Montreal Comiccon Highlights: 2014

by Jordan Danger

Photos by Chris Patten

MONTREAL COMICCON 2014: HIGHLIGHTS

A stunning Bishop cosplay, and moi.

This year I attended the Montreal ComicCon once again. It’s my third time at this con, and it shows no sign of slowing down. With record-setting crowds this year, the con was packed—almost overwhelmingly so—and the entire building was a-buzz with con goers. The Palais de Congres is such a great venue because it offers extensive room to chill out, so the con floor itself isn’t packed with people dragging their feet; indeed, the main mezzanine is a great place to grab some amazing cosplay shots.

COSPLAY FUN

And the cosplay was really the star of the show this con. I estimate that 1 in 4 people seem to be dressed up in some fashion; certainly I could turn in any direction at any point, and find somebody in a glorious costume. I myself attended as Jet Girl (my cosplay that debuted at Ottawa ComicCon this year) and enjoyed the thumbs-up and photo op requests from attendees.

Click Here to see our full album of Montreal Comic Con Photos. 

Cosplay really is becoming a major part of conventions, and I think this is wonderful. One can only attend so many cons before you’ve bought all the merch you really need, attended all the panels you wanted to hear, and gotten all the celebrity photos you can afford. After that, the cons can get a little stale—take it from me, who has attended every con in the area for a year straight. What doesn’t get old is the fans and the cosplay.

HIDDEN GEMS IN ARTIST’S ALLEY

Also infinitely enjoyable is Artist’s Alley. This often-overlooked part of a con’s offerings was a busy place at MTL this year. Many of the artists are repeats; for instance, I see Ron + Indy regularly, and Dr Kyla’s Emporium who makes the most wonderful crocheted characters, like my Gorn who I glued to my hula girl legs on my dash and is now the famous HulaGorn.

What’s great about Artist’s Alley is that, even when you chat with an artist you’ve already met, you get an update on their world and their work. Of course, it’s also great fun to see people having custom sketches done by industry giants like Geof Isherwood and Nick Bradshaw, two highly approachable and awesome comic book artist greats. Over the course of many cons, Nick and I have become well acquainted (and I have a sketch of Rogue on roller skates to prove it), and it can be a real treat to chat with some of the men and women who bring our favourite characters to life.

me with Nick Bradshaw, Marvel's go-to guy

It’s also great fun to discover younger talent and support them with the purchase of a print or postcard. This year, Amy Spaulding and Deena Pagliarello get my vote for ‘best in show’ with their very clever takes on iconic super women.

A GOOD GEEKY TIME

We departed the con after a giant feast of sushi from the Palais’ sushi place, then headed out, full of that bright happy geek energy you can only find at a con. It’s such a joy to live in the ‘golden triangle’ and have such easy access to everything Ottawa, Montreal, and Toronto; if you haven’t made the short trip down to Montreal for the con before, I heartily recommend you hit it up next year!

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 comma

Bikinis and Balancing Acts

BIKINIS AND BALANCING ACTS
By Jordan Danger

When I was a kid, I loved Hallowe’en. I grew up in a super geeky household, and costumes were a big deal. Mom made most of our costumes from scratch; later, when my brother and I got into specific genres, this task became a family effort. My brother was Mr Fantastic one year, complete with elongated arms that required an assistant for candy-carrying; I was Rogue one year, and hand-painted my own white streak into my wig; my favourite was probably the year I went as a Bjorn priestess, when my mom sewed my robes and Dad carefully constructed my nose ridges from theatre putty. 

What I’m saying is, back in my day, cosplay was about accuracy. It was about painstaking work. It was about authenticity. It wasn’t about skin and sucking on my fingers for the camera.

WHERE DO BIKINIS COME IN?

So when I look at a lineup of special guests for a comic convention, I feel really frustrated when I see some of the female cosplay guests of honour. I keep wondering how it is that a bikini with an Ark Reactor in the cleavage can be considered a cosplay—nay, a cosplay worthy of being featured as a guest speaker. 

I have friends who slave over their costumes. They spend hours and big money building a costume that is screen- or book-accurate. Yet somehow, these aren’t the girls featured as guests of honour at the cons. 

There’s been a lot of talk in recent months about ‘booth babes’ at cons, and the general exploitation of women’s bodies as marketing tools for conventions. How can we be mad at con vendors for bringing hot ladies to their booths if we encourage and condone the organizers bringing in bikini-versions of Wolverine or Harley Quinn?

HYPOCRISY AND DOUBLE STANDARDS?

So one side of the equation is this: a lot of people have been up in arms about the way women are portrayed in comic books. The recent debacle with the Spiderwoman alternate cover is a great example. Not only were people furious that this heroine was posed in a way that was perceived to be sexual, they also freaked out about anatomical impossibilities in the pose. If we hold a drawing to these incredibly high standards—“Don’t show me women being overly sexualized and be accurate with your proportions, too!”—then why do we not speak up more about the bikini cosplayers that convention organizers spotlight? Bikinis aside, even the posing that female cosplayers often do reflect the comic book drawings that are most offensive: arched backs, winking eyes, and very little fist-punching. It’s like the real-life ‘opposite day’ of the Hawkeye Initiative

A FINE LINE: THE OTHER SIDE OF THE EQUATION

After San Diego Comiccon, a post by the Associated Press really got my goat. The article ranted about women walking around in belly shirts, and demanded that some modicum of modesty be expected at cons. The thing about this article that really peeved me off was that it seemed to imply that the only place you’d see scantily-clad women was at a comiccon…as if the con culture itself promoted attendees wearing belly shirts. As a woman who has attended many cons, I can tell you that I personally have never ever felt like I was being pressured to dress ‘sexy’ for a day of lineups and impulse purchases. 

But aside from this, there’s another issue here: a woman’s right to wear whatever the Hell she wants. Big or small, black or white, human or cylon, I have always supported a woman’s right to wear whatever insanely revealing clothing she desires—provided of course that she has made this choice consciously, for her own reasons, and with an awareness of the cultural context in which she lives. So I do support a girl’s right to wear a belly shirt, or an Iron Man bikini, or sweat pants and a Pokemon hoodie. 

BRINGING THESE TWO SIDES TOGETHER?

Is there any way to find a balance here? Can I love supporting a woman’s right to wear something skimpy, while also refusing to support the VIP’ing of female ‘cosplayers’ who just wear a colourful bikini? I don’t know. We want to hear your thoughts, though, in the comments below. Do you think there’s something intrinsically hypocritical about demanding less sexualized comic books while prioritizing skimpy versions of cosplay as con guests of honor? Where is the line between a woman’s right to wear what she likes, and a woman’s responsibility to stop feeding into the hyper-sexualization of the geek girl world?

I’ve got no answers for you here. Maybe you’ve got some for me.

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 comma

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.

CGG Reviews: LUCY--More Than An Action Movie

by Jordan Danger and MJ Baker

LUCY: SO MUCH MORE THAN AN ACTION MOVIE

I opted to review Lucy because I enjoy movies with theoretical science as a catalyst for the plot line. I expected something akin to Elysium or Limitless, but what I got was so much more.

The premise of Lucy is simple: a young American woman, living in Taipei, is accidentally dosed with a large quantity of a drug that opens up her brain’s full potential, revealing a myriad of skills like telekinesis and telepathy. I had assumed the rest of the movie would be Lucy, played by Scarlett Johansson, wreaking vengeance on the drug cartel that had dosed her. Boy, was I wrong.

The movie was a cleverly cloaked commentary on the human condition and humanity’s eventual evolution. In the words of my co-reviewer, MJ Baker, “It was like a new age science class wrapped in an action movie”. Director Luc Besson, also famous for his film The Fifth Element, takes us on a journey from the beginning of homo sapiens all the way to modern day life, somehow intertwining this story with a hell of a lot of theoretical neurophysics and sugar coating it in a thrilling Bourne Identity-like storyline.

Johannson is not an actress that has, honestly caught my attention much in the past; however, her performance in this role was exceptionally well done. She spends a good deal of the film in an emotionless state, but unlike Keanu Reeve’s portrayal of the famous Neo, it didn’t come off wooden or flat. We found ourselves swept up in feeling what Lucy must be feeling, thinking what she must be thinking, and yet wondering what would happen next.

The film presented some intriguing theories that have been explored by scientists in real life, in way that was accessible and exciting. “Let’s face it,” says MJ, “Morgan Freeman can explain anything to you and it sounds completely reasonable.” Besson’s intermingling of documentary footage, a monologue in a lecture hall by Freeman, and scenes of the actual plot line were seamless. What was cool about this film was the number of ways the director conveyed a message or emotion without any words at all. Indeed, some of the most poignant parts of this film were completely without dialogue.

Do not go into Lucy expecting another action film; you won’t get it. However, if you are looking for something that combines all the energy of a thriller with the art house quality of a foreign film (and a heavy dose of an episode of Carl Sagan’s ‘The Cosmos’), you’re in for a treat. The teenagers behind us were entirely displeased with the film, and loudly proclaimed this at the end; however, my science geek comrade was rendered mute by the climax and I personally found myself wanting to stay for a second screening so I could soak up all the philosophical dilemmas presented.

In short, this movie was so much more than we expected. It’s a shame that it is likely to be overlooked as so many films are that successfully marry the genres of science and fiction.

MJ Baker is a baker (no lie); she owns Bake It So! Bakery, a custom-order bakeshop in Ottawa. She is also a lifelong geek, first and foremost a fanatical Star Wars fan. Her head holds more geek and science trivia than Wikipedia. MJ is the co-star of Capital Geek Girls' YouTube show, 'Two Girls Talking'. She loves fireflies, coffee, and books of all sorts.

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: Rifftrax Live!

SHE SAID, SHE SAID REVIEWS: RIFFTRAX LIVE! SHARKNADO

By Jordan Danger and Courtney Lockhart

JORDAN: 

Seeing Sharknado was my first experience was RiffTrax. I was already very familiar with Mystery Science Theatre 3000, of course, but I hadn’t watched anything from these guys in many years. What I enjoyed about the theatre experience was that the RiffTrax crew was broadcasting and commentating live. What a neat concept for a theatre experience! It felt like we were really there in the room with them, and I think experiences like this are how movie houses will stay in business even when it’s so much cheaper to stream a movie onto a massive TV in your living room.

Their commentary throughout the movie was funny as always, but what made it even better was the crowd. Laughter is contagious, so witty quips that might have only garnered a chuckle from me often had me in giggling because my seatmates were roaring with delight. 

If you’re familiar with Sharknado, I can tell you that any addition to the movie could only be an improvement; but having seasoned Stadtler & Waldorf-esque commentators sarcastically dissing the movie for the entire time was truly delicious. 

RiffTrax is doing more of these theatre experiences in the coming months, so I encourage you to get out and give it a try. We often joke about what movie theatres will do next to make us feel like we’re a part of the film—will there be smell-o-vision? Water misting? Wind machines?—but I think this is a much more elegant answer. 

 Cast of Rifftrax: Bill Corbett, Kevin Murphy, Michael J Nelson

COURTNEY: 

I’ve been a fan of Mystery Science Theatre 3000 since I was barely in double digit ages. Half of the hidden language of my teen years is quotes from the show. So when I first discovered Rifftrax Live! last summer  I was incredibly excited that this cornerstone of my twisted sense of humour lived on. The problem with trying to convince people to watch a show like Rifftraxlies not in getting them to leave the house, but more explaining what exactly they are leaving the house for.

“They’re three comedians and they make jokes about the movie while it’s playing.” 

“ No, they don’t pause the movie- they talk over it. It’s like a commentary track but funny.” 

“ Well  you don’t have to worry about missing the plot because the movies are generally really bad.” 

It can be a bit of a hard sell, until you get there.  From the minute you set foot in the theatre you know you’re in for a different kind of night. The usual carbonated beverage shilling and three month old trivia of the movie theatre pre-show is replaced with songs by Jonathan Coulton, The Doubleclicks and Weird Al.  Fake producer quotes and 'coming soon' notices pepper the screen.

The show itself usually consists of an old PSA short and a feature length film.  At the showing we attended the short warned of the importance of springs  and why you don't piss off magical talking objects by wishing they never existed.  We were then treated to a plethora of fish puns before heading into the feature presentation Sharknado. 

I would not have made it through the movie without Rifftrax.  I'm all for a cheesy movie  but there is  a limit to the continuity errors and blatant disregard of logic that I can take- and don't forget, I'm a fan of The Vampire Diaries.  The  humour dulled my cringing and the repeated refrain of " Um... science? No? Ok then."  still makes me smile and giggle when I think about it. 

Rifftrax Live! will be back at Cineplex theatres  August 14th as they take on the infamous 1998 version of Godzilla. 

Jordan Danger is a veteran blogger, writer, and marketing consultant based in Ottawa, Ontario. She is also President and Editor 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.

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.

The Rebirth of a Female Gamer

by Jordan Danger

THE REBIRTH OF A FEMALE GAMER

GROWING UP WITH, AND OUT OF, VIDEOGAMES

When I was seven years old or so, I bought a Nintendo. My brother and I saved up our allowances and before we knew it, we had Super Mario (the first one) and Duck Hunt (fun purely because of its ridiculousness). We played those two games for hours and hours; later, we got a Sega Genesis and I played my favourite game, VectorMan, until I knew every secret on every level. I could beat any boy on Mortal Kombat with my eyes closed. I mean, literally.

Then my brother got RPG’s, and I didn’t understand them. Before I knew it, I was pretty much banned from touching the game systems in the house. My brother and his friends would play, and on the odd occasion that my demands actually got me control of a controller, I had no idea what to do. The boys’ frustrations with my repeated deaths made me quietly hand the whole thing over and never look back.

Until now.

GETTING MY FEET WET

I started to try out a bit of Xbox back around New Years. Injustice reminded me of Mortal Kombat, so I had no problem playing that one. Eventually I tried Halo and found it way too scary, but I liked the shooting aspect. Someone handed me Call of Duty: World at War, and I never ever looked back.

The Xbox has since left my house with my former housemate, but last month I treated myself and got a PlayStation 3. I like the controller much better, and my bestie, MJ Baker (contributor to this site) has one, so we could play against each other. Of course, I bought a copy of World at War immediately. And if you ever want a good laugh, come sit on the couch while I play a game: the creative mishmashed curse words I invent would make a nun faint.

WHAT I’VE LEARNED

I’ve learned, so far, that I am not a natural at shooting games; I’m probably not a natural at any of them. But I was spurred on to give it a good try when Capital Geek Girls had our blogazine launch party in January: we had a dozen game systems set up around the party but so many women seemed to hesitate, hanging about ten feet back from the actual reach of the game consoles. When did playing videogames scare girls in the same way I remember being afraid of math class? This shouldn’t be so frightening. It’s not for grades nor praise, it’s purely for fun, right?

Yet I’ve learned that there are boys on the games who, when they discover that you’re a woman, will pick on you or swear at you or tell you to go away. I’ve learned that it’s hard to get advice from gamers—I suspect because of my gender, and I suspect because there seems to be this cultural expectation that you should have to meddle through without guidance. I’ve also learned that there are jerkface hackers who will do things like put bugs in games that screw with your rank, and sometimes these things cannot be undone. (Thus, if you see me on World at War, you’ll notice I’m at level 65. I assure you, I was not at level 65 before, and because it’s a bug, I only have the rank but none of the accompanying weapons. Be gentle when you see me.)

VIDEOGAMES: AS MASCULINE AS UNDERPANTS?

I’ll admit that for me, videogames had become a ‘boy thing’ since about the time I hit puberty. And I admit, I was pretty intimidated by the idea of buying my own system. I remember one time in my teens, I bought a pair of men’s boxers just to see if I found them less annoying than girl underwear, and I remember how red-faced I was at the cash, convinced the clerk would know that I was buying them for myself. I remember feeling like I was doing something very unacceptable. That same feeling came over me when I went to buy my PS3. How messed up is that?!

SUPPORT FOR MY NEW HABIT

Me with my PS3!

Luckily, I’ve got the most awesome geeks around me. My roommate Bruce is an uber geek, and he helped me understand what I needed to buy. My bestie MJ came with me to make sure I didn’t feel overwhelmed by all the options. My other awesome geek friend Bradley tagged along, kept me excited, and even bought me a Batman game to add to my collection. I love it almost as much as Call of Duty—of which I now own two: World at War and Black Ops II.

It’s funny to think, after founding the Capital Geek Girls and fighting for gender equality in geekdom, that I still had something I considered ‘taboo’. I’m so glad we had that videogame launch party at Futureshop, so I could realize my own internalized sexism. Because if I hadn’t realized what was keeping me away from videogames, I would never have discovered my deep and heartfelt love of shooting things and tossing batarangs.

Join me in the world of gaming, girls. It’s fun. And you can find me on PS3’s network as Kitsune_Coyote !

Jordan Danger is a veteran blogger, writer, and marketing consultant based in Ottawa, Ontario. She is also President and Editor 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.

Confessions of a Comic Book Destroyer: why my comics are destroyed

by Jordan Danger

CONFESSIONS OF A COMIC BOOK DESTROYER: WHY THE SORRY STATE OF MY COMICS IS A REFLECTION OF MY GENUINE GEEKHOOD

My poor comic books.

Let me talk to you about my comic book collection.

It started when I was about ten years old. Dad began bringing them home one by one, starting with X-Men, meandering into Batman and Spiderman, and then at my request, back to X-Men. Any title under the X-Men banner was welcome. Later when my brother and I became more possessive of the comics, he brought home Wolverines for me, and something else for Mike. I had the Rogue miniseries. I had every book from the Age of Apocalypse storyline. I loved them.

You wouldn’t know it from looking at them now, stashed haphazardly in an old tomato box, covers torn and pages water damaged. You’d think they were something that was never taken seriously, never truly appreciated.

I tell you, that isn’t so.

COMICS WEREN'T A COLLECTION

Why are my comic books in terrible shape? Because I never thought of them as collector’s items. When I say I read those comics, I mean I read them through and through.

I examined every detail of every drawing, noting the difference between each artist. I studied the poses, the costumes, the backgrounds, the artistic renderings of what super powers like telekinesis look like. I read each line in my head like it was actually being said. If I had trouble following the order of the panels on a particular page, I would reread it, again and again, until I got it perfectly right…down to the pauses, the tone, the inflections.

I dragged my comics to the cottage and back more times than I can possibly recount. I read them in the musty damp bunk beds in our trailer, and I stuffed them into backpacks for sleepovers. My comic books were loved to death the way our first teddy bears meet the same fate: dragged through the mud, our constant companion, we are never without them.

COMICS BECAME AN ACTIVITY

Not long after we started collecting, there was a power outage at my grandparents’ house in the woods and we were stuck there, in the dark—something I didn’t do well with as a child. Desperate for a distraction, I grabbed a candle and some paper, and began drawing. What did I draw? Super heroes, of course.

So naturally, then comic books became something to study and trace over, as well. I knew which artists I liked and which ones I hated. I designed my own characters based off all my favourite attributes and personality quirks of the pre-existing characters. I created new super powers. I stuffed those comics into the pages of my sketchbooks, and I dragged those around with me to every family outing, every trip, and every place with a corner where I could curl up and draw.

I cried when Wolverine lost his Adamantium. I cheered when Sabretooth turned out not to be lobotomized by Logan’s claw, and I gasped when he eviscerated Psylocke. I read with fearful eyes when the Phalanx began assimilating the young mutants, and I then added Generation X to my reading roster.

Always, there were comic books in my bag, in my locker, under my pillow, by the bathtub.

MY COMICS BECAME ME

So when I hear the occasional geek gasp in dismay when they see my tomato box of the favourites that have stayed with me for over twenty years, I just smile. They think that the state of my comics suggests a lack of love for these volumes. I know that in reality, I loved these comic books to their very deaths. Yes, some of them could have been worth some money; but they were worth far more to me, read by candlelight in the middle of the woods in a rain-soaked sleeping bag with my pencil and sketchbook by my side. I savaged these books, devoured them whole, and left behind nothing but staples and spines. They are a part of me in a way that few other things ever have been.

My comic books are in terrible shape because they helped shape me.

Jordan Danger is a veteran blogger, writer, and marketing consultant based in Ottawa, Ontario. She is also President and Editor 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.

Letter from the Editors: Our Perspective on Our Ottawa Comiccon Panel

Credit- Morris Rothman

This past weekend, Courtney Lockhart, MJ Baker, and I presented a panel at the Ottawa Comiccon called “The Girl’s Guide to Being Geeky”. When we started gathering notes for this (asking all our CGG writers to contribute their two cents) we really didn’t know what would come out of it. As I was working on the notes, I kept thinking, “Is any of this really all that novel? Don’t we all already know this stuff?"

What I think I forgot is that, working here in our ‘Ivory Tower’ of geekdom, the CGG writers have managed to incubate a sense of happy geek safety and support where we always have people with whom we can ask questions, share ideas, rant, and generally feel connected. When you’re building a lighthouse in the dark night by which other ships may steer, the light is obviously most radiant right where you’re working because you have to foster such a profound brightness to have it shine beyond the waves. This, I think, blinded me to the fact that for many geek girls out there, the waters are still dark and murky indeed.

I can’t say enough thank you’s to the full house we had—both men and women. It was an absolute honor to chat with you all, and those that stood up and gave their thanks for the work of CGG, you moved me more than I can tell you. To the Princess Leia who made me tear up, and to every other woman out there who’s ever felt alone in the geek world, let me quote Valerie’s letter from V for Vendetta: 

“…what I hope most of all is that you understand what I mean when I tell you that even though I do not know you, and even though I may not meet you, laugh with you, cry with you, or kiss you: I love you.”

Hearing people stand up, support other question-askers, share ideas, pose queries, and smile at us from their seats…this was a humbling and epic moment in my geek life. Thank you for letting us share some of the knowledge, ideas, and reassurances we’ve gathered for you. I look forward to geeking out with you all in the future.

-Jordan Danger

Editor/Founder, Capital Geek Girls

I’ve sat down to write this about three times. It’s been really hard because I’ve found myself just wanting to say two words to everyone who attended the panel, shared the event information, or just wished us well: Thank You

Thank you to Jordan for coming up with the idea for the panel and including MJ and I in her cunning plan.

Thank you to Ottawa Comiccon for putting on a great weekend and letting us be a part of it.

Thank you to our tech ninja Morris for keeping everything running smoothly and playing The Safety Dance to pump us up. 

Thank you to our families, friends and pets for putting up with pre-con crazy.

And most importantly, thank YOU. The Capital Geek Girl Community is full of such lovely people. We had hoped to have a simple discussion in a safe space and you blew us out of the water. Everyone laughed at the silliness, supported the people with more serious concerns  and made sure that little alpaca had the opportunity to get his earmuffs sewn back on!  I spoke more candidly on what exactly constitutes my nerdiness than I ever had before. That wasn’t a room of 60 strangers, it was 60 friends.

So until next time, Don’t forget to be awesome, and thank you. 


-Courtney Lockhart
Assistant Editor, Capital Geek Girls 


P.S : Slides from the Presentation will be uploaded soon! We Promise!

Cosplay Double Trouble: Tank Girl and Jet Girl at Ottawa Comiccon '14

by Jordan Danger
COSPLAY DOUBLE TROUBLE: JORDAN AND MJ DO TANK GIRL AND JET GIRL

For Ottawa Comiccon 2014, CGG contributor MJ Baker and I did a very special cosplay. Special, because in all our years as besties, and all our years as Tank Girl fans, we have never done a Tank Girl duo cosplay. So, after a lot of planning and hard work, we did the con this year as Tank (MJ) and Jet (me)...and it rocked. Oh yes, it rocked.

MJ spent hours on her helmet, and for a point of reference for other DIY cosplayers, about $60 in materials. It was a huge undertaking and it was worth every penny and every minute.

We both agreed, it was a) almost too easy to put together our outfits from existing clothing we owned, and b) we felt way more ass-kicky dressed up this way than on a regular day. I proposed we just dress like this all the time. It could be our new signature looks in our day jobs. No? Yes, I say.

Anyway, it was a ton of fun and a great bonding experience. It gave a special pageantry to the entire weekend, and it was a wonderful conversation starter. If you haven't cosplayed, girls, I suggest you get out there and try it. Every time I do, I find more things to love about it.

The "I Hate Fangirls" Shirt Debate: why are YOU mad?

by Jordan Danger

THE 'I HATE FANGIRLS' SHIRT AT WONDERCON: WHAT'S THE REAL ISSUE?

So this past weekend at WonderCon, a shortsighted (and in my opinion, PR nightmare of a) company called Tankhead Custom Tees was selling this shirt:

It’s offensive, right? Well, a lot of people thought so. Whenever something like that happens though, where people are getting riled up, I like to ask, what is the core issue here?

Is it that the shirt denigrates fangirls? The tee producer says that a ‘fangirl’ is a specific type of geek, loathed by all. Here’s their official explanation, actually, after the fallout that happened after WonderCon:

So I thought to myself, why IS this shirt so offensive, if there's a boy version, too? 

Can't we all just agree that we all seem to dislike each other, and move on? But somewhere in this shirt was definitely something offensive. What exactly was the problem?

So I thought about the shirt (which, taking the 'fangirls' word out of it, is kind of clever), and made some substitutions to see if it would still be something that causes torches to be lit and fists to be waved:

How often do we see the redneck community denigrated in our humour? Pretty darn often. My guess is, though, that no viral internet outrage would have ensued over this shirt. (Comment on this post and share your opinion, though. Seriously.)

I really despise poodles, so this was an easy one to think up. Because dog breed fanatics are just as fanatical as the most stalwart comic book fan. (Trust me, I'm a pug fangirl of the highest order.) As a pug fan, I obviously think all other dog breeds and their fans are out to lunch. However, aside from being only funny to people who PVR the Westminster Dog Show, this shirt is also unlikely to incite rage across the Web.

Oh MAN, who doesn't hate tailgaters, right? I suppose someone who tailgates because they have poor depth perception could be offended. Or someone who was rushing to the hospital with their pregnant wife in labour and had to tailgate that one time...still, unlikely to get me punched in the face.

So then I thought about more words, like:

'black people'

'autistic people'

'poor people'

'Italians'

...and the reality is, I couldn't make mock-ups of these words on the tee because I couldn't handle the thought that someone might copy the images and spread them across the internet and actually mean what the shirts would say.

So the line on the 'piss people off and sound like an asshole' meter seems to be when the shirt attacks a human group based on their attributes, culture, ability, etc. Basically, anything that someone would be bullied for in grade six.

Okay, but then how come I can totally see THIS shirt being sold at many of the queer women's festivals I've been to, and no one would freak out....

My point right here is that there's a weird 'offensiveness blindness' that happens when men are the brunt of the exact same joke as a woman. Comment below if you've got thoughts on that, but please for the love of Stan Lee, don't rely on the same tired argument that men have all the privilege. I think it's more complex than that. Give me something new to think about.

ANYWAY, I wondered if the Tankhead Tee people were fully aware of what the problem was here (using the word 'hate' in conjuction with reference to an isolated minority). They didn't seem to understand why this would be hurtful. I wanted a way to illustrate for Tankhead how it feels to be the brunt of people's discriminatory hatred--something they'd understand. So this is what I came up with:

I hope they see that, and I hope they have a little moment where the lightbulb comes on. "Ohhhhh, it DOES suck to have a tee shirt making fun of you." And hey, if they say they're offended, I'll just respond with, "You're being over-sensitive. CLEARLY I was referring only specifically to one kind of Tankhead, and it's not YOU. I swear."

Okay, so assuming I have your attention now, Tankhead, I'd like to propose some uses for your clever catchphrase that are pretty universally agreed upon:

Preach it, sister.

It's like Hunger Games with math.

RIGHT?!

Needs no explanation.

Come on, WE'RE ALL THINKING IT.

I'd really like to hear what people think about this tee shirt mess. Comment below, won't you please? I hope we can hear from supporters AND non-supporters of the shirt. I'd also like to hear which of the above alternate designs you think should be in production.

Jordan Danger is a veteran blogger, writer, and marketing consultant based in Ottawa, Ontario. She is also President and Editor 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.