Category Archives: Geek Culture

April 1, 2018 · 7:45 pm

Book Review: GEEK INK

“Geek Ink: The World’s Smartest Tattoos for Rebels, Nerds, Scientists, and Intellectuals”

GEEK INK is much more than just a book about tattoos or a collection of way cool tattoos. This is truly exceptional first-rate work from some of the best talent working today around the world. GEEK INK is a book that showcases tattoos artists from Inkstinct, the world’s largest online tattoo studio directory and app. GEEK INK is published by Race Point Publishing, an imprint of The Quarto Group.

New York City tattoo artist Emrah Ozhan

Here you will find exquisite work like that of Emrah Ozhan, an artist from Istanbul, based in New York City. Ozhan is a multidisciplinary artist celebrated for his tattoo work. His portfolio includes tattoo work, graphic and fashion design, music, collaborations, and fine art.

L.A. tattoo artist Lustandconsume aka Phil Tworavens

Way across to the U.S. west coast, you can find L.A. tattoo artist Lustandconsume aka Phil Tworavens. This is very trippy and very impressive work. No wonder he’s a legend of blackwork tattooing.

The book is split into two sections. The first section covers profiles of tattoo master artists while the second provides galleries of work divided into categories. Every artist here is part of Inkstinct. There are twenty-five artists featured in lengthy features which are, I kid you not, like chatting with master tattoo artists and having them share tips and secrets. I have done a lot of research on tattoos. I am a huge fan. I simply adore tattoos and embrace the community. This book will fit right in for those new to tattoos and for longtime connoisseurs.

Examples of Fantasy Tattoo Art

The second half of the book takes just as meticulous care as the previous profiles and presents tattoo artwork in sixteen categories. This includes work in the fantasy category that includes the above example: from clockwise: Maleficent-inspired tattoo by Maria Fernandez; City in The Clouds by Jessica Svartvit; and Unicorn tattoo by Rob Carvalho, inspired by My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic.

For me, tattoos have been on my radar for quite a long time and I’m always on the lookout for resource material. I am gradually getting inked and, who knows, I may need to actually pursue being a tattoo artist myself down the road. There are a ton of books on tattoos but GEEK INK truly stands out for its high quality presentation and genuine insight. You won’t learn how to tattoo from this book. This is the sort of book that people turn to for gems of insight and inspiration. For casual observers too, this will prove a handy all-in-one guidebook on what’s hot today in tattoos.

“Geek Ink: The World’s Smartest Tattoos for Rebels, Nerds, Scientists, and Intellectuals” is a 224-page hardcover in full color and is available now. For more details, visit The Quarto Group.

Review: TETRIS: THE GAMES PEOPLE PLAY by Box Brown

“Tetris: The Games People Play” by Box Brown

Box Brown is a cartoonist that I really admire for being able to take a subject he’s passionate about and distill it to its essentials into a comics format. His previous graphic novel was on the all-time great pro wrestler, Andre the Giant. You can read my review here. Brown’s latest book is all about the all-time classic video game, Tetris. Published by First Second Books, “Tetris: The Games People Play,” is a testimony to Brown’s determination to collect all the pieces to a story and create a greater whole.

Page excerpt from TETRIS: THE GAMES PEOPLE PLAY

You most likely know the game even if you don’t normally keep up with games. It’s right up there with such legends as Pac-Man and Donkey Kong. It’s a game with a simple charm and an uncanny allure with origins dating back to antiquity. You can learn more about it and play it for free at the official Tetris site right here. Essentially, the goal of the game is to arrange little blocks as they fall down your screen in the most efficient way possible. There’s a Zen vibe there in its relative simplicity. Ironically, the innocent little game of Tetris became entangled in a complex legal fight that found the game industry giants, Atari and Nintendo, locking horns.

Tetris was originally created in 1984 by Alexey Pajitnov. Brown faithfully follows the creator’s journey and all related Tetris canon. Now, what you probably do not know is that there is a lot of intrigue behind what happened to this game on its way to becoming a classic. When Pajitnov created the game, it was the result of his passion for games without any other plans beyond that. As a citizen of the Soviet Union, his only plan was simply to be a good computer programmer for the government. Brown runs with the story once a profit motive is triggered.

Tetris creator Alexey Pajitnov

And so our story gains numerous twists and turns as a cat and mouse game is played out. It is at this point that all the machinations can get a bit overwhelming. Brown handles all these moving parts well. He keeps to a basically lean and clean grid of panels that helps to steady the eye. And, at various intervals, he will devote a page to a portrait of the next key player in the drama. It is a modest little portrait set off by a black background. It amounts to a perfect pause, a great way to catch one’s breath.

Brown seems to hold back a bit more with his artwork than he did in his last book. He has a rather pared-down style to begin with. For this book, I think he opted to simplify as much as possible for the sake of clarity given all the details involved. Some work in comics is mostly to digest information. Other work is mostly to admire the artwork. And so on. Brown strikes a nice balance of conveying information with a certain zeal and style all his own. Once you start this book, you’ll want to keep with it and get the whole Tetris story.

“Tetris: The Games People Play” is a 256-page duo-tone paperback, published by First Second Books. For more information and how to purchase, go right here.

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Filed under Box Brown, Comics, First Second, Games, Geek Culture, Geeks, Technology, Video Games

Tagged as Atari, Biography, comics, Entertainment, Games, Geeks, graphic novels, Media, Nintendo, Pop Culture, Publishing, Tech, Technology, Video Games

September 24, 2016 · 10:00 am

Interview: Spencer F. Lee and FROM THE BRIDGE

Spencer F. Lee, Stan Lee, and Kerry O’Quinn

“I started writing when I was eleven. I didn’t start writing at age eleven because I thought I was going to become a movie director. I did it because I enjoyed it. I fed off the movies I was watching and the comic books I was reading.”

–Spencer F. Lee, writer/director of FROM THE BRIDGE

FROM THE BRIDGE is a documentary that looks at the career of Kerry O’Quinn, one of the leading figures in fandom, and explores in depth the rich and exciting world of science fiction, comic books, and horror–and the fans who love it. At this point, those fans include a vast number. But it wasn’t always that evident. With this new documentary, due out in 2017, writer/director Spencer F. Lee shares with you his childhood passion that has blossomed into a deep understanding of some of today’s leading forms of entertainment.

FROM THE BRIDGE, directed and written by Spencer F. Lee, executive producers George Noe and Spencer F. Lee, produced by Philip Nelson, and hosted on-screen by George Takei, is a feature film documentary that tells the story of how fans worldwide have “come out of geekdom’s closet” in the last 40 years, largely nurtured and encouraged by Kerry O’Quinn. Having the opportunity to interview both Spencer F. Lee as well as Kerry O’Quinn, I’ve come away with a great appreciation for what this film will mean to an audience. The film features interviews with Stan Lee, Bryan Singer, Gene Simmons, Joe Dante, Nichelle Nichols, Tom DeSanto, Bryan Fuller, Rod Roddenberry, Howard Roffman and many more.

The full podcast interview with Spencer F. Lee is right below. Just click the link:

Up next is my interview with Kerry O’Quinn, co-founder of such landmark magazines as Starlog and Fangoria.

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Filed under Comics, Documentaries, Fandom, Fangoria, Geek Culture, Geeks, Horror, Kerry O'Quinn, pop culture, Sci-Fi, science fiction, Spencer F. Lee, Star Trek, Star Wars, Starlog

Tagged as Bryan Fuller, comic books, Comic-Con, comics, Documentaries, Entertainment, Fandom, Fangoria, Geeks, H.P. Lovecraft, Hollywood, Horror, Media, Movies, Pop Culture, Sci-Fi, Science Fiction, Star Trek, Star Wars, Starlog, The Twilight Zone, Transformers, X-Men

August 1, 2016 · 1:01 pm

Seattle Focus: Kickstarter campaign for satire, ‘Mack Stuckey’s Guide to the Center of the Universe’

This is NOT “Sleepless in Seattle”

Mack Stuckey’s Guide to the Center of the Universe

A Kickstarter campaign has been launched (ends 8/28) for the illustrated novel, “Mack Stuckey’s Guide to the Center of the Universe,” a dark satire set in Seattle. This isn’t your “Sleepless in Seattle” or “Singles.” Join the campaign right here.

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Filed under Crowdfunding, Games, Geek Culture, Henry Chamberlain, Humor, Jennifer Daydreamer, Kickstarter, Microsoft, pop culture, Satire, Seattle, Sex, Social Commentary

Tagged as Crowdfunding, Entertainment, Games, henry chamberlain, Humor, Jennifer Daydreamer, Kickstarter, Media, Microsoft, Novels, Pop Culture, Publishing, Satire, Seattle, Sex, Social Commentary, Tech, Writers, Writing

November 6, 2014 · 4:28 am

Graphic Novel Review: Cory Doctorow and Jen Wang’s IN REAL LIFE

“In Real Life” is one of this year’s most intriguing graphic novels as it raises questions not asked often enough. A New York Times bestselling graphic novel written by Cory Doctorow and drawn by Jen Wang, it is the story of Anda, a gamer, who discovers a black market system through the friendship she makes with, Raymond, a poor boy in China. The focus is on what exploited people must do in order to survive and what can be done to help them rise up and out of their circumstances. But it’s also about the avatars we use to hide from the world. As is clearly depicted here, Anda has problems with the real world and her place in it.

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Filed under Comics, Cory Doctorow, First Second, Games, Geek Culture, Graphic Novel Reviews, graphic novels, Jen Wang, Orbital Comics

Tagged as comics, Cory Doctorow, Entertainment, Games, gaming, graphic novels, Lifestyle, London, Media, online games, Orbital Comics, Pop Culture, Social Media, Teens, Youth

June 16, 2014 · 7:12 am

Henry Chamberlain’s Campaign To Support A Comics Reviewer and Creator

From Henry Chamberlain’s “Ballard Comics”

I am heading out to Comic-Con International in San Diego this year and this is the year that we take things to a new level. With your support, we can do some exciting new things here at Comics Grinder and beyond. You can check out the new campaign, “Support A Comics Reviewer and Creator,” over at GoFundMe right here.

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KING OF THE NERDS on TBS: Curtis Armstrong Interview

Curtis Armstrong and Robert Caradine, “King of the Nerds,” on TBS

When Curtis Armstrong and Robert Caradine first pitched the idea of a reality TV show that played off the franchise, “Revenge of the Nerds,” it was met with bewilderment by one network. Could something like that work? Well, you’ve got two of the original actors from the hit franchise, with impeccable credentials, and they’ve come up with a twist on the reality TV model that taps into true nerd culture. TBS liked the idea for “King of the Nerds” and now it looks like we have a hit show. Season Two is underway and this is a perfect time to jump in and try the show out. It airs tonight. You can regularly see it on Thursdays, 10/9 Central on TBS. Check out details on the show here.

Jack, Zachary, and Nicole from “King of the Nerds,” on TBS

Curtis Armstrong is a very interesting actor who has been quite fortunate in his career. Lucky for him, as well as for us, he’s been in some of the greatest television shows in history. He’s been a recurring character on “Moonlighting,” “Felicity,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Boston Legal,” “New Girl,” and “Supernatural.” He’s done some hilarious voice-over work on such hit animated shows as “American Dad!” and “Dan Vs.” His work in film includes, “Risky Business,” “Southland Tales,” and “Ray.” And, of course, there’s “Revenge of the Nerds.” In this interview, we chat about a wonderful career, nerd culture, and the reality TV show that gets it right about nerd culture, “King of the Nerds.”

Just click the link below to listen to the podcast interview:

As Curtis Armstrong makes clear, “King of the Nerds” is all about the people on the show. You will be rooting for your favorite contestants on a show that celebrates all things nerd.

Watch “King of the Nerds” on Thursdays, 10/9 Central, on TBS.