Geektrospective!

...In Which We Try Again.

2011-06-15T03:34:00.000-07:00

Apparently that last link I posted to my YouTube channel didn't work. Here we go again...

Hopefully this one works!

:heart: Cody

Video Killed The Radio Star...

2011-04-21T03:08:00.000-07:00

Console killed the PC star, and now vlogging has killed blogging star. Not that I ever was much of a star, but it's so much easier to bang out a video on the random nerdy stuff I like (You like it, too, let's be honest....)... So, head on over to my vlog channel on YouTube: http://m.youtube.com/index?desktop_uri=%2F&gl=US&rdm=4mai37hri#/profile?user=codynootchies

<3 Cody!!!

Sometimes Life Happens

2011-01-23T13:34:00.000-08:00

ANd it's forever before you post on your blog again. But here I am, posting away. Lots of things have happened. I am single, thinner, and going through rehabilitation to maybe rejoin the world of the living one day. Soon, nay, very soon I will have some actual blog post to post, but for now suffice it to say I'll be back really soon!!!

Ninjas. The Silent Awesome.

2010-02-18T12:07:00.000-08:00

Ninja. Silent assassins. Noiseless mercenaries. Yet another thing popular culture seems to be enamored with. In these next few paragraphs, I have explored the internets and pulled together the knowledge on the origins of these faceless shadows of the night and why they are so danged popular in the now. First up, a history lesson.

The Shinobi Shuffle

Feudal Japan was not that nice of a place. Otherwise it would have been called peaceful and uneventful Japan. Wars and infighting were constant and bloody. During the "Sengoku Period" meaning roughly the "Age of the Country at War" Japan was in turmoil. Beginning with economic distress and argument over the succession of feudal leaders called shogun, and fueled by natural disasters and basic unrest the Sengoku-jidai was a rough time indeed. Spies, mercenaries, and other silent agents of war began to be seen more frequently around this time, most said to come from the Iga and Koga regions of Japan and, it is surmised that the word "Shinobi", (the word "ninja" was not used at this time.) a shortened form of shinobi-no-jutsu, was coined at this time. Other local and regional words were also used to describe these agents, who seemed to remain secretive and hidden which is probably the biggest reason why we do not know more about their beginnings. This secretive way of thinking would later become central to the principals of ninjitsu. Also, the ninja or shinobi would come to be more myth and legend than real it seemed. Beliefs that shinobi possessed supernatural powers such as flight, invisibility, and invulnerability as well as control over their surroundings and the elements enacted by Kuji-kiri (meaning "The Nine Cuts" a practice of hand movements representing nine principals: "Rin" meaning "Power";"Pyo" or "Energy"; "Toh" or "Harmony"; "Sha" or "Healing"; "Kai" or "Intuition"; "Jin" or "Awareness"; "Retsu" or "Dimension";"Zai" or "Creation"; and "Zen" or "Absolute".) would add weight to their mysterious and mythical status. Despite this, ninja or shinobi or whatever you wish to call them were said to come from the lower working classes such as farmers or general laborers. Surely many of their weapons show that idea is more true than not. Though we're not exactly sure from whence they came, we know where they are. In the mind, page and screen of modern man.

Ninjitsu and You or How The Hidden Became the Awesome

Ok. Admit it. A warrior who cannot be seen, smelled, touched, or stopped. It is a romantic, nay, awesome idea. Add a mysterious code of honor, and maybe a vow of silence and you have an ideal action hero. Since the Edo Period of Japan (The last shogunate before imperial rule was reinstated 1603-1868) pop culture has agreed. Tales of shinobi or ninja in novels and on the kabuki stage gave way to characters such as Sarutobi Sasuke who made his way to modern comic books, video games and television. Heck, Naruto fans, who knows, your boy Sasuke just might be a modern incarnation thereof. Characters like the "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and video games like the "Shinobi" and "Tenchu" franchises are surely things you have enjoyed yourself if you are reading this blog. There also seems to be a movement in art and geek culture that just loves the image of the ninja, many of them being chibi (a word meaning "Short person" or "small child" according to Wikipedia: "Chibi (ちび?, can also be written 禿び[1]) is a Japanese word meaning "short person" or "small child". The word has gained currency amongst fans of manga and anime. Its meaning is of someone or some animal that is small. It can be translated as "little", but is not used the same way as chiisana [小さな] (tiny, small, little in Japanese). A prototypical example of the former usage in the original Japanese which brought the term to the attention of Western fans is Chibiusa, a pet name for the diminutive daughter of Sailor Moon formed from Chibi Usagi ("Little Usagi").[2]
In English-speaking anime and manga fandom (otaku), the term chibi has mostly been conflated with the term super deformed or it can be used to describe child versions of characters.") or kawaii (Japanese for cute. Used by otaku most usually to describe super cute anime or manga characters. There have been waaaaay too many parenthesis in this post...) such as the "Wee Ninja" from ThinkGeek or the "Cute Ninja" T-Shirt from TopatoCo. The point, as it is, is that we seem to love ninja. They fascinate us. Most likely because they are silent, deadly and efficient, untouchable to a fault. In the economic and political stresses of the day, it is nice to look back on a honorable group of regular citizens who rose up and changed their world. Whether that is the completely true origin of the ninja or not, that's what I and a lot of other people would like to believe. Plus, when you squish 'em down and make 'em cuddly, they are cute as anything. So, ninja fans, continue to wear your Naruto headbands and practice your hand signs. Who knows, one day your ninjitsu skills may be needed to defend your country!

:heart: Cody

Hopes For 2010

2010-01-08T22:06:00.000-08:00

Once again, it has been a while. I hope to get more consistent, and here come the excuses: I have been in a lot of pain, and I have lost seven of nine puppies in our newest litter... Seven of Nine... Dude I hated that show.... Had three more, this time from my dog... And my beautiful Willow died. What a cat she was. Enough of that. On to the blog's meat and potatoes after a small comment or two.... "THE BIG BANG THEORY" WON AN AWARD AT THE PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS!!!!!!! w00t!!! Secondly, I plan on becoming a professional gamer. Video games that is. Tips are appreciated...

So what are our hopes here at Geektrospective for 2010. Let's do a bullet list. GO!

- The Star Wars live action series. My hopes are that it will begin in 2010, though that doesn't seem probable at the current stage of things. I have heard release dates from 2010 all the way through to 2012... Hopes are that all of the nay-sayers are wrong...

- That Super Street Fighter IV will ship with an arcade stick... *Crosses fingers...*

- That when we get a house I have enough room for a trophy/gaming room which I plan to call the Batcave....

- That people with rapid fire mods on their melee button on ANY FPS get banned from breathing.

- That I actually get to go to "Anime to Fayetteville"...

- That my staff position at The Tulsa Comics and Anime Expo has nothing ot do with bathrooms...

- That I can get to Mountain Pine and dig my D&D books out of Harold's house...

- That I can get my wife what I want to get her for Valentines, even though it'll be late.

- That I can FINALLY beat the first "Gears of War" and "Halo 2". Yes, I've beaten Halo 3... There was a disc problem and, oh well...

- That I get a MacBook or preferably an iPad....

- That the new "Alice in Wonderland" doesn't suck. Has anyone saw it yet?

- That my puppy, Rorschach ("GIMMIE BACK MY FACE!!!" My wife named him... One more bit of proof that she is the most awesome girl ever...) gets as big as I think he will, and that he stops letting his little sister Nyx beat him up...

- Mostly that the Good Lord looks down on us and gives us a happy, healthy, loving, nerdy home where we may continue to be awesome in safety and sanctity. W00 for Jesus!!! ( I would've said "So we can continue to be awesome in Him, but that sounds both dirty and preachy all at once...)

Just a small list to prove I'm still alive. I swear a real article is coming soon. Please remember to follow this blog or be doomed!

:heart: Cody

GeektroGIFTS!

2009-11-29T09:41:00.001-08:00

With Christmas quickly approaching, I thought it would be helpful to give a little insight into what the geeks of the world are going gaga over this holiday season. Geek is the word, I'm just going to help you understand the phonetics...

The Motorola Droid

All the tech savvy geeks out there seem to be losing their minds over the Motorola Droid that just dropped at Verizon. With a 3.7 inch touch screen WGVA 854x480 resolution, DVD quality playback AND capture, WIFI, full Google Talk and SMS/MMS capabilities, voice google search,thousands of apps, and a FULL QWERTY KEYBOARD(!!!) even hardcore Apple fans like myself would love to get their hands on one. Though Verizon's smartphone plans tend to be pricey AND required to operate this little digital powerhouse, that seems to be the only downside... Overall GIFT WIN: 8 out of 10. FUll qwerty FTW!

The Star Wars Force Trainer by Uncle Milton

Okay... Who hasn't wished they could use the Force? Now you can! Well, sort of anyway... The Star Wars Force Trainer by the Uncle Milton corporation monitors your brainwaves and uses them to control a small fan that lifts a "Jedi remote" into different parts of the sectioned tower. Depending on how focused your thoughts are, your Alpha, Beta, and Gamma waves power the ball higher and higher. Now you can be a Jedi Master in the comfort of your own home. It's also on sale for $59.99 at Amazon.com at the moment... Just don't try to use the Jedi Mind Trick to get out of that unfortunate holiday speeding ticket.... God, I'm corny... Total GIFT WIN: 9 out of 10.

Stormtrooper Mask Hoodie

Ok, so the first installment here has been a bit Star Wars heavy, but I'm a Star Wars nerd, and chances are, you or someone you love are, too if you are reading this... Likely you just peed a little. I know, this is the second most awesome hoodie right behind last holiday season's Boba Fett hoodie by Mark Echo. This particular hoodie is also enough to force me to lift my boycott of the Twilight infested Hot Topic and fight the seas of girl-pants-wearing Twitards to pick one up. With authentic styling mimicking the Empire's finest right down to the hood that zips in to a full mask for those frigid Hoth-like days The Stormtrooper Mask Hoodie is a must for your favorite fan of a galaxy far, far away, even if he is too short... GIFT WIN: 9 of 10 (Big guys should expect to spend an extra two bucks for a 2XL...)

Well, that's it for this installment. Check back in the next few days for the next load of luxurious loot for geeks of all shapes and sizes, until then may the Force be with you... *AHEM* (Insert sheepish grin here...)

It's Been a While

2009-11-22T13:44:00.000-08:00

We've moved, lost a member of the family (Nana, our pit mix...), I've been denied AGAIN by the idiots at disability and so retained a lawyer... Life's been long and hard, and I haven't had the time or energy to post. I just wanted to let you all know that I am still around, and will soon be coming out with the "Guide to Gifts for Geeks": What's hot this season in geektroGIFTS!!!! A little more research, and I plan on doing at least two features a week from now till Christmas. See you then!

The Zombie Phenomenon and You

2009-10-08T19:06:00.000-07:00

Image via Wikipedia

A healthy brain-filled helping of the how and why of the Zombie craze. What rocketed the rotting rockstars to the forefront of modern popular culture and why they are so damned cool, lets start with a little history lesson...

Ye Olde Zombyes

Zombies are steeped in folklore dating back as far as 1871 in the United States (that is, according to Merriam-Webster's Online dictionary etymology of the word: "Louisiana Creole or Haitian Creole "zonbi", of Bantu origin; akin to Kimbundu "nzúmbe", ghost
Date: circa 1871), and can be broken down, once again according to our friends at ol' M dash W, into the voodoo belief of a preternatural power that animates corpses (The usual word used in this case is "zombi" or "zonbi"), a weird person who resembles the walking dead, or a fancy-schmancy mixed drink. Here's the actual link for ya... .

American folklorist Zora Neale Hurston came across what she thought to be Zombies in Haiti in and around the 1930's and the famous scientist Wade Davis, in the 1980's, wrote his two infamous books "The Serpent and the Rainbow" and "Passage of Darkness: The Ethnobiology of the Haitian Zombie" in which, according to our dear friends and peers over at the almighty Wikipedia, Davis believed the zombies in question were created using a powder made from puffer-fish poison and other certain powdered substances. Interesting all.

The point I crave to make, and question I have to ask, is where did the mentality of zombies as a contagious disease or world covering disaster surface, and why? So we move on to...

Night of the Living Cult Sensation

In 1932 famous horror film pioneer Béla Lugosi starred in a movie based on the 1928 play "Zombie" in which he portrays a plantation owner in Haiti who uses voodo-like powers to control locals, though the film didn't stray far from the folk idea of zombies, it is considered the first "modern zombie" film in most circles. The zombie as we know it today was only a little over three decades away at this point. In the late 1960's a group of GENIUSES including one George A. Romero (!!!) created Image Ten Productions and in 1968 released, in my opinion, the most cutting edge zombie film in history. They birthed the concept of the shuffling mass of flesh eating, decaying, newly dead fiends fresh from their graves and ready to destroy the world... Ok... Maybe not the world, but a farmhouse and it's inhabitants. The zombies here seemed to be near-automatons with only one preoccupation. Eating. Romero would go on in 1978's "Day of the Dead" to conjure up the idea of a smarter, world destroying mass epedemia of living dead. Then came the many other movies which all seemed to stray from the original zombie of folklore and embrace Romero's new vision. This has lead us to the blissful new world in which we live. A world full of chainsaws and boomsticks, zombie plushies and survival manuals. The world as it should be, at least in one respect.

Why We Find the Walking Dead So Fascinating

Is it that we have became desensitized? Is it because, much like the ancient Romans we crave gore and death? I say thee nay.

Image by juco via Flickr

I believe we, as humans, enjoy being scared. It is truly terrifying to think of watching those we believed dead rise and feed of the living. The more terrifying thing, though, is the thought that we could become the monsters. In that respect, the modern zombie forces us to look at the evils of society and ourselves in an extreme light, making us face inner struggles and demons like never before. Plus, they are just wicked awesome... So, jump on the bandwagon, the Zombie Phenomenon is here to stay, at least until the next big thing comes along.... CUE THE LUMBERJACKS!!!!!!

Disney Buys Marvel and Other Stories

2009-09-04T14:28:00.000-07:00

My wife bursts out the front door and onto the porch where I was having a cigarette (Can't smoke inside. Comic books and a puppy with asthma...) and says in a breathless voice. "You're never going to believe this! Disney apparently bought Marvel! You think maybe it's a joke?" A bit later, here in the room, she pulls up the official news release... Four billion dollars later, Marvel characters are in danger of becoming more watered down and neutered than they already have recently (See my blog about Wolverine...). Don't get me wrong, I like Disney. I love Disney for bringing uncut Studio Ghibli films to the US. Am I still afraid of seeing Iron Man with Mickey Mouse ears? Yes. Since the Disney company thinks it will be 2012 before they really affect (Yes the word "affect" is applicable in this sentence, weird as it may seem. I looked it up...) any Marvel characters, I hope the Mayan calendar is right.... I kid... On to further stuff!!!

The nineteenth and twentieth of this month mark the dates of the Tulsa Comic and Anime Expo in Tulsa, OK and I will be attending. It proves to be a decent time, although not as good as last years round-the-clock fun. Formerly know as Defcon, the TCAE as we will refer to it henceforth for the sake of typing, always proves to be fun with enthusiastic workers, great vendors, and wonderful guests. Come on out and hang out with us, if you spot me there, why not walk up and say howdy!

I also want to point out the fact that I will be starting a new blog just for my short stories called "Chasing Wonder with Words" that will be up here on Blogger! Check my stories out here . First story went up today!

Well, that's about all I have, just a couple updates, nothing big. Go check out my stories and don't forget to leave a comment or critique!

:heart: Cody

By Way of Apology....

2009-08-30T12:34:00.000-07:00

....At least to Barry Allen and his return to the DC Universe...

I was, to say the least skeptical, and possibly a bit pissed off, but, in reading "The Flash: Rebirth" I have seen a new light. Firstly, Geoff Johns' writing is, in this case, top notch, Vansciver's art is great, and the storyline has made me remember why we all loved Barry so much in the first place. Here's a VERY brief rundown...

Since Barry's return there had been a build up of negative speed energy, that's where I came in, I missed issue #1 and due to financial issues (I am disabled according to my doctors, not quite according to the government yet...) I have lost track of many parts of Final Crisis.... So I came in to Barry confined to a containment chamber wearing a suit resembling the Black Flash (The reaper of the flashes, not the Dark Flash: Walter West... Who no one seems to realize MERGED with our Wally and that is why there is no more mention of him, not becasue of DC's abandonment of the Hypertime storyline...) with large amounts of crimson lightning pouring from his form. When the power comes to a boiling point, Barry tells everyone to release him and run, and he decides he will run back into the speed-force where he can't hurt anyone. When he gets inside the speed-force he realizes something's off and soon finds the original Professor Zoom, crackling with the same red lightning he had been producing (Barry seems to be freed of it for now...), lightning rod in hand, holding Max Mercury and Johnny Quick prisoner. Zoom promptly kills Johnny Quick and explains to Barry Allen that he is the source of the speed-force, that Barry Allen is where it all comes from. Zoom then leaves to kill Linda Park; Max explains then to Barry, who is once again being poisoned by the "anti-speed-force" lightning, that he is the light Max spent so long bouncing through time chasing and that the more Barry moves the more he combats Zoom's "anti-speed-force"; Wally then shows up to bring Barry back to reality. After and during all of those thens, Linda gets a call in to Jay Garrick (the Golden Age Flash) and Impulse (Bart Allen, who has been, thankfully, restored to his brash teenage self...) that Zoom is attacking her and the children. As zoom says he is going to untangle the knots in the twins' powers then strangle them with the rope, Jay and Bart show up on scene to save the day. Jay gets his friction preventing aura taken from him by Zoom who then pushes him at super speed until he catches fire and Bart is left alone to combat the crazed Professor. Until, in a flash of lightning, Max (Yes, he's finally back!), Wally and Barry burst onto scene with a Barry who is fully aware of his lethal potential, and apparently ready to use it....

I can't say I've had to swallow my words so roughly since I said I couldn't see how Heath Ledger could measure up to Jack Nicholson as the Joker. EVERYTHING I said about the return of Barry was completely unfounded, and I usually don't do that. I usually try something before I say I don't like it... I was just so upset about the current state of Wolverine and Hal Jordan's rebirth, that my sight was clouded. Thanks Geoff Johns and DC for reminding me why the Flash has been my favorite hero since the eighties, and thank you for bringing back the family of speedsters I have watched grow.... Hats off fellas....

Move-Over Monday

2009-08-24T18:54:00.000-07:00

Well, the time has come once again for a Move-Over-Monday feature. This Monday's offering is a doozy: Myspace VS Facebook. Here's my opinion...

You are young, you are tech savvy and you want to connect with your friends in a common place where they can send you messages or apps or comment on the poor service you got at the local pizzeria at lunch. There's an app for that.... Rather, two websites. One of these websites I used to shun like the plague, now it is my preferred. Let me share with you the whys and hows about my new-found love for Facebook...

User Friendliness

Myspace:

With all it's glitz and glamor and fancy layouts, it seems to be a teenage girl's wet dream. Glitter graphics and layouts featuring your favorite stars are great, unless you actually want to see your friends page without waiting for five minutes while their embedded videos and music load. Then, when and if it does load, nine times out of ten it loads incorrectly. Then you want to leave your friend a comment, too bad he/she can't see it due to the fact that their text color is the wrong shade to show up over their overly busy background image.... Needless to say, lots of headaches, and if you do not have at least an intermediate understanding of html/xhtml you are screwed... Final score on this front 4 out of 10

Facebook:

With it's simplified wall system, you don't have to fish through multiple sites or windows to comment back to someone who commented to you, and with the fancy embedding abilities right there in your status updates, you can share new content with your friends and family every time you update. The one thing I can say is that sometimes the activity flow gets a bit crazy, but if something is specifically said to you, you have the fancy little alert icon in the bottom right corner. Also, if you are a teenage girl who still wants her glitter, you can still "tattoo your wall"... Final score on this front 8 out of 10

Application Usage

Myspace:

Where to start. This ain't gonna be pretty...

With it's CLUNKY sidebar and constant bright red "app request" alerts, it seems like a stretch that Myspace even tries this feature. Aside from that, the fact that there is no warning from the site, at least last time I used it, that you are leaving Myspace's "frendly" waters and going to a completely different possibly malicious site makes the idea of using new apps a scary situation on the 'space. It also may just be in my head, but, it seems to me apps even run slower when you link to them with Myspace... Final score on this front: 2 out of 10

Facebook

I still don't play many apps, or for that matter really care for them, (I'd rather waste my virtual time on Newgrounds.com or MiniClip.com playing flash games...) but the ones I do play (YoVille and Packrat and a couple more...) are much better organized and seem to play more smoothly, plus they don't cause my main page to take two minutes to load (on a T3 connection no less...)... Final score on this front : 7 out of 10

Finally: Over All Experience

Myspace:

It seems to me that Myspace has became home mainly to bots and bands. Less and less do I find real people on Myspace. Sure I don't mind some small time indy band wanting to be my friend, but the constant invites to shows in Timbuktu or where ever get on my nerves. I am never going to make it to half of those shows! I'm definitely not gonna drive three hundred miles to see a band I've only heard a on a scratchy Myspace mp3. The point is, there should be a place for that, maybe, I don't know, in a mass messages folder. Also, the app notifications come to me as messages. I think, hey look, my friend so-and-so sent me a message, take the time to click over to that page, and boom, they gave me an energy pack for some app I don't even use... How annoying. Maybe it'd be better if that only popped up when I opened that app, or came to me as a notification for THAT SPECIFIC AREA rather than a personal message. Final score on this front: 2 out of 10

Facebook:

The overall organization, uniformity and just plain cleanness are sooooo refreshing after years on the topsy-turvy mish-mash that is Myspace. The fact that notifications and messages are split up into categories is sooooo nice. I can't really say much else, except for the fact that I hope it doesn't change. Final score on this front 8 out of 10

In Conclusion

As you can see, by MY PERSONAL calculations, Facebook unanimously... But this blog is all about you being the judge.... Have a poll...

Myspace or Facebook? If you say neither leave me a comment as to why...

A Bit Off Topic...

2009-08-23T11:53:00.000-07:00

Normally, I like to write blogs with pics and info about geek related things, but since my obsession with Jesus Christ tends to eclipse any fanboy obsession I've ever had, I thought this relevant... Why are "Christians" such hatemongers?

I was watching a video post of "Blueberry Girl" by Neil Gaiman with a big smile and misty eyes, and when it ended I turned to the comments in which people started the ever present Is-Neil-Gaiman-A-Scientologist fiasco, and I finally had had enough. I don't care if the man is Scientologist or not, he does a helluva lot of good things and gives many charities... He seems to hold MANY of the same moral values I do. My point here is, some woman called "Sarah" starts tearing into Neil and Amanda Palmer for the "Who Killed Amanda Palmer" companion book (that gave a hefty sum to Housing Works ) without even knowing anything about Neil or Amanda. I then knew she was "christian", and that is SAD. It is so sad to watch the teachings of a tolerant and benevolent Messiah be twisted into venomous and hateful weapons. It's sadder that "god's people" are identified by their hate-mongering. This is why I do not call myself "christian". Not because I do not love my Creator, Savior, or the Spirit, I do with all my heart. The thing is I must be worshiping a completely different deity and following the teachings of a completely different Messiah. These "Christians" today are more scary than any terrorist as far as I am concerned. As I said in my reply to "Sarah" ("Sarah" has the comment marked 10. my reply is marked 12. and 15. at this link ) I hope they are judged by the guidelines laid down in Matthew 7.... Thanks for listening to my rant, and if you are a Gaiman fan go check out the blog "The Quotable Neil". I feel much better now...

****UPDATE****

It seems that the moderator of the children's book blog "Educating Alice" has deleted all of the comments posted on the above subject except for our dear fundamentalist Sarah's opinion. What a group of fine upstanding people who call others "weird" or "hypocrites" then give those people no chance to defend themselves in a comments forum, or, rather, delete comments that make sense yet contradict their views. One more reason for the lost to stay lost. Thanks ladies!

Et Tu Comics?

2009-08-16T16:33:00.001-07:00

I never thought this day would come. Since I was three and my Dad bought me my first comic, I think it was a GI Joe or Captain America comic, I have loved them. I thought at first it was maye depression, but I don't feel depressed. I thought maybe I was just becoming, eek, normal, but I still love Neil Gaiman literature, anime, The Dresden Dolls, Star Wars, and well, my wife (Sorry, honey, you are FAAAAAR from normal...) so that can't be the case. Then I realized this: Comics are ecoming mainstream. Yay, it's not me! This is the story of how I came to this realization....

After dropping all of my book subscriptions, I thought, okay. Fresh start. I tried Batman... Too convoluted. I tried Superman, once again too convoluted. I tried reading some new Flash. I cried. I tried reading some new
Wolverine... When and who decided it was a good idea to turn my favorite fuzzy, beer swilling, whiskey shooting bada$$ into a HUGE whimpering panty-waist? The only person who has got him right REMOTELY recently is Joss Whedon... I nearly slit my wrists.

Finally, utterly cast down, browsing a group I belong to on Facebook or something, I came across "Nort Wind" a comic from the newish Boom! comics. I tried it simply because I like things that end in "!" ,well, and because Mark Waid, a guy who definately doesn't write panty waist characters, was editing...

The first issue was amazing: The story of a post world disaster event frozen earth full of high adventure. I remembered why I love comics. Evil villains and larger than life heroes. I was reminded of so many wonderful memories, and then I realized, this is what the comics world needs. Stories that are one book, less convoluted, and more substantial. Thank you Boom! comics. Thank you for saving a geek from drowning in a world without comics. I will follow Boom! comics, and of corse Dark Horse for their Star Wars titles, but I think I'm taking a break from DC and Marvel Comics for a while. I will go back someday. Someday when they realize that one huge crisis a year does not a comics universe make. Hit me with some comments and tell me I'm not the only one seeing this....

:heart: Cody

The Triumphant Return and Move-A-Long Monday

2009-07-28T01:20:00.000-07:00

Ahh, yes. I have missed many a day due to a stressful run of life, but now, I fear I must return here to my element to remain sane... So, on to Move-A-Long Monday!!!!!!!

The subject of this Move-A-Long Monday is one that I have discussed with a few friends lately, the re-insurgance of silver age comic book characters that aren't nearly as cool as their modern age counterparts.

The Flash

Ok. I have not read the Post Crisis Barry books, and I love Barry Allen as much as any other Flash fan, but, c'mon, his return only cheapens his ultimate sacrifice in Crisis on Infinite Earths... If Wally had not have been taken in so many, IMHO, stupid directions (the whole "Chained Lightning" thing and the HORRIBLE choice to make Impulse the Flash, by may I add, some of the stupidest means in comic book history.) he could have been the greatest Flash ever, especially after the whole "Dark Flash" merging....

What happened to the headstrong asshole we all knew and loved? He became a family man with children who have campy (at best) powers and who pose a confusing wrinkle in DC continuity if we still believe Kingdom Come and other future Wally stories where only Iris exists...

Green Lantern

This one really irks me. I just don't see why everyone likes Hal Jordan so damn much. He's overly cocky, and I think arrogant. I mean, I remember Hal Jordan as Parallax, you know the guy who DESTROYED THE FUCKING UNIVERSE!!!!!!!! How is it that we can forgive him that, but it's such a big deal that Jason Todd is pissed enough to try to kill Batman. Why don't we feel the same compassion for an obviously troubled man over a demented parasite carrier. Okay, so yes Kyle Rayner was host to Parallax for a second there, but he didn't destroy the fugging UNIVERSE!!!! Sheesh.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, I don't feel like the modern age heroes I've grown up with got a fair shake, I hope things go better for Dick Grayson... So here's your chance to weigh in, a three question survey:

Trichording Thursday!!!!!!!!

2009-06-18T21:51:00.000-07:00

Well this is coming reeeeally late, but I got a little sick earlier and then lost myself in this weeks episode of "Web Soup" on G4. I love that show... Anyhoo, on to the Flash Games OF THE WEEK!!!!! Yaaaaaaaaay! (Imagine a cute Sesame Street monster screaming that!) On to the games....

Bloons Tower Defense 3

I felt as if I had been abducted by aliens. I literally had one of those x-files moments where you look up and realize three hours have passed, and you can't possibly account for the time. This game was that awesome. You just have to play it to understand....

Sonny

It seems as if I have spent the whole week on Newgrounds, but what else is new?

This game gets number two simply because I hate real time strategy games. I really do. Unless they have an amazing storyline. This story line is about zombies. that makes it amazing... Sorry, make it about Jesus, Star Wars, or Zombies and ya got me. Hook, line and rotting flesh....

Use Boxmen

Yes it's a front pager, but so was Bloons Tower Defense 3 at one time. Do you think I'm going to steer you toward games that are not at least front page worthy? C'mon. This game takes thought. Lots of it. Thankfully there is a walkthru link right on the page. It's VERY imaginative, though it reminds me a bit of Karoshi: Suicide Salaryman, it takes a bit more skill to control the "friends". Plus, the music and in between narration are awesome, was that the theme from "Doug"?

The Scene of the Crime

We all know I love Frank Miller, he's one of the few people I can think of I'd cheat on my wife with. I'm serious... *AHEM* Anyway, this game reminds me of sin city, but more than that Hardigan... It's pretty simple if you are objective. Just collect evidence and solve themurder... I hadda use the walkthru twice though actually. LOOK EVERYWHERE!

Monster Trucks NITRO!

I love physics based games. This one is actually challenging. Just get the truck from start to finish. Simple, right? You'll see... A few challenging levels, then you get the option of winning special unlockables for the iPhone App version. Gotta love it!

That's it for this week. Remember I own no rights to these games or the sites that host them, but much thanks to Newgrounds, Pastel Games, Armor Games, Miniclip.com and all involved. Come back tomorrow for a possible one-shot feature. Maybe...

:heart: Cody

Web Junk Wednesday

2009-06-17T14:42:00.000-07:00

That's right kiddies, another new feature where I show you something I find cool, and maybe you tell me whether you think it is... Web Junk Wednesday is basically just about a cool website I've discovered, and a video or two thrown in just for kicks. As always, remember I don't own or have any rights to these websites or videos, and they are property of their respective owners. I just feel they are cool and relevant to nerd-dom as a whole. We start with my three favorite websites of the week, which in this case aren't new finds, I've loved them for a while, but since this is the first time for this feature, I want to share...

Wookieepedia, the Star Wars Wiki

We all, by now should know about Wikipedia and it's wide success with spin-off wikis. This happens to be my favourite one...

Wookieepedia is a Star Wars encyclopedia that anyone can edit, and is probably the one largest repository of Star Wars knowledge on the internets... Whether you want to find info on what kind of speeder Luke and Leia rode on Endor or what the difference is between a Womp Rat and a Wampa, this is the site for it. Create an account and edit and create pages to your nerdy heart's content. Go give it a look and may the Force be with you.

Giant Bomb

IGN is great, G4 is awesome, Game Informer is an industry standard, but if you want to know what's really shaking in the gaming world, as a gamer, or a few thousand gamers... GIANT BOMB!!!!!!!!

I absolutely LOVE this site! The guys at GB are funnier than any other group of their kind I have ever seen. The ability for users to edit pages in wikia style is amazing, and the site just looks top notch. Go watch some videos. You'll be hooked.

Think Geek

Last but not least, those monkey loving nerds who give us awesome products on a daily basis, Think Geek!

The greatest site to come down the pike for nerds since ever, their products are specially designed for us, the "Smart Masses". From binary products, to t-shirts, to miracle fruit tablets, they have it all. Go check them out now and get yourself ready for Con-Season!!!

That ends up the website portion of your brain-meal, next we move on to visuals...

Elevator

Aside from "The Guild" (season2 coming soon hopefully...) "Elevator" is probably my favorite "webisode" on YouTube... Just an elevator, and lots of talent... LOVE IT!

With you full of nerdy goodness and ready for a nap, I must say anon, un till tomorrow, which is TRICHORDING THURSDAY!!!!!!!

:heart: Cody

Once Again, New Feature! : Move-A-Long Monday!!

2009-06-15T20:39:00.000-07:00

That's right, kids... Move-A-Long Monday... 'Tis the day I outline something I feel should be replaced with... Well... Something else. Then I give you a chance to weigh in with a poll.... So here goes.

Subject to Move-A-Long: Twilight

Subject to Replace It:Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter

The Why:

(Deep breath...)

Growing up and especially in my adolescent years, I fell in love with vampires. From "Buffy: The Vampire Slayer" to Morpheus from Spider-Man comics fame, I loved them. Old Hammer films featuring Dracula, and true bad asses like Nick Knight from the Forever Knight series to the brooding Angel and bad boy Spike from Buffy, I was enthralled by them all. I just can't seem to accept the reality in which Vampires shine in the sunlight rather than catch on fire and are viewed as goody-two-shoes rich kids... It kills me. Even worse is the whole craze that has seemed to turn people, some of my friends even, into quivering, giggling, pant's peeing school girls. "It's a re-imagining, though," you might say, "A way for people to look at vampires in a new light as something besides monsters." THAT'S WHY WE LIKE THEM!!!! Monsters that we can identify the darker sides of our selves with. Christ sakes, it's like "Hannah Montana" meets "The Littlest Vampire". I guess I should end this section by saying, this: Vampires weren't meant to be nice, sweet or emo... No matter their level of humanity, at the end of the day they are monsters, like werewolves or The Frankenstein Monster. Period.

Which brings us to:

The Replacement:

Anita Blake is a vampire hunter/ zombie animator based in St.Louis, Missouri in a universe where monsters, namely vampires, have been given civil rights. It is an idea that pre-dated the popular "True Blood" series and was introduced by writer Laurell K. Hamilton. Slowly, in the books Anita Blake learns, as she grows closer to the monsters and their community, that she is becoming one of them, and even becomes the unwitting and unwilling human servant of the Master of the City in St. Louis, Jean Claude. Jean Claude is the stereotypical french vamp with his mind powers and other-worldly sex appeal. The series shows the dangerous sensuality a vamp should have, contrasted by the atrocities they commit to survive. Rumors have it that the IFC channel is planning to make a TV movie adaptation of the series, with a possible TV series to follow. I suppose I should close this section with this: Anita Blake should speak to all of us who fondly remember the days when stakes, fire, silver and sun were dangerous, and our vamps didn't sparkle or smell like pastries....

Your Voice:

Should Twilight Move-A-Long?

Hit me with those answers.

Closing thought: I know a lot of you may hate me for my opinion on "Twilight", but remember, I do respect Stephanie Meyers. Her writing's not the best, but she's apparently done something right! She has more money than I have ever seen,and has created a sickeningly popular sensation. I'm so sick of seeing Twilight t-shirts everywhere, though this is my favorite... From J!nx clothing company.

:heart: Cody

Technorati, and Entry One of The Con Survival Guide!

2009-06-14T10:59:00.000-07:00

So I just joined Technorati, and claimed Geektrospective! as my own... YAY!

That said,let us move on to the meat of my new summertime Saturday feature that will end with anything new I pick up to add after our visit to Mini-Con (Formerly Defcon) in September... And, yes I know it's Sunday but you know,I do have a life... Ok, no I don't, but I consumed large amounts of beer and watched my friends in a camp drag show last night. If you are local you can see them all at Kinkead's Alternative Club every Friday night and also every second Saturday... It's lots of fun... I used to DJ there so tell 'em Cody sent ya... I digress...

Ahh! Convention season is upon us. Droves of nerds joining together in perfect harmony to enjoy all-you-can-eat helpings of those things that we love. Where else can you find Jedi smiling whilst being photographed alongside Sith, or Sakura Haruno of Naruto fame making out with Vash the Stampede? Nowhere, that's where! And all who have visited a convention more than once know that there are a few things you need to survive the sometimes brutal elements thereof. Whether it be high priced concessions or $30 dollar photos, we at Geektrospective! will walk you through the season, holding your hand and regurgitating into your starving little maw nourishing awesomeness like a mother EPIC bird. So open up and chirp for today's portion of posterity....

Yes. I'm starting at one. Why? A couple reasons:
- Most people start with the least important and work their way backwards, but here at Geektrospective! we strive to be different and fresh. Hell, we're strident about it even. I like that word. STRIDENT!!!

- I can't stop thinking about this one, because it was the most important thing I forgot to tell my wife last year (Last year was her first con-season...).

Convention Season Survival Guide: Item #1

Sustenance... Sweet fuel with which to perpetuate your continued existance. You make think you can go seventeen hours in a LARP session running around in prohibition era Chicago without any actual food or drink. You are wrong.

The biggest problem we ran into was the fact that when we needed the concession stand it was either too expensive, too crowded, or closed. So here are my best suggestions to keep you, the Ardent Awesomes, alive and running on full...

Hydration is important...

You HAVE to stay hydrated. In the heat of summer, it is important, even in a semi-air conditioned setting to keep hydrated. The risks of dehydration are very real. As is heat stroke and other related problems. Keep a water bottle or canteen type device on your person at all times. Some conventions my frown on outside food and drink, and that's why we have our bag (That's another post all together...). If you are of the overly paranoid persuasion though, buy one bottle of water at the consession stand and refill as needed from bathroom taps and/or water fountains if available.

When water is not enough and you need that little "OOmph!" to get you through late night showings of your favorite cult classic in the movie rooms, I would recommend something from the wide selection at Think Geek . Just click and the preceeding link will take you to their caffiene drinks page, many of which can be bought by the case (Case o' Bawls for example...)

Then Comes a Food:

I know for most of us some Penguin Mints or Black Black gum is enough to get us through till the early hours of morn, but for those of you that need a little more, I warn you that concession stand fare is VERY pricey and not that tasty.... Here are some alternatives to fill your Munchler with...

- Astronaut Ice Cream: Some great and wonderful awesomness has came down the pike do to space travel, but I think this is one of the best... No need to refrigerate with a shelf life of up to three years!!!!

- Pocky: No geek worth his mettle can say he or she has not vegged out in front of their favorite anime with these tasty little Japanese biscuit sticks. A favorite of Otaku the world over, they are portable and tasty as hell!

- Chocolate Covered Espresso Beans : Have your coffee and eat it, too... These wonderful little tasties come in a tin the size and shape of a D cell... Perfect for on the go perking!

- Jerky: Any kind you can find at your local supermarket, beef, turkey, bantha. Nom-nom and filling, too.

- Nuts and dried fruits: The classic building blocks of trail mix. Good and good for you!

- Meal Bars: You know, those little bars many use for dieting or whatnot. Some such as Full Bar and General Mills Milk n Cereal Bars are very filling. You could almost count them as a meal in their selves.

I hope this will prove to be helpful for all of you awesome con-goers out there in the internets. If you have any questions or comments, please don't hesitate.

Be here next time for "A Good Bag" or "The Story of a Satchel"

- Cody

Just a Quick Post On Browser Games... Trichording Thursday

2009-06-11T11:21:00.000-07:00

My top five favorite of the week....

Aether

- The EMOtional story of a boy and his pet, the pet is a monster whose tongue we can't forget...

9 Ball Quickfire Pool

- By far the coolest pool game EVER!

Monster Bash

- Awesome "pop-fly" game.(Takes about fourty-five seconds to load) Try to beat my score! My Player name on miniclip.com is CodaFett...

Nitrohaul

- Great physics game. See if you can beat the Hard and Long level... *snicker*...

Roly Poly Cannon

What seems like a cuter version of Crush the Castle. Make sure not to blow up,drown, or fry the nice roly polies!!!!

Have fun with these, make sure and tell me what you think. All feedback's appreciated, also tell the creators and host websites what you think. Tell 'em about me, too. Give 'em my URL even. Thanks to newgrounds.com , physicsgames.net and miniclip.com. Visit these sites,dammit!

Closing thought: Is it bad to hope your wife does not retain much from her Virtua Fighter training marathon?

:heart:
Cody

Geektrospective First Blog : Breaking the Fourth Wall

2009-06-11T01:56:00.000-07:00

Hey kids! Today I'm introducing a brand new and exciting aspect to my daily routine! My blog is rolling out and transforming into a one stop geek-gasmic info spot. I will basically explore and explain different aspects of geekdom to you, the loyal reader, in format that every day non-geek muggle types can understand... Onward and Excelsior... Sorry Stan, I hadda borrow it...

Today we will discuss "The Fourth Wall" and where it applies in comic books as a medium.....

The "Fourth Wall" as described by Wikipedia "refers to the imaginary 'wall' at the front of the stage in a proscenium theatre, through which the audience sees the action in the world of the play.[1][2] The term also applies to the boundary between any fictional setting and its audience. When this boundary is "broken" (for example by an actor speaking to the audience directly through the camera in a television program or film), it is called 'breaking the fourth wall.' "

The act of "Breaking the Fourth Wall" in comics is most usually associated to our beloved "Merc with a Mouth" himself, Deadpool... Still not sure if he broke the fourth wall in the Wolvie Origins movie, someone let me know... He first half-hartedly broke the wall in the Joe Kelly penned "Deadpool" Issue #4 when he sings part of the theme to the old sixties Lou Ferrignolicious "Hulk" series. (C'mon you know you all love The Ferrigno...) Later it goes much further and in depth, read all about it here...

Other notable characters that went on to break the fourth include Etrigan (The Demon), unsuprisingly Bat-Mite and Mr.Mxyzptlk, and She-Hulk... Read all about that here...

I hope you have enjoyed my first foray into actual blogging. I'm going now to go play VirtuaFighter with my reason for starting this she'd better read it, too dammit!!! Love you dear!
So, I'll see you kids next time, here's a closing quote by Dr.Frasier Crane, played by Kelsey Grammar, who also had a role as a certain furry blue beast...

"And in closing, this goes out to Keith, the narcolepctic I spoke to a bit earlier. I'd be glad to resume when you feel a bit more alert. But, in the meantime I suggest you reconsider applying for that traffic control position."

:heart:
Cody