. For anyone who attends any of these shows, it’s an interview worth reading. Continue reading
Tag Archives: 3D Printing
Editorial | Does Geek Culture Hold the Answers to National Security?
For this post, I collaborated with Hannah Givens, from Things Matter (which you should totally check out). Our mutual love of international relations shines through everything we do, apparently.
Technological innovation raises some obvious questions. What kind of technology will humans use in the future? How will it work and what will it do for us? How will it change the way we do things? Those questions are, perhaps, at their most controversial in the realm of national security, where technology can kill (or protect) ever-greater numbers of people. Fortunately, geek culture is an oracle of war. Science fiction has been imagining the future for a long time now, and was already providing possible answers before national security experts even understood the questions. Continue reading
Filed under Editorial, Guest, Tracy Gronewold
Around the Web February 7, 2014: Kickstarter Edition
This week Around the Web is doing things a little differently. Instead of the usual interesting finds from all over the internet, I’ve decided to share a number of projects looking for funding on Kickstarter. Some of these projects have already been fully funded and are working towards various stretch goals, while other are in need of our help to get there.
Games
Kombat Kittens – I like cats and I like combat card games so this one feels like a natural fit. Also the card art makes me laugh.
Los Cthuluchadores – I am both disturbed and fascinated by the idea of combining H.P Lovecraft’s classic horror creation and Mexican Luchadores.
Rhythm Metal Gaming Dice – These are high quality gaming dice for those of you who take your D&D seriously.
Customizable 3D Printed Tabletop Miniatures – Again, for those of you hardcore role-players out there, now you can have your own, unique minis. This is a great use of an emerging technology.
Tiny Epic Kingdoms – I like the idea of a game that will fit in the pocket of my cargo pants.
Fief – An update to a French board game that has the potential for games on the same scale as Monopoly or Risk.
Zeppelin Attack! – Who doesn’t like the idea of being a 1920’s super villain in a zeppelin? I know I love the idea.
Film
Brian Remus: Science Genius – This strikes me as Bill Nye meets Office Space.
Audax – These guys are working on a micro-budget and personally I want to see exactly what they can pull off with that. Who knows, maybe we’ll be impressed.
Outerlands: Season One – I’ve already seen several video game based documentaries which were fascinating and this looks like it will be great.
Restore the Rialto Theater – This is a very serious dilemma hitting thousands of small movie houses. We need to help as many as we can. My local theater has been among the lucky ones to successfully make the transition to digital.
Video Games
Stellar Praxis – Grand scale RTS games are kind of my thing. I love Sins of a Solar Empire and would really like it if Sins had some “friends” out there.
Galactic Wars – Big ships beating the crap out of each other. What’s not to love?
Comics
Psychonaut – Thanks in part to the comic publisher Image, the science fiction comic is making a comeback. This book has a solid look and premises.
Sidekicks – This book looks and feels a lot like Invincible which isn’t a bad thing. Hopefully it will match that look with a good story and some humor.
These are the projects that caught my eye, but there are a ton more available. Let us know which projects you think are worth while and should be spotlighted. And don’t forget to put your money where your mouth is by helping to support some of these folks. I will be.
Filed under Around the Web
Therefore I Geek 