There’s an old saying that has do with things that aren’t broke, and how you ought not to bother repairing them. Generally I’m a big fan of this idea, as there are times to leave well enough alone, but there are also times when things that clearly ARE broken should get put back together in brand new ways. This week DC has done just that with two rather dull, poorly conceived, and even more poorly represented women from its Golden Age past, recasting them in brand new series. We’ll take a look at them both, along with a one-off Locke and Key story with a couple of very tough ladies who aren’t afraid to get their hands dirty. Continue reading →
Everybody’s imaginary celebrity BFF’s latest project is just plain adorable.
A lot of us are excited for Mindy Kaling’s new show, The Mindy Project, both because Mindy Kaling is hilarious and because we’re looking forward to a new prime-time sitcom featuring a smart, successful, and funny woman of color.
The show follows Mindy Lahiri on a search for love amidst a hectic personal and professional life. She seeks, as the show’s website describes, “her romantic comedy ending.” In fact, much of the description on the website details Mindy’s search for “the perfect guy,” to the point where I could imagine a person being bothered by it. The fact that the motivations and personalities of female characters in film and television tend to revolve around the search for a man, after all, is one of the myriad things that feminists take issue with in popular media. However, I would call these complaints symptomatic of our previously discussed concerns with third wave feminism and its tendency to ignore race.
White women may have seen the story of successful young women like themselves making their way in the world, having fun with their friends, and trying to find love along the way plenty of times, but rarely are women of color allowed to be so “frivolous.” The stars of the romantic comedies that the main character Mindy loves so much are almost universally White women, but as this show makes clear, we have those stories to tell, too. In fact, Mindy seems primed for the role of America’s Sweetheart with her charm, smarts, and wit.
The trailer portrays her as likeable, funny, and sweet, an impression which the pilot (now available to watch on Hulu) firmly supports. The supporting cast is also solid, with Chris Messina and Ed Weeks providing excellent and sexy foils to our lively main character. However, it’s clear that Mindy is the star and the driving force for the show’s humor (and we’re totally fine with that!)
All things considered, The Mindy Project looks like a warm and smart addition to the Fox lineup. It also gives me hope that we may be experiencing another shift in television trends. There appears to be a resurgence in varied representation of women of color, similar to those golden days of the 1990s and early 2000s, when women of color were the stars of multiple popular shows, like Girlfriends and Living Single. Mindy Kaling may not be the next Meg Ryan, but she certainly seems up to the task. Isn’t it time women of color had a similar icon to represent them, including their sillier rom-com tendencies?
This week we’re geeking out about conscious and innovative design, epic take-downs of racism, and a very special kitten, among many other things. Continue reading →
The beginning is always the best part of any new story, and comics are no exception. We’re back again to take a look at the ultimate beginnings, the #1 issues of the new stories in comics hitting the shelves this week. It’s a rough week for women this time around, with a lot of stories taking place in the far away past, or just far, far away. Continue reading →
Not an accurate representation of the “Average Gamer”.
Last week, the Entertainment Software Association released their 2012 sales, demographic and usage report for the computer and video game industry. Their findings, while not exactly surprising to those of us who follow the industry, challenge the conventional wisdom about who plays games and why. It’s a bit of a black eye to the haters, and I don’t just mean lawmakers. There’s quite a bit in the study to give the “average gamer” pause, including information that indicates that he might not be so average after all.
Having been at this gaming thing since about 1987, I know I’m revealing my disgruntled old-school biases when I say my personal conception of the average modern gamer is a middle class, white, thirteen-year-old, male, foul-mouthed fan of modern military shooters who takes the occasional break from teabagging to grief a few noobs over in an MMO. He’s crass, he’s sexist, he’s homophobic, and he is obsessed with being the most hardcore of the hardcore. He is the subject of much hand-wringing, as every few years politicians cry out, “Won’t somebody think of the children?” Clearly, like comic books in the 1950’s, games have warped this poor boy’s fragile mind, turning him into a message board trolling creep.
While the ESA’s 2012 edition of “Essential Facts about the Computer and Video Game Industry” does not disprove the existence of the above stereotype, it does indicate that the average modern gamer is a far cry from what you would expect after spending time on X-Box LIVE or a gaming forum. Based on a survey of 2000 representative consumers, the average player in 2012 is 30 years old, and is almost equally likely to be male or female. As a matter of fact, there are more female gamers over age 18 (30% of those surveyed) than there are male gamers under the age of 17 (18% of respondents). None of this should be a surprise to anyone who’s been paying attention.
Since GeekGirlCon weekend we seem to have gained some new readers: welcome! We thought it would be good to share with you a list of some of our favorite posts that have appeared here on Geekquality, as well as highlight some of the features and interviews we’ve done. This wasn’t an easy list to put together because we love every single post we’ve run on our site. When I brought the idea to the team and asked them to list a couple of their favorite posts, Lois said, “This is the meanest thing you’ve ever done as Managing Editor.”
We also have several recurring features for you to keep an eye on. Every week, Jeff picks up a selection of No. 1 issues in comic books and on Thursdays we run his impressions of what he finds. For a bit of heavier (but oh so engaging) reading, Lois Payne takes a look at the revenge movie genre, as she considers what drives the characters and plot lines in these horror and suspense movies. And on Fridays, we round up links and news items that have us geeking out.
GeekGirlCon is over, yet we still can’t stop thinking and talking about it. As we’ve mentioned before, the idea for this very site emerged at the first GeekGirlCon, last October. Going to Seattle this year not just to attend the event but to actually present a panel was a mind blowing experience. We were thrilled/nervous/super-duper excited that nearly 70 people attended our panel, and the feedback we’ve received has been really informative and encouraging. (If you were at our panel, please share your thoughts!) Our friend and designer Kiri Moth couldn’t make it to the Con, but she sure sent us off in style with business cards and tote bags she designed for us, as you might see below modeled by Captain America and Wonder Woman:
We didn’t take many photos, to be honest, but there’s been other extensive coverage, which you can find linked on GeekGirlCon’s press page. Rather than the usual Friday links round-up, we wanted instead to share our personal highlights from GGC. I have a feeling this isn’t the only post inspired by our Con experience you’ll be seeing on the site, but let’s kick it off.
First, a shout out of appreciation needs to go to a few of our staffers:
Our brilliant co-founding editors Moxie and Elyse, and our ace copyeditor/whip cracker Mace were unable to join us at the Con this year and their presence was sorely missed. Hopefully, with more advanced planning and possible additional resources we’ll be able to all get together next year.
Did you happen to see Velma Dinkley among the semi-finalists at the GGC Masquerade? That’s our own Jen, co-founder/editor and the much appreciated videographer of our panel. We’re hoping to extract the audio from our session and make it available as a special podcast episode, so stay tuned!
It’s funny how the world of comics ebbs and flows. Some weeks we are awash with new series and story lines; others, there are just a handful of new gems to examine. Often, there are loads of great reads with something serious to say, other times it’s just magic, monsters, and spandex clad ass-kickery. This was a week of few new #1’s on the shelves, and in weeks past that’s proven to be a good sign. This week we’ve got a bit of a mixed bag. Continue reading →
Where terror lurks in the corners of Gotham City, a dark and vengeful hero rises to avenge the people. With the cape, the mask, and a watchful eye, this hero protects the city when it cannot protect itself. And it might not be who you think.
Making her re-introduction into DC’s New 52 relaunch of the universe is Kate Kane. Discharged from West Point Military Academy under the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” mandate, she dons the mantle of Batwoman and evolves into a symbol of courage and persistence. Batwoman soldiers on through the hardships that come with balancing a personal life and a superhero’s duty. Continue reading →
Hey there, everyone! It’s a big week, and not just because we (the species in general, not this site) have been landing ROBOTS ON OTHER PLANETS! Also, the bulk of the folks here at Geekquality are headed off to GeekGirlCon, where it all began! We’ll be wishing them and Curiosity safe travels and hoping their panel goes well! (Curiosity will not be appearing on the panel.) Meanwhile, we’ll take a look at some new stories hitting the comics shelves this week, just to give all you good little geeks out there even more to be excited about.
Our first book this week is a story so new, it’s not even a #1! It’s The Creep #0 by John Arcudi (The Mask, B.P.R.D.) and Jonathan Case (Dear Creature, Green River Killer) from Dark Horse Comics. It collects three short segments run in Dark Horse Presents and is a hard-boiled detective story starring Oxel Karnhus, a private gumshoe who suffers from acromegaly, a condition that causes abnormal cellular growth during adulthood, resulting in overly large facial features and sometimes dramatic voice changes (real life sufferers include Abraham Lincoln and actor Richard Kiel, who played ‘70s Bond villain Jaws). He takes the unusual suicide case of his former college flame, whom he hasn’t seen in 20 years, largely due to the onset of his condition. This seems a pretty straightforward noir style detective story, with a hero who’s not just haunted by his past, he wears it literally on his face. Oxel is a protagonist that seems to bear the burden of his condition with dignity, enduring stares from children and harassment, yet still willing to help out an older witness in the throes of mental illness. However, this story isn’t solely about Oxel’s larger-than-life features, but his larger-than-life life, and the tragedy of the books opening panels is followed by a story of sensitivity, as well as intrigue. A compelling read, all around, with vivid artwork in varying styles to play up the tension by Mr. Case. Continue reading →
We’re just a day away from converging for Geek Girl Con. I am looking forward to meeting up with my fellow staffers – Alice Marie, Rick, Lois, and Jen – in Seattle. We send much love and kisses to Elyse, Moxie, Mace and Kiri who are unable to join us there but have been so instrumental in helping us get ready. While we’re at the Con, the best way to catch up with us is to follow us on Twitter. To keep an eye on all tweets about the event, follow the #ggc12 tag.
To kick off our weekend in Seattle we’ll be headed to Spectator Bar & Grill on Friday at 9:30pm for karaoke. The song book is very promising, so if you’re not otherwise occupied, come on down.
Looking at the Geek Girl Con schedule, there is no shortage of panels and presentations focusing on diversity, social justice, and various forms of activism. There are also really exciting panels and workshops to help with career and hobby development, and the people participating are all just marvelous. Below is just a short selection of panels that strike our fancy. We’ll see how much ground we can cover! Continue reading →
Yes we’re going to say it again: GEEK GIRL CON IN ONE WEEK! We will be there! Doing a panel! Going to other panels! Hitting the town for karaoke! Details here.
A few other items of note this week:
We love the giddy sense of glee shared by sibling directors Lana and Andy Wachowski, and Tom Tykwer, as they promote Cloud Atlas, based on the critically acclaimed book by David Mitchell. (Although we don’t care for the callous puns or inconsistent pronouns that pepper many articles talking about Lana Wachowski’s transition and her newest project). Tanya is a big fan of David Mitchell’s fiction, so there’ll probably be posts from her down the line.
In disappointing (for some) Hobbit news, Peter Jackson had the audacity to announce through a Facebook note that the Hobbit will be a … trilogy. Really now?
If Calvin and Hobbes was your jam, rejoice! Drawn and published in an era before Tumblr and macros, these comics have been redone into animated GIFs! Right click and SAVE!
One of our favorite ladycrushes, Rashida Jones, had a little Q&A in the NY Times about her new movie (that she co-wrote!), Celeste and Jesse Forever. Read the full article for some wonderful insights on how being a woman inherently plays into your creativity, and how breakups are different in this day and age.
This isn’t just any ordinary Harry Potter fanfic: it involves SCIENCE! Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality goes back and takes a look at the plot holes Rowling left behind, placing slightly more emphasis on Ravenclaw than Gryffindor. This fanfic has 85 chapters so far and its own podcast.
This prototype set of beautiful birds built from LEGO should become a reality.
If this clip, about an instance when 3D printing helped a little girl enjoy her life more and be more self sufficient, doesn’t pull at your heart strings, then you need to have your heart strings adjusted, maybe.
It’s a big week for new stories in comics, in more ways than one. There is a veritable wealth of #1’s on the shelves this week, both from the solid indie creators like IDW and Image, and even some fun stuff from the big boys at Marvel. Let’s take a look at it and see what’s what.
Our first book this week is something that’s part of a fun trend in comics at IDW publishing. It’s Infected #1, a comic adaptation by Scott Sigler of the first novel in his original horror trilogy. IDW has been doing similar work with writers Stephen King and his son Joe Hill, who also created the publisher’s hit Locke and Key.Infected is the story of a new and deadly virus that’s growing in intensity across the U.S., and turning those infected with it into raving madmen who’ll engage in cruelty and bloodshed against anyone in their path. The CIA has assigned two agents and one genius pathologist to identify the disease, but coming up with a live carrier is proving more and more difficult, as the infected have a tendency toward mayhem that often leaves them … well, not entirely intact, much less alive. There’s an intensity to this book, and the art is very clean, almost digital looking, which helps push the heavy horror quotient pretty high. There are not a lot of strong characters developed here, however, as this feels like a book that’s just getting warmed up, and it remains to be seen how much social value we’ll find in further pages. It’s a page turner, though, and worth following for now. Continue reading →
We’ve been a little quiet over here (although we have a couple of posts and a podcast episode coming down the pipe line over the next week and a half) because we’re in the midst of preparing for our trip to Seattle for Geek Girl Con, August 11-12! As we’ve probably mentioned a bajillion times, we will be presenting a panel at the convention and we couldn’t be more excited/nervous. Details!
Sat, Aug 11, 3:30–4:20 PM (RM204) Navigating Geekdom as an Outsider If you aren’t a straight, cis, able-bodied, aged 18-35 white male, it is often very difficult to access geekdom and media. How do marginalized geeks cope in an atmosphere that so many find unwelcoming, threatening, and exhausting? Panelists seek to help you keep fighting the good fight while maintaining your mental and emotional health through community building and setting boundaries.
I will be moderating this discussion with Rick, Alice Marie, and Lois. Regretfully, Elyse and Moxie are unable to join us this year, but we wouldn’t be where we are without them, so we’ll probably be dropping shout outs every moment we get. Our Canadian ambassador & muse Jen will be on hand to document our panel.
So now we are swimming in business card layouts, travel reservations, and brainstorming outlines, as well as dealing with various little curveballs thrown our way as we prepare for our first trip to a convention as a team. I’ve been working closely with our brilliant designer Kiri Moth on something exciting that we really hope will materialize in time for the Con. (You know what? It WILL materialize, somehow. We’re going to make it happen. And I think you’ll love it.) Lois has been making new friends via Twitter and we’re looking forward to meeting everyone in Seattle. We’ll also be hitting the town on Friday night, August 10, and we’ll let you know details of where you can join us for some karaoke! Make sure you follow us on Twitter and also keep an eye on the #ggc12 hashtag for all Geek Girl Con tweets!
In the mean time, we apologize for having a little less content over the next couple of weeks. We’d love to hear – who is going to be at Geek Girl Con?
This week we’re excited about the Olympics, a new graphic novel with strong WOC as protagonists, and one particularly dedicated Star Wars fan, among other links.Continue reading →
A multi-contributor blog at the intersection of fandom and media criticism. Exploring the geek zeitgeist to celebrate diversity and to discuss room for improvement.
We are on hiatus, but feel free to explore and check out our suggested reading list!
