I really enjoyed the first "Sharing Day" we had, so since I am in a "coding fog" at the moment and a break from "Open Critique Day" is probably in order, I thought we should revisit the idea. Hopefully we can all get to know each other a little better!
So here's the deal:
You can ask me any question you like about whatever you like, which I will answer either completely truthfully or not at all (in which case you can ask something else). I say that because, come on, there are some things no one should have to know!
But you can only do so if you answer the following question about yourself:
What "geek secret" do you have that, if known by your friends and/or co-workers, would really embarrass you?
I'll give you an example from my own life:
I frequently wear super-hero underwear, owning no fewer than four such items of apparel (Superman briefs, Fantastic Four boxers, and two others I honestly can't recall). I'm pretty sure our neighbors and the nice people at the community center would be completely nonplussed if they knew.
Now it's your turn! Try to keep them relatively clean and of the legal, non-lethal-if-known variety, please.
I’m not sure I HAVE a geek secret anymore. My geekiness is pretty much out in the open. I have various models of starships strewn about the room, other toys from Dexter to the Incredibles, Batman and Superman action figures, I wear superhero T-shirts out in public… Even recently bought a Green Lantern ring (getting ready for the movie), my phone plays the ST:TNG theme as a ringtone… There are even people IRL that ONLY know me as Worf.
Now if that counts as sharing, Here’s what I want to know:
Did you hide your geek side from your wife when you met? And if so, how long did it take you to fully disclose?
My geek secret is related more with The Elder Scrolls universe and Stargate universe. My friends are scared when I speak Jaffa (Stargate)or Dunmer (The Elder Scrolls) language. I know location of every cave, daedric ruin or dwemer fortress in Morrowind and I can get lost in smallest of districts of Kharkiv where I live. I know history of Morrowind better then the history of my country. I don’t know who is the president of my country but I know all Goa’Uld system lords. That scares my friends, too.
My question is simple…maybe I even get the answer but don’t remember it…Anyway, the question is – Which comix company do you like Better – Marvel or DC?
Sorry again for my crappy English…
Worf (1): I’m not sure how to answer that, as I was introduced as “working for Dell” and not “illustrator”. So she knew right off I was at least — probably — a computer geek. She quickly learned I was an illustrator, since I sent her dog a “get well” card I drew. I honestly don’t know how long it took for the geek side to come out, but it wasn’t like I was hiding it on purpose. I’ve just always been circumspect about that side of my life … It was probably at least a few dates though before anything overt came out.
Malfar: Man, I loved the Elder Scrolls games. Great stuff. I grew up as more of a DC guy, though honestly I probably consume a lot more Marvel stuff nowadays. But in my heart, I have more of a DC orientation — I like bright, shiny, “heroic” heroes with awesome powers that defy logic. Marvel stories are so full of problems and angst, which I have plenty enough of in real life, thank you, I don’t need it in my escapist fiction.
well, my Geek secret that would probably shame me in front of my machismo filled coworkers is that 2006 I auditioned for the SCI-FI channel show Who wants to be a Superhero? I went to a crowded Universal City Walk here in Hollywood on a Friday in a makeshift costume I created and tried to show the world that I had what it takes to be a four color, spandex clad hero. we had to stand on stage and give an origin story for our character and a battle cry or motto. My character was named AMP! and had the power to control sound waves, and my catchphrase was “Crank It Up!”
needless to say I didn’t get on the show, but met a great group of people and got a story out of it.
So Jeff, have you ever dressed up as a hero? (halloween/costume party/Con) and if so which one?
Watson (4): That’s awesome! I’d love to hear about what the experience was like, how they got people in, what kind of questions they asked, all that sort of stuff. I can see how you might be embarrassed with non-geek coworkers, but personally I think it’s fantastic.
I haven’t ever dressed up for a Con, but my wife threw a Super-Hero themed surprise birthday party for me on my 30th, and I had to put on a recreation of the “costume” I wore as a kid racing around my neighborhood — my sister’s go-go boots, a towel for a cape, my brother’s black leather American Flag motorcycle gloves, and my mom’s meat tenderizer for a Thor hammer. Good times.
*raises hand*
I knew Jeff was a geek when I saw him doodling Green Lantern sketches all over his “notes” during a class freshman year at college.
The rest, as they say, is history.
My geek secret is that I have a blue lantern ring and when my wife is not around I pretend that’s real and I am a blue lantern going on spce adventure.
Ok my question is an opinion question that not only you, but any one could answer. Say you have a full sized clone….Sort of like Arnolds in the 6th day…..who is your age, has your finger prints, and all of your memories up to when you were cloned…And you have sex with that clone….would you consider it insest, homosexuality, or masturbation and why.
Alphaalpharomeo (7): I aint’ touchin’ that one, which is both my answer and non-answer at the same time.
Oh, yeah, mine would definitely be the fanfiction. The disturbing, sometimes overly realistic, fanfiction. Mostly insane pairing smut…That (oh my) I write.
It is not something I want involved with my public persona. I mean, they know I like comics and somewhat macabre literature, but I would be mortified if it got out around the water-cooler. It is unlikely, with my precautions, but I’m astounded by some of these people who use e-mails with their *actual names* for stuff. (Multiple e-mails, people!)
And that is a lame one, but my only geek-related secret.
So, to make up for that: Jeff…if someone had a nasty, painful object to your head and told you to draw two comic characters in flagrante delicto, which ones would your hand immediately begin to sketch? “Name/Name” will be fine.
I have a few:
– When things like 9/11 and Katrina happened, part of me was looking around for a phone booth to change in. (I’ve actually mentioned this, though.)
– When Randy Quaid gives his life at the end of “Independence Day,” part of me wants to cry.
– Last night, I made one of those “What would our baby look like?” computer composites, with me and my favorite Doctor Who companion, VIctoria. Goofy-lookin’ kid.
Any others you wanna hear?
I can’t say that there’s a geeky activity that I do that most of my friends don’t already know about, and that would necessarily surprise my co-workers. I’m pretty open about my geekiness nowadays. In fact, people are now more surprised when I get into doing something “normal.”
So, the best answer I can probably give is that I will sometimes blow off social engagements or invitations to do stuff socially in order to play video games. Not that this would actually surprise my friends to hear in a general sense, but which would probably offend them if it got more specific, because, of course, I lie about why I don’t want to go out. I don’t say, “You know what, random friend, I appreciate you inviting me out to go play pool/go to the movies/do random social activity, but I’d rather play Grand Theft Auto tonight,” and instead say that I’m sick, busy with housework, grounded (I did fake being grounded once in high school so I could stay home and play Final Fantasy), or some other excuse. Granted, I’m less likely to do this now than I was in my past, but it still happens from time to time.
I actually don’t have a question for you yet, Jeff. Perhaps if I can think of something later on today, I’ll ask it, but I thought I’d share that with the group on my own accord.
Alphaalpharomeo (7):No. Just, no.
My geek secret[s], even though I am a Geek, I get in horrible fights with other geeks over origins. Some one’s like “‘Unkwown is Jin’s mom, Arghh!! and I say ‘ You idiot it’s not cannon and it doesn’t make sense, BLARGH!'”
And you know what? It’s fun to do that. 😛
Oh and I hate the fact Leia isn’t a Jedi. Yep.
So my question to you….when can we expect new instant faces in Heromachine? And a secondary question, what is your favorite comic series at the moment? :O
Oh, and because I like publically nerding myself…..
1-I like Independence day.
2-Bionicle’s are my favorite thing ever made
3-I….I…I…. liked SpiderMan Three!!
4-Nothing Marvel does bothers me, yet any dumb thing DC does, I flip.
5-I like StarTrek more then StarWars….and why? WHY?! Isn’t Leia a jedi?!
Nicholas (12): What do you mean Leia’s not a Jedi? Like, she’s a force sensitive, but not a member of the Order? ‘Cause I kinda thought she was.
Like Worf, I have no geeky traits that others don’t know about.So I’ll reveal to you guys what my superpower is.
Due to a combination various genetic abnormalities, such as a few atavisms here and there, high-functioning autism, and other miscellaneous things, I can become an invincible engine of destruction capable of being hit with rather large rocks without feeling pain, dragging guys at least twice my mass several hundred feet effortlessly, and stopping a charging ram in its tracks with a single kick to its chin. And I have actually done these things, too. I’m a real-life Incredible Hulk, minus the cosmetic changes. Unfortunately, I need to be angry in order for the super physical ability to activate; otherwise, I’m a weakling. And I’m normally a pretty passive guy, so I can’t reliably get angry in order to become super-strong.
My question: Do you know of any good obscure pen-&-paper RPG’s that have unique or noteworthy mechanics? I’m making my own such game, and I need inspiration. A friend of mine suggested the Hero system (as used in Champions), but I’m going for more of a sword-&-sorcery fantasy game, as opposed to a superhero game. Although, I suppose I could still look at its mechanics.
At college, every day for a year, I’d come back from calculus and watch Muppet Babies. I only discovered it because it came on right before Batman: The Animated Series, but I loved that show. I cannot for the life of me explain why, but I did. I would have kept it up, but the scheduling changed the next year.
So, what’s your favorite childhood cartoon? Not the more recent stuff, from your best animated poll, but from when you were a kid?
My last job was store manager of a certain chain of video stores that will be out of business soon. I never told any of my employees about my geekness. I wouldn’t have denied it, but it just never came up. Then I made the mistake of hiring a guy I was friends with in high school. He started to tell everyone all of my old school geekness. And I mean everything. Watching wrestling, reading comics, collecting toys, playing D&D. Having it all come out at the same time was a little rough. Lucky for me, i had the kinda store where we all got along, but I deffinatly got a good ball-busting out of it.
My geek secret is that I still have most of my toys from when I was younger. I have a TON of various power ranger toys and Marvel Legends action figures. The action figures I’m keeping as collectibles, and I just haven’t had the time to get rid of the power ranger stuff. I don’t play with them or anything. Also, (not necessarily a thing I’m ashamed to tell people but speaking of old toys) I still have the statues of Batman and Robin from Batman: TAS that were on my 3rd birthday cake. They reside next to my bobble heads and other statues.
Jeff, what is your favorite (non superhero) movie of all time?
Violet (9): Ummm … wow. I guess … Power Girl and … I dunno, Superman, I suppose.
My geek secret is that I’ve been working for years with a friend on inventing a language.
It sometimes seems there’s a certain “something” that puts Heromachine picture contest submissions over the top into finalist status, but I have trouble putting my finger on what it is. Since you’re the judge, care to let us in on what that something is that really wows you? Given the nature of the question, you’re free to decline to answer.
Nick (12): No new items of any sort for at least a month while I code. Longer if the coding gets too complicated.
Favorite comics series … A bit tough since I don’t have a comics store any more, but it was Invincible for a long time.
My geek secret would have to be that between the ages of 5 and 9, I was such a big fan of Batman, or more specifically the Batman animated series, that every time my parents and I went to visit my uncle, he would tie up my hands after I fell asleep watching TV and leave a note saying “The Joker was here.”
So, my question is, and you can pick one person from both the Marvel and DC universe, if you were to choose one hero or villain to kill off permanently, who would it be and how would you do it? (By permanently I mean that it would be completely canon and there would be none of that “oh well it was an alternate reality” or “we thought it would be fun to bring him back and we don’t want to screw up our bottom line.” It would be for keeps, no backsies.)
Watson–I recently auditioned for “America’s Got Talent” just for the fun of it, and yeah, that’s kind of what you do that sort of thing for, for the fun and the story to tell. I’m waiting for this summer. Looking forward to the viewing party I’ll throw where I’ll get to show people where I am barely peeking out in a crowd. 😀
Jadebrain (15): Check out “Grognardia” and “Jeff’s Game Blog” for two sites that talk a lot about old-school, sometimes very rare and unique P&P RPG systems. Friend-of-the-Blog Jeff Mejia also created a fun RPG specifically designed to capture the cheesy 70s and 80s Sword and Sorcery movies, heavy on fun and adventure and low on noodly rules lawyering. He’s at The Evil DM.
The first two guys are big into Original D&D, as in the very first couple of releases, before it got super hairy and complicated and involved. The systems they like (Trolls & Tunnels, Labyrinth Lord, and especially OD&D itself) emphasize quick character creation, fairly easy death, and an emphasis on the DM kind of rolling with the punches and making it up as they go along.
I personally have played Champions and the HERO System the most of any game system, and it is possible to use it for fantasy RPGs. Buddy John Hartwell even did some interior illustrations for their Fantasy release, I think. But it’s a big, clunky system, and I don’t think it really translates all that well. I mean, it kind of depends on what kind of DM you are and what kind of campaign you want to run, you know?
Bael (16): Hmm, good question! I was always a HUGE Chuck Jones-era Bugs Bunny fan. Those are in my opinion some of the best cartoons ever made, hands-down. Unfortunately by the time I was heavily watching toons, Chuck had left and it was a lot of really drecky, hackish Hanna Barbera crap.
I remember liking “Thunder Cats” a lot, and “Thundarr the Barbarian”. Apparently I had a thing for thunder. And “Battle Beyond the Stars”, the bird-themed space Japanimation series they’d show at odd hours on Saturdays. Of course I was obligated to watch “Super Friends” because that was the only super-hero offering available, even though it was pretty dreadful, honestly. I liked the “Legion of Doom” Darth Vader Swamp Helmet Hideout, though. That thing was cool.
I was a little too old by the time some of the really kick-ass cartoons like GI Joe and Transformers came around, unfortunately, so they weren’t childhood favorites.
remy (18): Old toys are the best toys!
The movie question is really tough, as there are so many different kinds of movies. For dramas, strangely enough “Amadeus” is one of my all-time favorites. The scene where Salieri is sitting on his bed glaring at the crucifix after Mozart has taken his original ditty and turned it into a triumph in mere moments is so heart-wrenching for anyone who has the passion to understand genius, but never the gift of actually producing it. Just such a powerful movie, and for me one of the great examples of how a movie centered around the villain can be absolutely gripping.
For comedy, I’m old school and love me some original “Airplane”. That movie still makes me laugh to this day.
Another random drama that really influenced me was the relatively obscure “Searching for Bobby Fischer”, a movie about a kid who’s a genius at chess and his family’s struggle to remain normal while still giving him room to explore his gift.
There are lots of others but those are three that hold a special place in my heart.
Whit (20): Sounds like a neat project!
In terms of judging, I don’t have some secret formula for what I like or anything. But I’m looking for the overall visual impact of the image, as if it were a painting or a photograph or a sculpture. It has to be a good piece of art, which is a totally separate thing from the subject.
The colors should work together to convey some kind of emotion or impression. The shapes should be interesting and engaging. The overall composition should be clean, simple, easy to understand visually, and uncluttered.
Really what I look for deep-down is simply good design, both in terms of the design of the character, and then the design of the image in which the character appears. Sometimes a neat costume or character is let down by really poor color design, or by a bad setting where the surrounding elements obscure rather than illuminate the story the artist is trying to tell.
But at the end of the day, what I really judge on is my instant reaction the first time I lay eyes on it. If I open the file and go “Wow!” then I know that’s definitely a Finalist. If I have to look at it for ten seconds before I can even understand what the heck is supposed to be going on, that’s a bad sign.
Not to pick on him, but I think Imp is a great example to look at. Not that all designs should be like his, but what I like about his illustrations is that they’re always very clean and easy to understand. The colors always work well together, and the supporting elements are minimalist, the bare essence needed to sell the story of who the character is.
AMS is another good designer who does more visually complicated designs, with lots of stuff going on in the backgrounds and with the characters. But the layering and order are always clear, and always support the main action (whatever it is).
The fact is, good design is good design, whether the person behind it is Neal Adams with a pencil or you with the HeroMachine.
LEARNING good design takes a long, long time unfortunately. But there are a lot of absolutely stellar designers who regularly post their creations here, many of them in this very thread.
Jeff, I finally have a question, actually two of them. The first is about the forum, the second is more personal.
1. How often are these Sharing Days going to occur? I mean, will this be a regular thing (say, one Friday a month, or every other Friday?), or is this something you’ll drag out irregularly when Open Critique Day isn’t convenient?
2. How much of what we say on Sharing Day do you pay attention to? I understand if this is just a way to stir up conversation, but I’m curious if you have even a passing interest in what some of us share on here.
I’d love it if you answered both questions, but the weird thing is that the geek part of me is actually more interested in the answer to the first question than the second. After all, if I was actually worried that maybe you’re compiling a database on our embarrassing geekitude, I wouldn’t be posting using a nickname I’ve had long before I started using it as a screenname, and simultaneously telling my friends I regularly post on here, where they’d easily find out my dirty little not-so-secrets. But it would be helpful to know which Fridays I don’t need some art to share on OCD.
Also to the forum: If Jeff only answers one of my questions, and you feel like stealing the other one, I’m cool with it.
McKnight (22): That sounds like something I would do to my nephews! Too funny. I bet the first time you were totally freaked out.
Hmmm, good question. I might have to steal that one for a Poll Position!
You’d think it would have to be someone major, or really, what’s the point? On the DC side, I couldn’t bear to kill off Superman or Batman, they’re just too amazing.
On the other hand, I think Wonder Woman tends to do more harm than good. She is, at the same time, head and shoulders above any other female character while simultaneously being derivative, and I don’t think that’s a good thing. I think her history and unique position at the top of the hierarchy of the DC Universe tends to keep other quality female characters suppressed. So I think killing off Wonder Woman permanently would free the creative types there to come up with stronger, more interesting, less derivative female characters who could hopefully rise up to compete with the better selling male heroes.
For Marvel … Hmmm. I’d probably kill of Sentry, because that was such a lame, pathetic, stupid Superman rip-off that it’s offensive to me on multiple levels. Just awful. And his mere existence throws the entire Marvel Universe off-kilter. I don’t hate the character, but I think he does way more harm to the canon than good. That might be a waste of a vote since (SPOILER ALERT!) I think he dies at some point in Siege, right? But you and I know there’s no real death in comics, so I’d spend the vote just to make sure he STAYS dead.
Myro (28): I’m not organized enough to know how often we’ll do this. Why, what do you think of them? If they’re fun and people like them I am happy to do them regularly. Open Critique Days take a lot of time and energy on my part, so I definitely need a break from them every now and again.
Someone mentioned a while back when I was asking about possible things to do as regular blog features that something more interactive would be fun, so this is what I came up with. I really like it! I’m definitely NOT compiling a list of geekery, although this is the Internet and what goes up tends to stay up forever, so definitely don’t say anything you wouldn’t mind coming back to you in real life if the worst comes to the worst. Me, I just think it’s neat to find out more about the folks who hang out here regularly. It gets lonely working in your basement alone all day!
To answer your second question, so far at least I’ve read every word of every comment. I have found them tremendously interesting.
No question for you, Jeff, but I will divulge one of my “geek-rets”:
I have the Green Lantern’s oath tattooed over my heart. o_0
“In brightest day, in blackest night,
no evil shall escape my sight!
Let those who worship evil’s might,
beware my power – Green Lantern’s light!”
Jeff (29, 30): I’m gonna address a couple of entries in one shot. First: SPOILER ALERT Sentry does get killed at the end of Siege, likely because he had become just too powerful, something I predicted would happen during Dark Reign. So, in my opinion, Sentry is unlikely to return, and even then, at a mere fraction of his power. END SPOILER ALERT
As for Sharing Day, I must admit, I’m usually initially disappointed that OCD gets preempted, but if I truly didn’t like them, I wouldn’t contribute. And after I start contributing to the discussion, I have to say I enjoy myself, so I’m okay with this becoming an ongoing feature of the HM forum. Also, I try to read everything that other people write here, and some of it sticks. Just to let everyone know.
darkvatican (31): I don’t have a tat, and likely never will, but if I ever change my mind on the subject, I want one on my shoulder of the Galactic Imperial Insignia from Star Wars with TK-421 underneath written in Aurebesh.
my geek secret isn’t anything too bad, I’m sure every geek does it at one point or another. In place of the f-bomb or other explitives i slip in a little Captain Marvel. F-bomb=Shazam, G*d D**n becomes Holy Moley,etc.
I typically tell most of my geek secrets but one I still have is that sadly i dont keep any geek secrets, im viewed as wierd openly admitting that i use gi joes to make superheroes
@darkvatican: Wow. I’ve always wanted to get Alfred Lord Tennyson’s “The Kraken” tattooed on my back. First, the cost alone! Second, most tattoo artists that I know don’t like inking that many words.
@Myro: I know a guy with the Jedi order tattooed between his shoulder blades. It’s actually really cool.
Let’s see… I’m more into cartoons than comics. I never missed an episode of ‘Danger Mouse’ on Nick. Still trying to find ‘Mighty Orbots’ on DVD. I watch ‘Kim Possible’ and ‘Fairly Oddparents.’ Someone on HeroMachine got me hooked on ‘Girl Genius’ comics. That should be an animated series.
I’m a repository of useless trivia and information. I quote movies. A friend and I can pick up any line from ‘Airplane’ and do the next 30 minutes of all the characters word for word. Especially when someone says “Get over it.” My friend and I look at each other: “No, I’ll never get over Macho Grande.”
Make obscure references to obscure songs. My compilation CDs get good reviews. As far as music, I’m something of an idiot savant and historian. I go on kicks, but gravitate toward 80s “College”, “Indie”, “Progressive”… whatever you want to call bands like The Feelies, Talking Heads, Concrete Blonde, The Dead Milkmen, Midnight Oil, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Joy Division / New Order.
I’m a self-proclaimed “John Rocker”. The unassuming heavy metal dude, not the notorious NYC-bashing Atlanta Braves pitcher. Think Maynard James Keenan of Helmet / Tool / Inner Circle or Deron Miller of cKy.
When I’m drunk, I talk in German or French. I need to brush up on my hirigana and katakana. My friends often tell me that I’m “such a girl” because I tend to be overly self-conscious, moody, and prissy. I have a friend who’s the same way but with clothes and cocktails. He tells me that we are “feys”. Which makes me feel oh so much better about my feminine side.
So… my geek secret is I still watch cartoons. And with each birthday, it’s getting harder to meet older women.
Question… I prefer hand-drawn animation. Not a big fan of the CGI. It has its place, like ‘The Incredibles’. But it’s just become so cookie-cutter, like ‘Cars’. Thoughts? Opinions?
Atomic Punk (36): You know, of course, that 3D is the new CGI. That’s the medium that most animation houses (at least in North America) want to work in.
As for me, I’m good with any medium, as long as the story is good, and the visuals complement the story. After that, it can be 3D, standard CGI, hand drawn cell, even stop-motion puppetry. I do, however, lament that hand-drawn animation is becoming a lost art when it comes to feature movies. Also that, like live action, animated movies are sacrificing story for pretty visual effects, although, for my money, animated movies still have a better track record within the last two decades than live action.
Violet 14] What? When? Did I miss out? Which cannon? There’s like 7 of them. Tell me please! 😀
Nicholas: Well, I thought she was in training and stuff in the continuation sections of the expanded universe. Let me check Wookieepedia.
…AH! Yes! Under the Dark Nest Crisis section, it talks about her wanting to join the Order and her training and her lightsaber building and stuff. There is even a picture of her middle-aged self in Jedi robes, presumably from a book cover. (I have not kept up with the future sections of the EU. They are sooooo depressing now, OMG.)
http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Leia_Organa_Solo#The_Dark_Nest_Crisis_.2835.E2.80.9336_ABY.29
Now you can go flaunt your canon fact to all them haters!
I don’t really have any good geeky secrets (especially none I am embarrassed about, mainly because I don’t get embarrassed), However I recently made my own set of Bleach themed magic cards, and I was able to remember many of the characters quotes verbatim for the flavor texts.
Violet (39): Guess I learned something too, I checked out of reading Star Wars novels during the Yuuzhan Vong war. I’ve kept up with Dark Horse’s Knights of the Old Republic and Legacy titles, but that’s about it for Star Wars reading material lately.
Hmmm. I once broke a date in order to go down to a local comic book store and get some of my Preacher trades signed by Garth Ennis. The girl was nice and very cute, but… c’mon! It’s Garth Ennis! In America! The dude only seems to do like one American signing a decade, at least in my neck of the woods.
Counterpoint to that, and something I always brag about – I almost got arrested at a book signing Kevin J. Anderson did a few years ago. I heckled and ridiculed the guy mercilessly for about 10 minutes until I got thrown out of the book store. One of the greatest joys in my life has been asking him how it feels to have shat all over one of the greatest scifi creations (Dune) of all time, and watching his face turn an awesome shade of purple. After I got thrown out, I stood outside the window (about ten feet away from Anderson, on the other side of the glass) and kept on heckling. Eventually they called the cops, and they almost arrested me for disturbing the peace and ‘threatening a celebrity’. Which was totally false. I threatened nobody, and there was no celebrity there that day.
As for my question: What is your favorite book/s? Unless you’re not a reader, then carry on. 😀
@Myro: Yeah, I checked out even earlier than that, mid-way through “Planet of Twilight”. I was just like, “Wow, everyone’s getting really old…and this is boring as heck.” But now I am enjoying the prequel and trilogy bridging novels much more, so I suppose it was just the future aspect that got me down.
Myro (I’m sure Worf can back me up here) always go with the Klingon wisdom that if you don’t want it heard, don’t say it. A friend goaded me into googling myself a while back, and the only thing that came up was a question a few friends and I submitted to a board years ago. The actual board isn’t up anymore, but the original query was still out there. The ‘query’ in question was if humans were actually white meat. Our army medic pal says that what he’s seen indicates we’re red meat. Did not need that floating around out there.
Imp (42): Your Kevin J. Anderson story just made you my new hero. Two reasons for this:
1. It’s Kevin J. Anderson. I’ve read some of his Star Wars books, and I generally want to quit halfway through. One time I actually did.
2. I was faced with a similar situation. I was at a comic convention last year, or maybe the year before (everything blends together nowadays), and happened to find out Rob Liefeld had a table on Artist’s Row. And I felt compelled to go tell him what I thought about him in the most unflattering terms. I’m within earshot of his table, ready in my brain for the first thing I wanted to say, which was “Liefeld, I quit collecting X-Men because your so-called ‘artwork’ made me want to scratch my eyes out,” took a deep breath, opened my mouth…and froze. I couldn’t even spit out some aphasic gibberish, I literally just didn’t say anything. And after a ten count with my mouth open, I realized I wasn’t going to actually say anything, no matter how much I wanted, shut my mouth, and left. So, I admire your conviction to tell someone who sucks at their craft that, well, they suck at their craft. Especially at what they believe to be as an orgiastic place of worship directed to them.
Hey, now THERE is a geek secret I’ve been too embarrassed to mention until now. Although, I’m not sure why. I mean, yeah, it’s embarrassing I chickened out, but it’s a funny story.
Bael (44): A lot of what I said about blackmail material and whatnot is pretty tongue-in-cheek. Mostly, what I really wanted to know was if Jeff really remembers anything we say here, and I’ll try to remember that question for later on. But I’ve tried to keep the actually compromising stuff off the internet, because, as said, once it’s there, it’s there for everyone. And, frankly, as I said earlier, my anonymity here is pretty thin.
I’m constantly quoting lines from star trek, not even just the famous ones like “live long and prosper” but also obscure weird ones like “his brain is gone!” my friends are always wondering what the hell i’m on about, i won “geek of the year award” last year, i didn’t know whether to be glad or ashamed….
Also: as whovian, and a trekkie….. i’m sort of ashamed to admit this, but… well… i sorta like Star Trek TOS season 3 and star trek: voyager as well as the Colin Baker years of doctor who (doctor who is a incredibly popular scifi show here in Britain, but no one anywhere else seems to know about it, so that last one may be lost on some)
My Geek Secret:
This says it all- http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa336/TheRandomHERO/zombies.jpg
And I have actually drawn up and planned my entire evacuation/survival for the zombie apocolypse. I even designed a name for my plan and what people would be called. I made a patch using HM3. http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa336/TheRandomHERO/Picture4.png
I also for start last year to buy everything I’d actually need. I’ve gone as far as purchasing a custom measured $4800 riot armor suit, and tactical equipment and weaponry. Everything weighed out and with in my capability to carry and operate for up to 7 days straight in predicted most extreme condition.
Ya, it’d be somewhat embarrassing and I think it’d freak some of them out.
My Question for you:
What was/is your favorite inter-company crossover from DC/Marvel?
oh and, by the way, i also wear super hero underwear, most frequently Batman underwear, but my friends already know that (they got me the underwear for my birthday because they know i love super heros)
Wow…after reading all of that about privacy and watching what you post and using different emails for security I just realized, even though it won’t be published, I just used my primary email address for that last post……****!
Another thing that is somewhat embarassing is I have the jump cordinates for Earth tattoo’d on my back and my friends have no idea what they mean or are from and they think I made up using “frak” instead of “f*ck”. And they all use it too hahaha.
Imp: Favorite books, wow, that’s like favorite movie — just too many to choose from for just one. I am a voracious reader, I have to confess.
“Ender’s Game” is right up there for sci-fi. “LOTR” and “The Hobbit” obviously in fantasy, though for more modern stuff I love pretty much anything by Stephen Brust (the Vlad Taltos novels are fantastic).
In non-fiction, I probably think more often about “Under the Banner of Heaven” by John Krakauer than anything else recently.
A long time ago I made a list of some of the books that “moved” me the most — http://www.amazon.com/lm/2GH86MBT20G72/ref=cm_pdp_lm_title_1 if you’re interested.
TheRandomHERO: I don’t really recall too many of the cross-overs, honestly. The only one that comes to mind is the Superman/Spider-Man one from what was it, the Seventies? But I don’t remember a lot about it. Sorry 🙁
Wow, major foul on my part. Maynard fronts A Perfect Circle not Inner Circle. Inner Circle does the theme song for ‘Cops’ – “Bad Boys.” Meh, my rant went pretty good for a 60-hour work week and Bacardi.
@Myro: ‘Avatar’ is a perfect example of what you’re saying. Aside from the 3D, the story and the acting were weak. On a scale of “Whatever” to “OMG”, I give it a “meh.”
Books… I admit that I’m not much of a reader. I read for learning not pleasure. Web-posting doesn’t count as reading because it’s “conversation.”
I’d have to go with “The Hobbit.” I was around 10 and rather proud of myself for reading such a long book. Re-read it a few years later and more appreciated the world that J.R.R. Tolkein had created through his story-telling.
Outside of that, I can’t remember a book that I read for pleasure not school. My dad reads a lot of science fiction. So I would borrow his Heinlein and Asimov paperbacks for book reports.
Yeah, I would definitely agree that the story is much more important than the medium for animation. The reason computer animated movies have been so huge the last couple of decades, I would argue, is not so much that “They’re computers, wowee!” as it is that Pixar is an outstanding story-telling company. They pay meticulous and merciless attention to the story at every single juncture, and then the story-telling medium is employed to support that story in every way.
For whatever reason, Disney hasn’t been interested in telling good stories for a very long time. I mean, I was happy that they did “The Frog Princess” by hand, it’s great that this method of animated storytelling got another go, but it was just your typical Disneyfied story. The animation itself has gotten to look so corporate and antiseptic that it’s not terribly interesting, visually, and since the story itself was just so-so, it all fell a little flat.
On the other hand, we just watched the claymation film “Mary and Max” and it was lovely. Very distinctive story, voice acting, and animation that told an interesting story very well.
So yeah. Definitely story trumps medium.
*after most star trek episodes or movies i watch, i come up with alternative endings or whole new episodes.
*I don’t like jean Luc Picard
*i love star trek voyager
Unlike remy, I actually do play with my toys. Not, like, zooming them around the room or going “Rarh!” and slamming them together, but I do enjoy posing them. Some dance, some fight, some rock out to the band, some converse, one guy’s puking his guts out on another guy’s shoes.
The thing is, though, because I’ve set them up in sort of a club (one with a mostly-live band, a stripper, and a magic show), I’ve been forced to buy a number of action figures for female wrestlers I’ve never even heard of, to keep some level of gender parity (plus one to be sacrificed by the mysterio cult in the basement).
I don’t have a question, but I do have a comment, regarding people heckling creators they don’t like: it’s a waste of time. Not just his, or even just yours, but of all the other people who showed up because they wanted to see the creator in question. If I went to get a book signed by George RR Martin, and some guy came in just to yell at him for not churning out the next Ice and Fire book fast enough, I’d be pretty pissed.
Besides, it’s one thing to critique the hell out of something with a group of friends, or even in articles. To actually walk up to somebody and tell him he sucks…well, it’s pretty damn rude. I mean, I wouldn’t like it if somebody did it to me.
Geek secret? More like GEEKRET! Am I right?
I’ve spent over 750 hours on one video game. How many superhero movies have you seen?
one of my big geek secrets is that I have a tattoo of a music note on my shoulder. now most of the friends and family I have are aware of this tattoo (which sadly I share with michell branch but this had nothing to do wiht the tatto it self)What most people do not know is why I have a tattoo of a music note (eighth note to be exact). So what is the secret?
well I happen to like naruto (up to a point) and my favorite hidden ninja village os the village of sound. thus the tattoo of the music note. The plan was to get a tatto of all my favorite geek organizations (the cobra, and decepticon symbols for example) I have since decided that I don’t really want anymore Tattoo’s. but Im still pretty much stuck with the one I have. so now when people ask about it I say its a gang sighn, and a little part of me cries that I am so ashamed to admite the truth.
on another note when I got the tattoo I was on spring break with a couple of girls who wanted to get tattoos together. so it was kinda of a hormonal impulse thing as well.
oh yeah I forgot my question.
What is your favorite evil organization?
X-stacy, I have to say that photo of your setup is darned impressive. Must be fun to play around with! And I have to say I agree completely with your take on the heckling. Sorry Imp, but I’d be pretty appalled if I saw that happen no matter who the person was.
Connor:
Most of them 🙂
Nakiato: I think “Hormonal Impulse” would be a great band name.
My favorite evil organization is Haliburton. Ha ha, I kid! I hate those guys. The comic book answer would probably be The Brotherhood of Evil Mutants. I like that they have more complex motivations than just greed, and that sometimes the heroes are forced to work with them towards a common goal. Much more interesting than the strictly-for-profit groups.
@Myro (45): Don’t feel bad. I had a chance to do the same thing to Liefeld a number of years ago and froze up as well. I think he employs anti-heckling shielding.
@X-Stacy (56): Normally I’d agree with you. Normally I’m a fairly polite person. But some people are just so abysmally shitty at their craft, their publishers and PR machine hype it so much, and they believe their own press and become insufferable arrogant asses, that it combines into this perfect storm of garbage that any self-respecting fan of whatever genre/hobby it is HAS to stand up, or lose all self-respect. The three big ones for me are Liefeld, Anderson, and Uwe Boll.
@Jeff (51): Good choices there for the most part. ‘Replay’ is definitely in my top three favorite books of all time. Grimwood was actually working on a sequel when he unfortunately (and much too young) passed away. You might give ‘Memories’ by Mike McQuay a try; it’s about time travelers who enter the past by inhabiting the minds of their various ancestors. It has kind of a ‘Replay’ vibe and is equally excellent.
Wow, I feel bad right now. The weird part is I’m feeling guilty because part of me still admires Imp for having the courage to do what he did.
I have too many secrets to tell, though most people know I’m a nerd from my assortment of Marvel Tee Shirts and comic knowledge. As for a couple of my secrets, I actually enjoyed Enterprise, its theme song and all, and I’ve watched Doctor Who so much, that I’ve begun to say british phrases, though for the most part, its only when I’m swearing.
My question to you is What is your favorite Geeky TV Show?
My Geekret is that I was once paid 80 bucks to dress as Batman and show up for a kids birthday party.
I had to cross a street in busy traffic to get into the party venue, which motorists seemed to enjoy. The venue was held in a kids “gym” where the can run around and play and jump on things in a padded room for a few hours.
When I got there I opened my cape and woosh! – I gave the birthday boy his present. Then I had to walk a balance beam to prove that I was Batman. I did it, just barely.
The costume seemed decent over all, but after a little analysis in the gym’s mirrors I realized I was in the George Clooney edition of Batman, complete with bat-nipples and giant sized bat-cup.
A little boy poked at my cup a few times, intrigued. This made a few mothers at the party uncomfortable even though I dodged his next poke once I noticed it was happening.
Then I was scripted to tell the B-day boy that Mr. Freeze had taken Robin and I had to leave to go save him.
“Thanks, Batman.”
Left with 80 bucks in my bat-cup. I might have done it for free.
Even though everyone I know is aware of my geekiness, I have a feeling they have no idea just how geeky I really am. First up, I occasionally write notes to myself in Kryptonian so that no one else can read them (http://www.ezrasmall.com/images/alphabet.gif).
However, since I have already mentioned this to you last Sharing Day, I will have to tell you someting I have never told anyone before. Can you keep a secret? I not only own all of the different colored lantern rings, but I know all of their oaths by heart. Even the Indigo Tribe (which is written in an alien language). If you want to check them out, here is the link:
http://greenlantern.wikia.com/wiki/Lantern_Oaths_(Disambiguation)
@B. Clouser– That anecdote was simultaneously hilarious and disturbing; a rare feat, indeed. Mind you, I found the fact that the child had a Schumacher inspired “Batman and Robin” themed birthday party most disturbing. The junk-poking kid and the awkward stares provided the hilarity.
🙂
@B. Clouser: Why did I just have a ‘Bachelor Party’ moment. “So, it’s that kind of party, eh?” As Joshua said, that is hilarious and disturbing!
I used to dress as Green Lantern every Halloween. I stopped but my “wolf-brother” Scot did one year. He showed up at our haunt avec domino, gloves, and home-made ring. Some 22-year old asked if he was “The Lonely Pickle.” Kids today, no culture…
Well, my geek secret is that I know all seven of the jedi lightsaber forms (I usually use form three, the form that Obi-Wan mastered), and i use them in fake sword fights with friends. Oh, and i also speak Mandalorian, curse in Turian and Quarian, read and write fanfiction (never published on the internet… yet) and quote movies that no one my age have seen (usually John Cusack movies.)
I listen to a band that writes songs about Doctor Who. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BAi4izfvXo4&feature=relmfu here is one of there songs. whats my question…Ah! if you could have The Batmobile, which version would you have? i.e. The Tumbler form the Dark Knight, and so on.
Vampyrist asked:
Probably “Star Trek: The Next Generation”. For my money, the two-part “Best of Both Worlds” is the best Star Trek movie of all time, despite it having appeared on television.
Loki asked:
The Tumbler was a great tank, but who wants to toodle around town in a tank? I’ll take that goofy jet-flame convertible Batmobile from the Sixties TV show. Talk about stylin’!
Jeff Hebert said:
Really? Because I would have rather taken the slide-top Batmobile with the giant turbine in the center of it from the Tim Burton movies.
Am I too late? I hope not. I finally thought of a geek secret.
Back in Senior year of high school (2004), I actually had someone invite me to Chess Club. I knew one of the people in it from class and the other from lunch here or there. My impression was that these were guys that were more invisible than I was, which was kind of strange because I only had one real group of friends at lunch anyhow. Not that I held myself to a higher standard than “chess club nerds.” The funny thing is that it coincided with the same day I had another geeky club, either Anime club or TechConnect (a club for supergeeks who had computer skills). It’s funny… they seemed like cool enough people, but because I was already engaged in geeky activity, I couldn’t participate in something more geeky.
A question for the HeroDon…
Well, I’ll take a simple one. WHAT’S JEFFEY’S FAVORITE COLOR?!!
Myro: Good point. I just like the goofiness of that Sixties version. You drive around in that thing, people know you’re having a good time. You drive around in the other one, and they might start hiding the women and children.
Brad (73): That reminds me of a documentary a friend in college told me about that a friend of hers had made. She was exploring the Star Trek culture, so she found some people she knew who watched the show. They were all “Well yeah, we watch the show, but we’re not really Trekkies. I mean, we’re not as weird as THOSE guys over there …”
So she went to “those guys” and interviewed them. “Well sure, we watch the show and go to conventions and stuff, but we don’t dress up. I mean, we’re not as weird as THOSE guys …”
Naturally she went to the guys dressing up at the convention, who said “Well sure, we watch the show and go to conventions and dress up, but we’re not as weird as THOSE guys …”
And so on and so on. There’s always some class of geek more geeky than you are, and this gives us all a feeling of peace.
With that, we’ll call this particular Sharing Day closed, thanks everyone!