Five Webcomics from Female Creators You Should Totally Be Reading

FIVE WEBCOMICS FROM FEMALE CREATORS YOU SHOULD TOTALLY BE READING

By Marie Victoria Robertson

I often sigh about how I wish I could draw. Thing is, I have an intense respect for comic artists, and webcomic artists in particular; using the versatility of a visual medium to tell a good story seems like a beautiful challenge to me. The comic book industry seems like a tough market to get into, particularly for female artists, and the big-name companies are often stuck catering to fanbases. On the flip side, webcomic artists strike out on their own, with the power to write, draw, and produce their own content on their terms. There is often little to no money involved in webcomics, meaning artists are putting their work out there, for free, for people to read and share and enjoy, purely for the love of their art.  

So, respect. Lots of it. 

Some amazing and talented women are responsible for some of the best webcomics out there and they deserve all the attention they can get. Below is a short list of webcomics I love, and you probably will too. 

1. Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton

Chances are you’re already reading this one. If you’re not, I strongly advise you to sit down with a cup of tea and go through the archive. Kate Beaton is a master at crafting jokes based on history, literature, and occasionally pop culture. Her “strong female characters” are not to be missed. 

2. Oglaf (WARNING: Not Safe For Work) by Trudy Cooper (co-authored by Doug Bayne)

DO NOT click on that link if you are at work. Or if dear old aunt Gertrude is reading over your shoulder. From the same author as Platinum Grit, Oglaf tends to bounce between being a medieval fantasy-parody strip with liberal sex and nudity, and being an outright pornographic comic with token fantasy elements. It can be incredibly funny, however, and scathing in its deconstruction of fantasy tropes. Be warned that it can be VERY Not Safe For Work as sex is a huge element of this webcomic, though readers will enjoy seeing same-sex and interracial couplings, and women (of varying shapes and sizes) in interesting positions of power. 

3. Lackadaisy by Tracy J. Butler

This comic is about the titular speakeasy struggling to stay in business in prohibition-era Missouri, amid shifting loyalties, secrets from the past, and rum-running adventures. The story is so intricately written and the art is so exquisite that you almost stop noticing how the entire cast is comprised of anthropomorphic cats. While updates are not frequent, it’s worth going through the archives and bonus gallery over and over again, especially for history geeks. To say that the artist has done her research on the 1920’s is an understatement.  

4. Girls with Slingshots by Danielle Corsetto

GWS is another strip you’re probably reading already, but I couldn’t create a list of my favourite webcomics without including this one, especially since I may or may not have a crush on the character Jamie. For the uninitiated, GWS is a long-running series about a group of friends dealing with life events such as relationships, unemployment, and sexuality. And there might be a talking cactus involved too. It’s been running since 2004 so if you’re new to GWS, there is a lot to catch up on, but it’s a wonderfully funny ride. 

5. Junior Scientist Power Hour by Abby Howard

The first JSPH strip I read was this one and I was hooked. The once-a-week gags cover everything from Abby’s personal life to elements of pop culture to (of course) cats, with a healthy and hilarious dose of surrealism and a cool art style likely inspired by Jhonen Vasquez. Also be sure to check out Abby’s ongoing story, “The Last Halloween”, a comedy-horror story.

Which favourites would you have put on the list?

Marie Victoria Robertson is a published speculative fiction writer and playwright, as well as the board president of Jer’s Vision: Canada’s Youth Diversity Initiative (www.jersvision.org). When all the other girls wanted to marry Johnny Depp, she wanted to run away with Worf on the Enterprise. She enjoys giant robots, time-travel paradoxes, and dressing up her kids like Ninja Turtles.

Fall Frosh: Forever, Selfie, The Flash

FALL FROSH
By Courtney Lockhart

We are a few weeks into the new TV season and I'm already behind.  I haven't seen Gotham or caught up with old friends like Bones or Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D  but that's what long weekends and random mid season breaks are for.  However, I have managed to check out  three of this year's freshman class. One was a sure bet confirmed, another a pleasant surprise, the third has potential but I'm reserving judgement.

SURE BET: THE FLASH

Barry Allen is a nerdy, clumsy, awkward forensics expert. That is, until the day he is struck by lighting caused by the STAR labs particle accelerator blowing up. He wakes up from a coma nine months later with killer abs, fast healing and super speed. With these new abilities will he become the hero he wants to be?

I've been counting down to premiere day since the first trailers came out.  As a spin off from Arrow  this show had a lot to live up to and it did. The new cast  featuring familiar faces like Grant Gustin, Jesse L Martin, and Tom Cavanaugh  gels well right from the start. The origin story wasn't rushed passed for the new people, nor did it drag on for the well-versed.  The pilot sets up the possibility of good old fashioned 'bad guy of the week' stories  alongside the larger story arcs. With excellent writing and a last scene twist that had me talking back to the television, I'm looking forward to seeing if lightning will strike twice for executive producers Marc Guggenheim and Andrew Kreisburg.

PLEASANT SURPRISE: FOREVER

I checked this one out purely on a whim, and I have to say it was a very good whim.  Forever follows the new rulebook of network cop shows: sensible police officer plus off-beat but brilliant expert solve crimes while trying not to flirt with each other too much  for the first few seasons.  However, as with most storytelling it is the nuances that make it unique.  Dr Henry Morgan (Ioan Gruffudd) works in the New York medical examiner's office and is very good at his job. He strikes up a working partnership with Detective Jo Martinez (Alana De La Garza) thanks to his Sherlock Holmes worthy deduction abilities.  But Henry has a secret- he's been alive over 200 years and can't die. 

This is another show that thrives on good writing. The cases presented are interesting but it is the dialogue between Henry, Jo and the rest of the cast that charms viewers to keep watching. The first four episodes offer glimpses into Henry's past, particularly a lost love named Abigail who left Henry and their adopted son Abe (portrayed in modern times by Judd Hirsch) for reasons that have yet to be explained. There is also the promise of a Big Bad in the form of a mysterious caller who not only knows Henry's secret, but claims to have the same condition.  There is a lot of potential in this series and I truly hope that ABC gives it the chance it deserves. 

UNDECIDED: SELFIE

There were two things that peaked my interest in checking out  this modern manners sitcom. The first is my inner theatre geek was intrigued by the idea of a Pygmalion/ My Fair Lady modernisation. The second, I adore Karen Gillan and wanted to support her. Gillan  plays Eliza Dooley, a successful sales rep who realises she has thousands of online followers, but no one to check on her when she gets food poisoning.  She asks her company's new marketing and branding guru Henry, a delightfully bitter and grumpy John Cho,  to help revamp her image and her life.

I'm not sure however that actor loyalty and a familiar premise will be enough for this show.  The awkwardness and humour based on annoyance can be grating at times but on the plus side Cho and Gillan have great chemistry. If the show doesn't get on it's feet quickly it may not get a chance.

Courtney Lockhart lives in the west end of Ottawa with her husband and step-cat.  She is polishing her skills to pursue one of her dream careers as either a costume drama character, Torchwood operative or executive assistant to a billionaire vigilante. You can follow her daily mission to DFTBA on Twitter @corastacy.

Kill Shakespeare: A Geek Girl Review

KILL SHAKESPEARE: A GEEK GIRL REVIEW
By Courtney Lockhart

The weekend before last I attended Montreal Comiccon. While my main goal for the weekend was to stalk meet Stephen Amell, I was also on the lookout for something new and exciting to recharge the nerd batteries.

While my primary goal was completed  Saturday thanks to the Q&A, Photo Op and  Meet and Greet opportunities, by Sunday afternoon I was starting to think my secondary goal was not going to be accomplished. There was tons of beautiful art and the vendors were well stocked with interesting wares, but I wasn’t getting that ‘zing’.  I define the zing as that feeling  where your radar has been pinged and you are now hyper-aware of the presence of something awesome.  I was just about to turn to my con-buddy and tell him I was going to call it a day when I saw it:

ZING!

This shirt literally stopped me in my tracks. I’ve been a Shakespeare nut since I was about 12 years old. I spend more time at the movie theatre watching National Theatre Live performances than I do actual films and I was gifted a lovely Complete Works of Shakespeare from my aunt and uncle  when I was in university.   The shirt was so genius I didn’t even notice the rest of the table until the gentleman behind the table asked “Have you heard of Kill Shakespeare?” 

That gentleman was Connor McCreery co-creator of  the Kill Shakespeare comic series.  He walked me through the basics: Hamlet is transported to a mythical land which is either cursed or protected, depending on what side of the argument you side with, by a wizard named Will Shakespeare.  The lord of the land, Richard III wants Hamlet to find and kill the powerful wizard. However a rebellion, lead by Juliet Capulet, is calling Richard a tyrant and asking for Hamlet’s help to find Shakespeare and overthrow the king.  The T-shirts were a tie-in and even more clever once you understood the context.  I picked up the first volume of the graphic novel, A Sea of Troubles, and resolved to read it on the bus back to Ottawa.

You don’t have to be a Shakespeare fan to like this book. While there are winks, and references, the authors make sure that the uninitiated have enough information to not be lost. The story is epic in every sense of the word with twists and turns that keep the audiences guessing just as much as the characters. I honestly have no idea what will happen next and I love that.  

With great art by , well rounded characters and an excellent story I’m looking forward to picking up the next instalment.  Of course by next instalment I mean everything that’s currently published. Once I pick it up I know I’m not going to want to put it down until it’s done. 

Courtney Lockhart lives in the west end of Ottawa with her husband and step-cat.  She is polishing her skills to pursue one of her dream careers as either a costume drama character, Torchwood operative or executive assistant to a billionaire vigilante. You can follow her daily mission to DFTBA on Twitter @corastacy.

Doctor Who Series 8 premiere: The Doctor is In

THE DOCTOR IS IN
By Courtney Lockhart

I have to admit- this time last year I was a very disappointed Whovian.

I was at a friend's cottage desperately checking my twitter to discover who was going to replace Matt Smith in the iconic roll of The Doctor.  When they announced Peter Capaldi- I was upset.  Because of my obsession familiarity with Torchwood, where Capaldi had portrayed major series 3 antagonist John Frobisher,  I felt it would be impossible for an actor already strongly associated with a signifigant character to  shift to being the main character of the universe.  In my mind it was  like Tom Hardy being named the next Batman.  I was predicting a series 8 that I would suffer through to support the show but not necessarily enjoy.

Today I am happy to admit that I was completely wrong.

The series 8 premiere, written by show runner Steven Moffat, was moving, entertaining and action packed.  Regeneration has temporarily fried The Doctor's brain. Not only is he trying to figure out his new body and personality, but he can't decide whether to trust his friends to help him. The regeneration confusion leads to a great deal of the episode's humour and amuses in a way that doesn't distract from the main conflict.

Capaldi's doctor is finding a place in my heart. I'm a 10th doctor girl and the introduction to Twelve strongly reminded me of how I felt after watching The Christmas Invasion.  He's a complete 180 from Matt Smith with the exception of still being able to  rock those amazing speeches that Moffat gives The Doctor.  I'm also wondering if " Shut up!" is going to be the new Geronimo?

The supporting crew in this episode, Strax, Vastra, Jenny and Clara- or as the doctor refers to them at first: Grumpy, the green one, the not green one and the one that asks all the questions- were a joy to watch. The 'give Team Vastra their own show'  contingent in the fandom will be louder than ever after this one. They  handle both sides of the regeneration angst argument brilliantly. This episode also gave me a very Sherlock vibe in that a lot of the supporting dialogue seemed to be the writers attempt to verify that they are listening to the fans.

The episode passes the group viewing test with flying colours. We all had  different levels of familiarity with the Whoniverse and were all highly entertained. There are easter eggs galore and little things that I'm sure will mean more in the future, but for those watching who aren't as fluent in Who it is still a great introductory piece.  The best part is, for the first time since series 5 we will get all twelve episodes in one go, no breaks!

Doctor Who airs Saturdays at 9pm on Space, You'll be able to meet previous Who stars Matt Smith, Karen Gillan and Arthur Darvil  at Fan Expo this month. Matt Smith and a special mystery Whovian guest will be appearing at Montreal Comiccon in September.

Courtney Lockhart lives in the west end of Ottawa with her husband and step-cat.  She is polishing her skills to pursue one of her dream careers as either a costume drama character, Torchwood operative or executive assistant to a billionaire vigilante. You can follow her daily mission to DFTBA on Twitter @corastacy.

Monty Python Live! (Mostly) - Geek Girl Review

DEAR PYTHON (MONTY)
By Emily Plunkett

If there’s one thing I never expect Monty Python to do, it was to make me cry.  The bastards.

This past July, the legendary British comedy group reunited for 10 live performances at London’s O2 Arena.  This came after years of pesky fans repeatedly asking quite nicely for something special that would allow them to reminisce on the jolly ol’Python bits they fell in love with some time ago.  And of course, like true hipsters, the moment they announced the whole thing last November, everyone began making the obligatory jokes about the fact that the combined age of the group is 357 or how it just would never be the same without the long deceased Graham Chapman, how they should just let things be, blah, blah, blah.

But of course, this is Monty Python we’re talking about.  The same Monty Python in which the last time they gathered onstage for a reunion, they brought an urn full of Chapman’s “ashes” to make the reunion complete - and then proceeded to spill the contents of the urn onto the stage; which were then then swept under the rug, vacuumed, etc. So when they announced the new live show, they wasted absolutely no time taking their own shots over what they were about to do; possibly even quicker than the notoriously harsh British media could.  When it came time to actually to see what they had come up with during a screening at the South Keys Cineplex on July 31, I personally had an ounce of faith that this quintet of septuagenarians could pull it off.

After all, that’s what I’ve always loved most about Monty Python: their absolute fearlessness, which was on full display at O2 Arena. It’s always been there.  You can see it in the very first episode of Monty Python’s Flying Circus.  There is virtually no laugher from the studio audience.  They are baffled by just the level of absurdity the program offered.  Random pig squeals, sketches with no clear punchline.  Just pure...well, I don’t know.  Whatever it was, it was on display for the British public to fall in love with and the actors on the screen gave the impression that they just didn’t care if anyone laughed at all.  What they wanted to do was out for everyone to see and we could take it or leave it.  Eventually there would be a word to describe this brand of brand of humour.  Pythonesque is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as “denoting or resembling the absurdist or surrealist humour or style of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, a British television comedy series.” That’s right.  An entire word was added to the dictionary to define and describe the humour of Monty Python.

Back to the show at O2.  I knew there would be bits that would feel somewhat uncomfortable.  Python animator turned genius film director, Terry Gilliam, had given interviews where he called the reunion “depressing,” and he noted that they all had careers that were far beyond Python. In fact, it was no secret that the main reason they were reuniting is because they’ve been hit with lawsuit after lawsuit.  

But you know what?  Even Gilliam’s contributions in no way felt forced.  He looked like they were having fun.  They all looked like it.

There were moments that I was wondering how they were going to handle on stage, and was absolutely stunned on how beautifully they made it work.  Six-foot-four, number two ranked British comedian of all time, John Cleese, has had hip replacement surgery and cannot do the classic Silly Walk sketch. But! Eric Idle just happens to be a songwriter and they were adding dancers to the show anyway. So why not write a new song based on the sketches and give it to the chorus line?  There were also several moments where the actors forgot their lines. I couldn’t keep track whether it was Cleese or Terry Jones who forgot their lines more frequently.  They took the piss out of one another’s circumstances.  The classic “Penguin on the Television” sketch made mention of the many travel documentaries made by the ever so good natured Michael Palin.  During a cross-dressing judges sketch, Idle and Palin asked who handled the Cleese divorce.

And Carol Cleveland! Oh how they wouldn’t forget her!  Still the sexy, big chested, vixen they chose from day one and never let go! She was just so delightful and happy to be performing with the guys!  And she wasn’t the only “cameo” of sorts.  Every night during the run of the show, guests were brought out during “Blackmail” to round out the tribute.  On the last night – the one broadcast to the world – the special guest was Mike “Austin Powers” Myers, who couldn’t believe his eyes as to where he was and what was going on around him.

The nod to their departed colleague came during the Parrot Sketch.  “He’s climbed the ladder to meet do meet Dr. Chapman!” screamed Cleese to Palin’s shop keeper before they both paused to allow the audience to catch the reference and to give the heavens a thumbs up.

Nothing about it felt forced.  Nothing about it felt wrong.  It wasn’t just some old fart rock band that’s decided to give it a shot.  This was a thought out celebration of everything Monty Python is about.

At the very end, as they came out for the encore to lead the audience and the rest of the cast and crew in a sing-along of Always Look on the Bright Side of Life, Idle mentioned that the show was being broadcast in cinemas around the world and this would be the last time they would ever perform together.  He wanted everyone, in every theatre, to sing along.  And even on the encore presentation I attended, the audience sang.  As I sang, I choked back the tears of pure happiness and joy knowing for damn sure Idle wasn’t joking.  In true, right before they told the audience to “PISS OFF,” the sons of bitches rubbed it when they inscribed “MONTY PYTHON 1969 – 2014” across the stage.  This was Monty Python’s swan song. And it was as perfect.

Is it truly pathetic that I cried as hard as I did?  Probably, but I don’t care.  I felt privileged and honoured to have seen the performance.  

And so, to John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam, Terry Jones, Eric Idle and Michael Palin, I say thank you for everything.  If this is truly the end of Monty Python, I am honoured to have known you and your comedy.  May your work always inspire me and remind me to be fearless in all I create.  Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

Emily Plunkett is a recent graduate of the journalism diploma program at Algonquin College. As a freelancer, she’s written for the Ottawa Star and the Sarnia Observer. Notorious for being a Beatlemaniac, a record collector and something nobody can really put a finger on, she enjoys a good Sunday afternoon with CBC Radio chatting away, her knitting in hand and her cat, Levon, snoozing at the end of the bed.

Pemberley Digital and Interactive Storytelling

PEMBERLEY DIGITAL AND INTERACTIVE STORYTELLING
By Courtney Lockhart

For the past couple of weekends I have indulged in one of the universal vices of the digital age: Binge Watching.  I made my way through approximately 300 episodes of three different series in less than 96 hours and before you ask: yes I did eat, sleep, shower and occasionally leave the house.  It helped that the episodes were less than 15 minutes each.

So what had me so enthralled? Four words: Jane Austen on Youtube.  

It started with The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, a modernized version of Pride and Prejudice told through vlogging and social media.  The transmedia approach means that in addition to Lizzie's point of view, the audience can follow other characters, like trouble wild child Lydia or supportive best friend Charlotte through the story.  There are no one dimensional  characters. Even if there isn't enough time in the videos to flush everyone out, they can keep developing through Twitter and Tumblr.  For example, during the first week of the story when Lizzie and her sisters are being introduced to us on the main channel, over on Twitter you can read along as Bing Lee surprises his sister Caroline and best friend William Darcy with the news that he bought a house called Netherfield.

However, all the cross platform promotion would mean nothing if there wasn't a quality program to go with it. The writing is wonderful and the performances are enthralling.  The Lizzie Bennet Diaries

won a 2013 Creative Arts Emmy for Best Original Interactive Program and I have rarely seen a show deserve an award more.

Thanks to DVD sales and an overwhelmingly successful Kickstarter campaign Pemberley Digital, the production team  behind LBD, has created two more equally addictive series. In Welcome to Sanditon  the viewers become a part of the story. Based  on Austen's unfinished manuscript Sanditon, Georgina "Gigi" Darcy moves to a small California beach town to beta test her brother's latest technological marvel. Written story arcs are combined with fan made videos to show a town in the middle of a social civil war. They followed up with their take on Emma called Emma Approved. Emma Woodhouse is a lifestyle guru documenting everything that goes on in her office for the eventual lifetime achievement award she expects to receive- much to the chagrin of her business partner Alex Knightley.

This week Pemberley Digital will premiere it's first non-Austen series. Frankenstein MD starts on PBS Idea Channel August 19th.  Set in a modern university, Victoria Frankenstein  is determined to prove herself through her unorthodox experiments. This will be the first time I will be following a Pemberley production live and I'm pretty excited to play along.

Courtney Lockhart lives in the west end of Ottawa with her husband and step-cat.  She is polishing her skills to pursue one of her dream careers as either a costume drama character, Torchwood operative or executive assistant to a billionaire vigilante. You can follow her daily mission to DFTBA on Twitter @corastacy.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Geek Girl Review

GEEK GIRL REVIEW: TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES
By Marie Victoria Robertson

You know, a lot of my favourite fandoms are really ridiculous when you stop to think about them. Transformers is really just an extended toy commercial with giant robots smacking the crap out of each other, and I love it. And when you break down Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, it’s even more ludicrous. And that shit is my jam.

The thing about TMNT is that the franchise wasn’t supposed to be as awesomely cheesy as it is. Created by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird and published by Mirage Studios, the original TMNT comics were both meant to be a parody, and to be kind of crazy dark. It was only when the 1987 animated series came out that kids of the 80’s like me discovered TMNT and went nuts. I can’t explain why I love TMNT, with the franchise’s bizarre mix of silliness and dark maturity, but I sure do love it.

Now, on to the movie. Spoilers ahead.

The plot is pretty typically thin— the Foot Clan, a criminal gang led by the Shredder (of course) is terrorizing New York City. Intrepid reporter April O’Neil is following Foot Clam activity in an effort to snag a serious story, in the process meeting four “vigilantes” that turn out to be the Turtles. Meanwhile, rich industrialist Eric Sachs is planning to release a toxin over NYC so his company can then release the antidote for big money. The twist? The antidote is the mutagen that created the Turtles in the first place. In this version, they and Master Splinter were lab animals intentionally injected with an experimental mutagen by none other than April O’Neil’s father, who later died in a lab fire.

My take on this movie: it’s not bad at all, and for the most part, it’s a hell of a lot of fun. Go on, tell me that watching Donatello launch Raphael into a truck isn’t fun! I can see why a lot of critics are turned off by it, though. It’s definitely a movie for fans of TMNT and fans only. 

The big points:

THE TURTLES:
Oh man. They’re turtles all right (the “aliens” rumour has been thoroughly debunked, no worries). Once you get past the uncanny valley nature of their new CGI designs, the boys are actually cool as hell. Every Turtle has a unique body shape, facial features, and little touches that go way beyond the coloured masks and trademark weapons. Raphael, always my personal favourite, was a muscled badass. Donatello was the most adorkable he’s ever been. Michelangelo was pure cowabunga. I was only a bit disappointed in Leonardo, but maybe that’s because he was his usual bland self. He tends to fade a bit when contrasted with the strong personalities of the other Turtles. Overall, I loved these guys, and it was great to have so much attention paid to their brotherly interactions. That was always the best part of TMNT for me. 

APRIL O'NEIL
Megan Fox did a passable job. Not as bad as I expected, but not amazing by any means. I didn’t see April in her. I was happy enough to see that, while she wasn’t taking on Foot Clan members solo or anything, she did a decent job of not being a damsel in distress. There was some added backstory of her knowing the Turtles and Splinter when they were still lab animals and rescuing them from the fire, which added a sweet connection. 

BACKSTORY
Be warned that changes were made, especially concerning Splinter and the Shredder. I found this the most disappointing part and it contributed to the thinness of the plot.

THE SHREDDER
Okay, his armour was pretty reminiscent of Michael Bay’s Transformers design, but it didn’t do anything mechanical beyond the arm-claw extensions. Not crazy about the facial design though. The Shredder’s eyes should be visible, damn it! Also not crazy about his backstory changes. Removing his connection to Splinter and the Turtles just makes him look like a random psychotic Japanese man who is fond of fancy armour for his crime sprees. He was a pretty physically menacing villain, I’ll give him that. 

SPLINTER
Keep an eye out for the sweet flashbacks of Splinter raising his boys. From an action perspective, this is why I love CGI: we get to see how incredibly badass Master Splinter can be. He’s the only one who manages to take on the Shredder in a one-on-one fight.  

ACTION
Oh yeah, katanas and sais go flying and there’s gratuitous martial arts and long scenes of non-stop action, and it is all awesome. I mean, isn’t that kind of the point of a TMNT movie? 

So, should you see it? If you’re not a TMNT fan, I’d say skip it. You probably won’t find anything you like about it. But, if you are a TMNT fan? Worth seeing. It’s got everything a TMNT movie should have—the four Turtles in prime form, Splinter, Shredder, April O’Neil, humour, sarcasm, pizza, callbacks to previous movies/comics/series, and all the martial arts action you could want. Radical. 

Marie Victoria Robertson is a published speculative fiction writer and playwright, as well as the board president of Jer’s Vision: Canada’s Youth Diversity Initiative (www.jersvision.org). When all the other girls wanted to marry Johnny Depp, she wanted to run away with Worf on the Enterprise. She enjoys giant robots, time-travel paradoxes, and forcing her son to watch Futurama.

Guillermo Del Toro's "The Strain"- Geek Girl Review

TV REVIEW: GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S “THE STRAIN”
By Marie Victoria Robertson

We may be starting to break free of the Twilight craze and its sexy, sparkly vampires, but it’s still going to take a lot to give vampires their scary dignity back. Guillermo Del Toro’s “The Strain” might just be what the doctor ordered.

Mía Maestro as Dr. Nora Martinez, and an unfortunate pilot

“The Strain” premiered on FX on July 13^th, 2014. We are two episodes into a slow-paced, but promising new horror series. Of course, I write this review having read the trilogy on which the series is based- “The Strain”, “The Fall”, and “The Night Eternal”, written by Guillermo Del Toro (co-authored by Chuck Hogan)—and knowing that while the story takes its time to unfold, the pace will soon be dizzying, weaving together several storylines against the backdrop of a vampire “plague” invading New York City.
In the first episode, a plane lands in NYC, with all shades but one drawn and no signs of life. 

When the CDC is called in to investigate, they find a plane full of dead passengers, with the exception of four survivors, who are soon released (despite looking pale and sickly as can be.) An elderly pawnshop owner, Abraham Setrakian, takes a keen interest in the plane, and more importantly, a wooden box that was transported on it. On the flip side, we have a rich, ill, elderly follow named Eldritch Palmer who seems on the verge of making a deal with the devil, and his oddly vampiric companion who employs Latino gangbanger Gus Elizalde to do his dirty work. 

Guillermo Del Toro has a keen eye for bizarre body horror, so it stands to reason his take on the vampire mythos comes with gruesome reimagining. His vampires don’t sparkle in the sun and don’t feed with dainty little fangs; the transformation from human to vampire is brutal, as the “vampire infection” is spread through creepy little worms, causing the host to slowly die and to grow an extending stinger from their throats (the better to drink your blood with, my dear!) 

The horror is nice, but it’s really the characters that sold me on the book trilogy, and the reason I’m excited to follow the series. Corey Stoll as Dr. Ephraim Goodweather, the CDC epidemiologist who is tasked with investigating the mysterious outbreak that killed the plane passengers, is pretty bland (of course he’s a recovering alcoholic and of course he’s in the middle of a divorce) and Mía Maestro is given very little to do as Dr. Nora Martinez, though she is very promising as our female lead. Sean Astin is already starting to shine as CDC administrator Jim Kent, a sweet guy who’s clearly got some interesting secrets. 

Miguel Gomez as Gus is your pretty stereotypical thug, but watching him get caught up in a vampire horror is fun to watch, and Gomez does a pretty good job with the character. Russian exterminator Vasiliy Fet (Kevin Durand) has only gotten one scene so far, but it’s a terrific scene, and 100% on track with how I pictured the big, sweet, unflappable character from the books. I’m hoping the series will go on for a few seasons just because I really want to see his storyline develop on-screen.  

David Bradley as Abraham Setrakian

The series’ standout character, to me, is Abraham Setrakian. Fans of Harry Potter and Game of Thrones will recognize David Bradley in the role of the vampire-hunting Holocaust survivor who has unfinished business with the Master of this whole vampire plague. To say that Setrakian is a badass grandpa is an understatement.  

As an adaptation, “The Strain” is pretty faithful so far. As a horror series, it’s pretty darn entertaining. For anyone looking to put a bit of horror back in their vampires, this is a series you’ll want to follow.  

Marie Victoria Robertson is a published speculative fiction writer and playwright, as well as the board president of Jer’s Vision: Canada’s Youth Diversity Initiative (www.jersvision.org). When all the other girls wanted to marry Johnny Depp, she wanted to run away with Worf on the Enterprise. She enjoys giant robots, time-travel paradoxes, and forcing her son to watch Futurama.

Guardians of the Galaxy: Geek Girl Review

GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY: CRITICAL MISS VIDEO REVIEW

Critical Miss Thea Nikolic was one of the people who elevated Guardians of the Galaxy to a 94 million dollar opening weekend.  If you've already seen the movie, check out her video review and in-depth analysis. 

SPOILERS AHEAD- DO NOT WATCH IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE MOVIE

Thea Nikolic aka Critical Miss has been cosplaying for several years and has just recently started hosting panels at various conventions about cosplay. She is also an actor, so she loves to play and act like her various characters that she loves. You can follow her cosplay shenanigans with her costuming husband at their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/criticalmissandretrojoad. You can also follow her on Twitter @HarleyQuinnBabe as well as on Instagram harleyquinnbabe. 

Ottawa Geek Hangouts: The Loft Lounge Promises Big Fun

by Jordan Danger

OTTAWA GEEK HANGOUTS: THE LOFT LOUNGE

Last week I had the sincere pleasure of meeting Mike Hopkins, co-owner of the new gaming lounge, The Loft. When I walked into the Loft (nestled on the top floor of an old stone house on Waller, just behind that blue-and-white, lighthouse-looking youth centre on the corner), I was really impressed by what I saw. Growing up geek, I’m used to the usual dungeon-like game rooms provided by some comic book and geek shops, and I expected the same; but this beautiful space is nothing like the dark smelly basements I was used to.

THE LOOK AND FEEL

The space is warm and inviting, with the natural beauty of the old building shining through. Along one long wall runs a huge length of bookshelves, housing the 784+ boardgames available for you to play while you chat, drink, and eat. It’s a cozy space while still being plenty large, and it struck me that this place doesn’t feel like your typical ‘geeky’ space—I could see bringing a ‘virgin geek’ here for an evening and being confident they’d feel just as welcome as any of us hardcore people.

HOW IT WORKS

The Loft charges a flat $5.00 fee for all guests, which provides you access to the boardgames for as long as you like. Guests are dissuaded from bringing their own games; why bring in your own and risk getting ketchup on them? Their website has an extensive library of all the games, so feel free to check in advance that they have the one you’re looking for. I’ll tell you right now, it’s pretty impressive: I even found Hungry Hungry Hippos on there. Clique-y games like Magic: the Gathering aren’t found here; there are lots of places around town, says Mike, for these types of games. The Loft is meant as a more social space, with games that anyone can quickly pick up and learn.

GEEK GIRL FRIENDLY? YES.

Owner Mike Hopkins is a really interesting fellow, and a natural supporter of the geek girl movement. He began collecting boardgames about three years ago after a life-altering surgery made it painful to sit and play computer-based games, which was his original pastime. Mike decided to make his new hobby into a full-time enterprise and credits the Toronto-based Snakes & Lattes for the inspiration. Mike and his partner knew they wanted a fair representation of women on their staff team, and actually ended up with 80% of their staff being female. You can read their bios on the Loft’s blog to learn more.

I was also really impressed to hear that all staff sign off on a non-discrimination agreement: while other staffing issues may be dealt with using the typical ‘three strikes’ approach, staff agree that any act of discrimination by a staff member against someone else based on their colour, creed, or orientation will be cause for immediate dismissal. Recognizing that Mike and Alessandro are both male, they also opted to provide all staff with the phone numbers for workplace harassment support—just in case any of their staff ever felt harassed but didn’t feel comfortable approaching their male bosses.

OVERALL: FOOD, GAMES, AND VIBE

Ambiance, games, staff, and food combined, the Loft is a definite feather in Ottawa’s geek cap. With their specialty personal pizzas and bite-size grilled cheese (so you don’t have to worry about greasy fingers while you play), this promises to be a great place to relax and enjoy the evening. They even have some vegan and gluten-free offerings, for those of us with food sensitivities.

Head on down to the loft and enjoy the ambiance, the games, and the time spent with friends. And hey, if you don’t have anyone to bring, visit the Loft on a Wednesday evening for Open Gaming night. Whether you’re a novice Scrabble kid or a hardcore settler of Katan, the Loft is your new home away from home. 

The Loft Lounge

14 Waller Street, Ottawa

theloftlounge.ca

Jordan Danger is a veteran blogger, writer, and marketing consultant based in Ottawa, Ontario. She is also President and Editor in Chief of CapitalGeekGirls.com. Jordan blogs at GirlCrafted.com, a lifestyle blog about crafting life both literally and figuratively. She loves DIY projects, her dog, and Oxford commas.

Geek Girl Review: Harley Quinn Invades Comic-Con

HARLEY QUINN INVADES COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL SAN DIEGO #1 BY AMANDA CONNER AND JIMMY PALMIOTTI, AMANDA CONNER AND PAUL MOUNTS- COVER ART, VARIOUS ARTISTS THROUGHOUT THE COMIC

 By Thea Nikolic

So it's that time of year again. The one and only San Diego Comic-Con and Harley Quinn decides that she will attend this year's convention. First off, the creators treated this comic like the #0 one in the fact that there were multiple writers and artists creating the whole story. And it works as it matches Harley's crazy personality. Also, it was an extremely fun and entertaining read. She gets into all sorts of trouble, including getting kicked out a couple of times and finding herself in a room full of Joker cosplayers, which she proceeds to test to see if her 'real' puddin' in amongst them. And on top of everything, Harley is looking to show her art to top comic artists to see if she could make it in the comic art world, and there are some big names in DC that are drawn and talked with some nice surprises.

Definitely worth picking up even if you don't collect the regular series as it is a complete story without talking about the rest of her continuity. So if you weren't able to make it SDCC this year, you can still live it through Harley's eyes.

Thea Nikolic aka Critical Miss has been cosplaying for several years and has just recently started hosting panels at various conventions about cosplay. She is also an actor, so she loves to play and act like her various characters that she loves. You can follow her cosplay shenanigans with her costuming husband at their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/criticalmissandretrojoad. You can also follow her on Twitter @HarleyQuinnBabe as well as on Instagram harleyquinnbabe.