Remembering Robin Williams

We here at Capital Geek Girls  were greatly saddened to hear of the passing of Robin Williams. A few of the writers were able to put that sadness into words to share.

Credit: Eva Rinaldi 

MARIE VICTORIA ROBERTSON

A good friend of mine posted a very apropos quote when the news broke about Robin Williams’ passing:

“A clown needn’t be the same out of the ring as he has to be when he’s in it. If you look at photographs of clowns when they’re just being ordinary men, they’ve got quite sad faces.” –Enid Blyton, Five Go Off in a Caravan

I think that sums up exactly why this death is such a shock. My favourite Robin Williams movies were always the funny (or at least, light-hearted) ones—Hook, Aladdin, Mrs. Doubtfire, Jumanji, etc. While I was never a huge fan of his stand-up, I know so many people who just loved his manic onstage energy and I can see why. 

He was funny, and he made so, so many people happy. There is something incredibly sad about a comedy icon fighting such severe depression that he felt suicide was his only way to find peace. How could someone who so easily brightened everyone’s lives be feeling so much darkness himself?

We can only hope he finally found his peace. His memory and his movies will always be with us.

LEE A FARRUGA

I had just spent an enjoyable evening with my girls and husband watching mindless television. I decided to check my computer for emails and updates. What I found was the news about Robin Williams – and I cried – a lot.

I grew up with his comedy and his quick wit. He made me laugh so very much. Mork and Mindy was one of my absolute favorite shows growing up. I was 13 years old. It had a huge impact on me. I have always stuck to his comedic roles likes Mrs. Doubtfire and The Birdcage. I have never been able to watch any of his serious work. Why? Because I knew he battled demons that I didn't want to see in his serious face.

Because I see it every time my husband has a dark day due to the same demon or my youngest has a down time because she's inherited her dad's depression. I know the constant fight that's involved. I know Robin Williams fought the good fight for all his 63 years. I cried because he lost the fight. Depression won.

 

I don't generally swear but... Fuck Depression!

COURTNEY LOCKHART

In her official statement, Susan Schneider asked that we not focus on her late husband’s death. Instead, we should focus on “the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions.” 

So here goes: 

When I was a kid, It was Aladdin sing-a-longs in the car, Hook screenings with my cousins, and learning the Batty Rap at recess with my best friend- I still remember most of the words to all of these to this day.

When I was a teenager, It was watching Live on Broadway for the 23rd time in my buddy’s basement. We threatened to hold an intervention to get him to watch something else, but never did.

When I was in school it was watching Awakenings to discuss ethics, What Dreams May Come in philosophy class and Flubber on the field trip coach bus. 

As an adult, it was listening to him discuss his humanity, flaws and struggles on various podcasts and talk shows, then watching my young nieces and nephew discover the magic of his movies for the first time. 

Unlike most artists that I have mourned, Robin Williams didn’t represent a singular phase of my life. His talent and brilliance were a constant. The idea that he is gone is difficult to process and it just doesn’t seem fair. 

EMILY PLUNKETT

This one hurts.

Beyond the fact that it’s Robin Williams that passed – like, THE Robin Williams who has made us piss our pants laughing for the past 40 odd years – I cannot get over the fact that we lost another soul to depression. 

As much as we didn’t know him personally, we knew his work.  For children of the ‘90’s and beyond, he is Mrs. Doubtfire, Alan Parrish, Peter Banning and the Genie. Mork, Adrian Cronauer, Patch, Sean Maguire to fans of his generation and his plethora of critically acclaimed awards.  When an artist encompasses so much of our pop culture spectrum, we feel the loss.  The world is crying right now.  I know this because my social media feeds have exploded with tributes from fans and personal friends of the actor.  

What I noticed immediately is that all the posts I’ve read are filled with reminders that we should never take depression for granted.  And I couldn’t agree more.  I’ve been there.  I know that pain and have come back from the brink; and now the whole world is reminded on such a deeply personal level that the pain of depression is so powerful and encompassing.  Williams probably knew what he had as a husband and a loving father, whose last post to Instagram was a photo of himself and his daughter as a child.  But when you’re in that much pain, it all flies out the window, and internal lies of depression takes over. 

It’s so real for so many of us, and yet it takes the death of an international superstar for us to have this conversation. 

Let us hope that this heartbreak will lead to more who suffer from mental illness and depression to seek help and for the discussion of suicide to break free of its taboo so that we don’t have to lose another beautiful spirit.  After all, the next spirit the world loses won’t be famous, but someone will have loved it as much as the world loved Robin Williams; and the cycle of heartbreak will repeat

THEA NIKOLIC

I am deeply saddened by this loss of a great talent. He was a man a tremendous abilities that the world will sorely miss.

If you, or someone you know, are battling depression or anxiety you can call the Distress Centre of Ottawa and Region at 613-238-3311.

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. 

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. 

Geek Girl Fun: The Vintage Variety Vaudeville Revue

OTTAWA GEEK GIRL FUN: THE VINTAGE VARIETY VAUDEVILLE REVIEW

By Courtney Lockhart

Have you been watching too much Midnight in Paris? Wish you had a TARDIS or Holodeck on hand to travel back in time? This Sunday at Cafe Nostalgica a group of talented performers will return to an era of entertainment class, fancy duds, cocktails and timeless variety.

The evening will include performances by CGG's own Critical Miss and her partner in crime Retro Joad, International Recording and Performing Artist, ÁLI, Local Burlesque Performers Rhapsody Blue, Kamie Lyann and Koston Kreme, Crystal Basement Comedy Crew and More.

Tickets are only 15$ for this one of a kind show, and are available for purchase at the Comic Book Shoppe at 228 Bank Street as well as at the door. 

Cosplay at Anime North 2014

ANIME NORTH 2014By Thea Nikolic

I have been going to Anime North as a vendor for nine years, and it's always a great time. The largest Anime convention this side of the border and one of the largest in North America, AN is a convention ripe with very talented and fabulous cosplayers. So if you want to see some insane creations, this is convention you want to try to attend at least once.

Now being behind the table for the whole weekend usually means I won't see some of the crazy huge costumes that are not able to come into the dealer room but we get our fair share of great costumes. So between selling plushies and pillows and My Little Pony bags, I was able to snap a few pics of some of the costumes I enjoyed this year. 

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. 

Geek Girl Review: Elektra

ELEkTRA #1 BY W. HADEN BLACKMAN, MICHAEL DEL MUNDO - ART & COVER ART, MARCO D'ALFONSO - COLOUR ART
By Thea Nikolic

So here I am again furthering my Marvel education with the new Elektra restarted in June 2014 edition. First of all, Elektra was actually one of the first characters I ever cosplayed at Halloween, not because I knew a lot about her but because she looked awesome and was a ninja assassin. Being a martial artist myself, I was drawn to her (no pun intended) Years later, I find myself wanting to read more about her and her story.

This reboot did not disappoint. The art is stunning and unique, Del Mundo has a water colour style that leaves me wanting to see more and enjoy the next issue. The story starts at a point when Electra has suffered from various traumas, and she is lost and needs something to focus her energy on. She visits the Matchmaker (a character which I loved the moment I saw her for her vintage feel) for a contract. She is on the hunt again for someone equally skilled at killing as her. Meanwhile you find out someone who was previously thought dead is alive and held in secret by S.H.I.E.L.D. (I presume dead, I have to read further to find out). I can't wait to keep going and find out what happens.

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. 

Geek Girl Review: Captain Marvel #1

Captain Marvel #1 by Kelly Sue DeConnick,  David Lopez - Art & Cover Art, Lee Loughridge - Colour Art

By Thea Nikolic

So I have mentioned before that I am definitely a DC girl, cosplaying as many Harley Quinn versions as possible, but lately I have been on a Marvel kick, reading a bunch of different titles. My newest addition is the new Captain Marvel featuring Carol Danvers as Captain Marvel. She has moved up in superhero ranks and so have women in comics. We are seeing more and more writers, artists, editors, you name it. The new Harley Quinn New 52 title, Transformers Wingblade and the new Ms. Marvel to name a few.

This first issue starts off with Carol and her team on an assignment on some other world in the galaxy, and then we get a what my husband and I call a "J.J. Abrams" with a "Six Weeks Ago". At this point, you get a touch of action, Carol's personal life including her relationship with Jim Rhodes aka Iron Patriot and why she might not feel like her life is going the way she wants it to. 

This is definitely a set up book for the series however the art is clean and I am excited to read further. 

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. 

Cosplay Wisdom and Tips For Comic Con Season

by Thea Nikolic aka Critical Miss

COSPLAY CONFIDENTIAL: TIPS FOR COSPLAY

Thea, aka 'Critical Miss', as Rockabilly Harley

So Cosplay season is upon us, and that means getting your costumes ready for the masses. Are you going just to Cosplay or are you entering the Masquerade? Are you going straight from a source or is your costume a concept that you have come up with? Whatever the costume and whatever the reason, there are so many tips and tricks one can give to bring your costume to life, however I am going to concentrate on 5.

1. Drafting and sewing your costume - If you are talented enough to be able to draft your own patterns or adjust already existing patterns, you are well ahead of the game. If you are not one of those people, you need to find a seamstress or a costumer who takes commissions. But before you jump ahead and hire the first person you see who makes beautiful costumes, DO YOUR RESEARCH. Make sure you get recommendations from multiple people you trust. Make sure the person you hire can make the deadlines you set, take correct measurements and give you proper fittings to make sure things are going well with your costume. And please, get a receipt or a contract stating how much money you've given as a deposit, what the deadlines are and when the rest of the money is to be paid out. You will be better off for it.

2. Finding the perfect wig - This step can be time consuming, but a good wig can make all the difference for your costume. Through the multiple sites you can find a wig that is not expensive and still looks good. And the other point that you need to consider is whether you can use this wig for another character, and if that is the case, then your 60$ wig then becomes a 30$. Also if you invest in a heat resistant one, that gives you even more versatility to a wig that might have just served for a single character but because you can curl it or straighten it, the possibilities are endless. Here are a few links, but there are tons of cosplay wig websites out there.

                - http://www.ebay.com/

                - http://arda-wigs.com/

                - http://www.cosplayhouse.com/

                - http://www.epiccosplay.com/

3. The 5 foot Rule - Of course the details are important. Especially the exact replica buttons you ordered from England for your spot on Andromeda uniform. However, sometimes it is just impossible to get the exact item to complete your costume. You also may not have the funds to order a screen replica. So you may want to consider the "5 foot Rule". What this rule means is that when you step away from the costume from 5 feet, and it looks great, then you are good to go. Most of the time, people in conventions see you for a split second, take a picture and they are gone. Most people will not spend half an hour looking at the screen used sword you ordered for a pretty penny. If you can afford it, that is amazing. And if you plan on always entering the Masquerade where they do look at the fine details up close, then go for what you can afford (please don't ever break the bank for a hobby that for but a few exceptions, does not pay you back what you spent), but for the rest, the 5 foot Rule is a good way to judge what your costume looks like.

 

by Dana Harper

4. The Great Fabric Hunt - This can sometimes be the most frustrating part of building a new costume. First off, give yourself enough time to search for the right material. Deciding the weekend before a convention to build a new costume might not be the best way to finding the right fabric. Second, shop the sales. Fabricland is one of our local companies that has sales on a regular basis. Another avenue to think about is that it is only a short drive to the fabric district in Montreal. However, online fabric stores are worth checking out as well. Many of them will send you swatches of the fabric so you know exactly what you are ordering. Or, if you are fortunate to live close to the border, take a drive down to the states and shop around there. You are sure to find some deals.

5. Background Check - Here is a way to make your costume shine without spending a dime. Whatever medium your character is from, you have material to source from. Do some research by watching episodes or movies and read the comics. These will help you immensely by giving you dynamic poses that you can use for photos, catch phrases that will make convention goers love you even more and if you have the ability to do it, impersonating your character will seal the deal.

It is my hope that these 5 tips have given you some guidance in how to start, and upgrade and just have fun with your cosplay. Because that is the most important thing, to have fun. Sure, winning the ribbons can be amazing, to get the recognition for all your hard work, but nothing compares to the young child whose favourite character is you, the fan who flips out because of your cosplay, the mother who asks you to pose with her and her baby. These are the moments that make it worth it.

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.

Photographer: Dana Harper  http://www.geekxgirls.com/showgeek.php?ID=2

COSPLAY AT TORONTO COMIC CON 2014

By Thea Nikolic 

TORONTO COMIC CON 2014 "CONVENTION ATTENTION"

Well, Toronto Comic Con has come and gone, the costumes were worn, make up washed off and fun was had. But that doesn't mean that the convention attention has to stop. I got to see some pretty awesome cosplay while I was there and have compiled them here for all to enjoy.  These are my favourite cosplays of the convention; they are not in any particular order, they are costumes that stood out to me for various reasons, including craftsmanship, overall look and the cosplayers willingness to stay in character the entire time.

Merida from Brave , cosplayed by www.facebook.com/KrisByersPhotography

Photo by Thea Nikolic

I loved the addition of the little stuffed Bear as her brother. Super cute

Hawk Girl from Justice League Animated, cosplayed by www.facebook.com/AlexRoseCosplay

Photo by Thea Nikolic

I was in awe of this girl's head piece. Really amazing work on that, very true to the show

Zam Wesell from Star Wars Attack of the Clones, cosplayed by Leisa Knapp

Photo by Mark Legault, knave79.tumblr.com

Leisa is a member of the 501st Legion, Star Wars charity costuming group and her stuff is always top notch

Elsa from Frozen, cosplayed by Parker

Photo by Mark Legault, knave79.tumblr.com

This little girl was amazing, she looked great in her costume, she had some fabulous poses and rocked it.

Kroenen from Hell Boy, cosplayed by  Nithic Ixtrix

Photo by Mark Legault, knave79.tumblr.com

This costume commanded attention. Mask was great, stance of this German soldier, henchman of Rasputin spot on.

Captain Hook and Rufio from Hook, cosplayed by Andrea Polcz and www.facebook.com/theAngelofSteel

Photo by Thea Nikolic

These two looked amazing together. Great poses and beautiful costumes.

Deadpool from Marvel Comics, cosplayed by Zach

Photo by Thea Nikolic

Another one of the younger generation showing us his mad skills. This kid was all over the Deapool poses and all his accessories were fantastic.

Katniss from Catching Fire and Lady Deadpool from Marvel Comics, cosplayed by www.facebook.com/UniverseofALI and www.facebook.com/BettyNukem

Photo by Mark Legault, knave79.tumblr.com

These gals are always in top form, crafting with precision and portraying their characters with authenticity.

Ghost Rider from Marvel Comics, cosplayed by Bill "Wild Bill" Plewes

Photo by Mark Legault, knave79.tumblr.com

Loved the flames that catch your eye from across the room. Very effective.

Lady Thor and Loki from Marvel Comics, cosplayed by Sarah Jean Maefs and www.facebook.com/LokiGodOfCosplay

Photo by Thea Nikolic

These two ladies looked fierce and had stellar props, and costumes were fantastic. Loki even shared a few tips

Mark 1 Iron Man from Iron Man movie, cosplayed by Owen Day

Photo by Thea Nikolic

Really impressive to see this guy tromping through the convention hall. He looked like he had the weight of the suit as he walked along. Lovely build.

Ranger of Gondor from Lord of the Rings, cosplayed by Joshua Mendoza

Photo by Thea Nikolic

His archery poses were great and there was never not a flock of photo lemmings around him.

Ace Ventura from Ace Ventura, Pet Detective, cosplayed by Simon Fontaine

Photo by Mark Legault, knave79.tumblr.com

This guy had to be my favourite of the whole weekend. not only did he nail the costume, he NEVER dropped character once, from the floor, to posing, to the escalator on his way out. It was hilarious to watch him conversing with Saruman trying to find his pet Warg.

Thea Nikolic is a local girl of geek, writing for CCG, Geek X Girls and cosplays on her own time. You can follow her antics at www.facebook.com/criticalmissandretrojoad to see where she will pop up next. 

Comic Book Review: Ms Marvel #1

By Thea Nikolic

MS. MARVEL #1 by G. Willow Wilson & Adrian Alphona - art, Ian Herring - Colour Art

In November of 2013 it was revealed that the new Ms. Marvel, replacing Carol Danvers who became Captain Marvel, would be Kamala Khan, a young Muslim teenager from Jersey city. I remember seeing articles pop up on my news feed on Facebook and after reading about the upcoming title, I was excited. Her look and costume were also revealed showing a conservative superheroine costume befitting a young girl who also happens to be Muslim.  Who is this Kamala and what will she be like? It was this title that made me seek out a Marvel title as I am normally a DC girl. And I was not disappointed.

I thoroughly enjoyed this first installment. Kamala is a teenager who writes SuperHero fan fic, wants to attend parties with boys and has a HUGE obsession with the Avengers. She has disagreements with her parents (who won't let her go to said parties), she has a super devout brother and she doesn't drink alcohol.  The art is great and tells the story effectively with little jokes inserted into the panels. I am really looking forward to the next issue to see where it goes.

SPOILERS AHEAD************************************************

Kamala sneaks out against her parents' wishes to go to the party at the waterfront. What she finds there are the people that she thought would accept her being there, but instead take her disobeying her parents as a free pass to ridicule her family and faith. Leaving the party a strange fog comes over the city that everyone, including Kamala sees. But Kamala has a different experience. She passes out and when she wakes up, she is convinced that she is drunk as she has Captain America, Iron Man and Captain Marvel (Carol Danvers) floating in front of her stating that they are "Faith". They bestow upon her a gift that may not turn out exactly as she's hoped.  The final panel has her in the traditional Ms. Marvel costume, with blond hair. It feels like she is still in the dream sequence so where it goes from here, is anyone's guess.

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 . You can also follow her on Twitter @HarleyQuinnBabe as well as on Instagram harleyquinnbabe.