Like we said - Super Geek Week - Tonight at 6pm from 10pm - The “last” Adult Game Night at Guardian Games!

What do you need? Proof you’re 21 or older and $10.00

What you get: 4 hours of awesome gaming with beer, pizza, and nary a child getting in your gaming grill!

Why the “last”, well, we all know the ladies at Gaurdian Games have some awesome plans and won’t have the time to host Adult Game Night for many a month. So, get in tonight for some fantastic gaming!

It all happens tonight at 6pm at 303 SE 3rd Avenue. Be there!

This is the time of the year when all the various pop culture sites on these here Intertubes post grand and glorious gift lists. Each and every year we all drool over the images of a Carbonite Desk, life-size Tardis, or our very own Caprica Six (okay, maybe you can’t buy that one). Still, for most of us mere mortals these gifts are so far beyond our means we simply shake our head and whisper “someday”. Normally this would be the section where your friendly neighborhood Geek writes “And now, it is my turn”. Well, it is, but you won’t get anything from the GeekintheCity list; save that warm and fuzzy feeling you got after your first natural kiss or first 20. (Um, strike that. Reverse it).

This has been a tough year, hell, it has been a tough few years now. Many a friend and family have seen their jobs go away, or at the very least stand on shaky ground. While there is some glimmer of recovery on the horizon, we’re still facing a rather tight holiday season. I consider myself very lucky. I’ve never gone without something under the tree. I’ve never spent the holidays in a hospital bed, tubes connected to my body. I’ve never spent my holiday in a shelter, hoping for just one more hot meal and soft bed. I’ve never spent the holidays overseas, surrounded by people that wanted to kill me. Yes, I have been very lucky indeed. As I grow older I am made more and more aware of this fact, and in kind I find myself wanting to give back that which made me the human I am today. With that in mind, I wanted to present to you fine readers some Geek themed charities you can give to this holiday season that will help make the season a little brighter.

The Hero Initiative - I’ve written about this fantastic group many times and am an active and yearly sponsor. Their goal is simple, insure those that fueled our dreams have a chance at theirs. For every Stan Lee you read about, there are hundreds (if not thousands) of writers, artists, inkers, and letters you never heard of. Many of whom lived tough, even unbearable lives, while their creations went on to generate millions. The Hero Initiative doesn’t point fingers or go after companies. They simply exist to help these creators through tough times. Be it rent, medical bills, or simply helping them buy food; the Hero Initiative is there. Sadly, even in the modern age many comic book professionals work without any form of safety net or health coverage. When you or I break a finger, it cuts into our XBox time and we complain. A comic creator breaks a finger, they may find themselves out of a job. This is where the Hero Initiative will often step in and make sure the bills still get paid as this creator heals. As their slogan goes: Because Everyone Deserves a Golden Age.

Heroes For Heroes - Everyone knows, the occasional Star Trek Gay Rights rant aside, this site stays away from anything politically charged. Not saying the folks at GeekintheCity don’t have an opinion (toss back a few brews with us, we got opinions comin’ out of our Power Regulators). This was just a nice way of saying you can help out our men and women serving overseas without being a fan of many of the reasons they’re there. (Shoot, I’ve got close friends that serve and they ain’t fans of the reasons either).  Heroes For Heroes isn’t out to make a political statement. They aren’t out to push an agenda. Their mission is simple. Being away from home at the holidays sucks. It sucks even more when you spend it in a dusty tent in the middle of a dessert and all the green and red lights come from weapons systems. When you donate goods to Heroes For Heroes, you aren’t tossing in your support for Glenn Beck or Thom Hartmann. You aren’t buying a cheesy magnet ribbon that does nothing but fatten the Global Magnet Ribbon Cartel (okay, that doesn’t exists, but I like the image). No. You’re simply making an already hostile living condition just a little more comfortable. We joke about comics being cliched images of Americana, but as one that has talked directly to troops that receive comics from the states… Apart from cookies from mom, there is very little that reminds them of home than Truth, Justice, and the Comic Book Way!

Equality Now - Equality Now was founded in 1992 to work for the protection and promotion of the human rights of women around the world. Working with national human rights organizations and individual activists, Equality Now documents violence and discrimination against women and mobilizes international action to support their efforts to stop these human rights abuses. Through the Can’t Stop the Serenity project, Firefly / Serenity fans host screenings and charity drives to raise money for this important group. I could go on and on about this great group, but this video work better. (And, it is kinda’ shiny too).

Child’s Play - As if the Penny Arcade folks aren’t busy enough, in 2003 they started the Child’s Play Charity. Like many charities, this one started with a simple idea. Kids, all kids, should have some fun and joy in their lives. If an illness keeps them from going out and having fun, we Geeks should bring the fun to them. I’ll let Gabe from Child’s Play tell you:

Here’s the deal.

Since 2003, we’ve set up and organized Child’s Play, a game industry charity dedicated to improving the lives of children with toys and games in our network of over 60 hospitals worldwide. In five short years, you as a community have answered the call and come together to raise millions of dollars.

That was awesome. You guys have proven over and over again that you are an overwhelming force, and you really came through and made a real difference to the millions of kids that children’s hospitals care for each year. So we’re doing it again this year, only this time we’ve expanded Child’s Play to more hospitals around US and the globe so you can send toys to a hospital a little closer to home.

Child’s Play works the same as last year. With the help of hospital staff, we’ve set up gift wish lists full of video games, toys, and movies. You can go to each hospital’s list and buy a toy, and that toy will be sent to the hospital. Some of these kids are in pretty bad shape. Imagine being stuck alone in a hospital over the holidays, getting something from a fellow gamer would really raise their spirits. Some of the stuff the hospital will give away for kids to keep, while other gifts (like consoles) will be kept by the hospital for patients to use throughout the year.

We are arguably the largest community of gamers on the internet. The important word there being community. We are not a faceless corporation and you are not just a number tracked by a database and then relayed to hungry advertisers. You guys have proven yourselves to be a powerful force when stirred into action. Here is your opportunity to use that power to do some real good.

O.R.C. - Finally, something for the local folks. The Oregon Roleplaying Charity hosts all-day gaming events and uses any money raised to support and donate to the  Portland branch of SMART. The SMART reading program helps kids become confident readers by providing individual volunteer attention and new, take-home books. SMART partners with more than 200 schools that have high populations of children from low income families, as studies show they are less likely to have books in the home. To encourage reading outside the classroom, SMART gives each child 14 new, take-home books—two per month during the course of the program. The vision of SMART is an Oregon where every child can read and is empowered to succeed. You can take direct action this Saturday (12/12/09) and join O.R.C. for some all-day role playing at Guardian Games in Portland. Starting at noon and running until close of the store. Games will be held in two sessions of four hours each. The first session is from noon until 4:00pm and the second session from 5:00pm to 9:00pm. All they ask for a $5.00 minimum donation (but you are always welcome to give more, come on, you don’t need ANOTHER set of dice) to sit in on the games, larger donations are always appreciated.  I’ve already planned to dungeon delve in some old-school AD&D 1st Edition fun, join me!

So, after you go out and get that fun swag for you and yours, take some time and help out these great Geek charities. Just because we don’t live in a game doesn’t mean we can’t rack up some Karma points. Until next time, may all your rolls be Natural 20s!

Make a comic? Wanna' sell it? Click here then!

Greetings programs! You know, we’ve teased many an insane issue, but Issue 44 of GeekintheCity Radio takes the Tardis! Dan Clark and Bobby Roberts join Aaron and Scott as they explore Simian Lesbian Forces, The Peoples Front of Judea, and Montalban Chop. Then, things calm down a bit with Elisabeth from Things From Another World as she talks about ruling the noobs at Geek Trivia Night and the pending Indy Comics Week. Next, Dan has some toy joy that is quickly crushed by Thor lamentations. Finally, GeekintheCity Radio presents an all new direction with the Fan Commentaries. Frogthor!

This weeks musical breaks are:

Oogie Boogie’s Song - Rodrigo y Gabriella

There are others, but you all know them so why waste the digital space!

Don’t forget, Friday December 4 at 11pm at the Bagdad Theater - The Nightmare Before Christmas - The Cort and Fatboy Midnight Movie!

As always, GeekintheCity Radio is brought to you by Things From Another World

Download HERE

Make a comic? Wanna' sell it? Click here then!

How many times have you gone to a local trivia night, only to have your massive knowledge ignored with questions about sports, politics, history, and other “real” crap? How many times have you leaned over to your friends and said, “dude, if this was a Star Wars trivia night, I would own this bar”!

Well programs, your time has come!

Tuesday, December 1, 2009 at 7pm Things From Another World kicks off their first of many “Geek-Themed” trivia nights. Hit Vendetta (4306 N Williams Ave) at 7pm. Finally go and put those years of studying the nuances of Mike Mignola’s pencils and C-List Battlestar Galactica characters to good use. More than just a chance to impress the ever elusive “Geek Babe”, TFAW offers comic themed swag, Things From Another World gift certificates, and eternal glory virtually guaranteeing entrance into Stovokor!*

Since it is a bar, you gotta’ be 21 to attend. Be there and finally cross mental Lightsabers with your friendly neighborhood Geek. You know you want to!

Make a comic? Wanna' sell it? Click here then!

*Okay, so maybe not Stovokor, but you’ll still earn Geek Honor!

“What the…” exclaimed my 6 year-old neighbor as he and my son helped me open up the box I had just received from Weta. In his fascination, Noah pressed closer as I extracted the Righteous Bison Indivisible Particle Smasher from it’s box. “That is so cool! What movie does it come from?” When I explained that it wasn’t from a movie, he wouldn’t believe me.

Some years ago, when I first heard of Weta’s original Dr. Grordbort’s line of “infallible aether oscillators,” I immediately thought there was obviously a movie tie-in. After all, who had the stones to roll out a range of vintage sci fi / steampunk rayguns without there being a feature film behind it? Luckily for fans, when Weta designer Greg Broadmore brought his idea for the rayguns to geek czar Richard Taylor, he saw not only the potential of the concept, but freedom from having to pay someone else for licensing.

So, what exactly are Dr. Grordbort’s creations? Think 1900’s, pith helmets and ray guns that atomize Venusians. It is classic sci fi from an age before Cylons could look like humans or even before Queen rocked Flash Gordon as he skewered Ming the Merciless. It is pure fun with a touch of whimsy and perhaps the most innovative thing to hit the collectibles market in some time.  The latest addition to the Dr. Grordbort’s catalog is the Righteous Bison and it packs a surprise or two.

Sculpt

When closely examining the Righteous Bison I am reminded that, first and foremost, Weta is known for making movie magic. You can see the legacy of attention to detail that went into creating arms and armor for Lord of the Rings carried through in this piece. There is a flow and symmetry to the overall design. You can trace the Bison’s brass tubing, examine the ambidextrous thumb selector, ponder the red zone of the gauges and through it all you can imagine how it would all work.

The combination of these elements give the impression that the raygun could possibly be real, but the true test of my movie magic metaphor comes from simply picking up the Bison for the first time. I knew that the previous offerings were heavier pieces, crafted from metal and glass. An early addition to the line, the Manmelter 3600ZX Sub-atomic Disintegrator Pistol, weighed in at 7.5 pounds. As I loosed the Righteous Bison from it’s packaging I nearly threw it through the ceiling. For the first time, this 2.6 pound ray gun is made from “imitation metal,” a substance that has a remarkable similarity to plastic. I challenge anyone to tell me that this collectible is not cast in conventional metal upon first glance.

Another aspect of the sculpt worthy of mention is how Weta has crafted the piece to look worn. As you look over the gun you will see not only the detail of the rivets, you will also see nicks, cuts and scratches. These are details that make the piece as both realistic and perfectly aged.

Paint and Color

The application of the paints and the chosen colors are the other elements that contribute to the illusion of the Bison being crafted from true gunmetal. These colors, especially on the main body, give the raygun the feel of rust-flecked metal. There are even areas where you can’t tell if the “metal” is pitted until you run your finger over it.  Overall, the paint makes this piece completely believable. From the hue of the tubing to the gold of the top fin, it is this subtle coloration that gives the impression that the raygun is made of a variety of strange and foreign metals.

Packaging

The packaging is the second departure from previous Dr. Grordbort’s rayguns. Previous pieces in the line all included a custom case. The Righteous Bison comes in what Weta refers to as “light weight materials,” or what modern man might call “cardboard.” While this is not a cushioned form-fitting leather satchel, it isn’t Wal-Mart packaging either. The box is well outfitted with artwork and designed to protect the raygun within. It comes with a top opening flap where other rayguns from the line are displayed and a clear plastic cut out to reveal the Bison.

While I suppose it would make a decent display for those possessing the strength of will to resist the desire to open and hold the gun, I would rather digest the materials on the case and cast it out with the recycling. While there is nothing at all wrong with the packaging, there this is not an item to purchase on the strength of its box.

Overall Impressions

I am an unabashed fan of the Dr. Grordbort’s line and I truly enjoy the Righteous Bison. With a retail price of $99 (US), this is easily the most accessible full-sized raygun Weta has released to date.  The change in material and packaging allows for them to be able to sell this piece for about $600 less then it’s predecessors. With this raygun in a stand and displayed on a shelf, no one would know that is was plastic until they picked it up.

The only hesitation I have in giving my complete stamp of approval is that I don’t want the metal Dr. Grordbort’s original rayguns to go away and the $100 versions to become the norm. Sure, there is no way my marriage would survive the purchase of $700 raygun, but there needs to be something to strive for.

Overall, the Righteous Bison is indeed a worthy addition to the collection of both the discriminating gentleman and indiscriminate rouge alike. Get yours today, impress your friends and smash the particles of your enemies.

Enjoy more of Robert Alpi’s wordsmithing at his blog, Legends Ink.

And, coming soon… The Adventures of Captain Redgoat & Commodore del Negro in the 19th&1/2 Century! Arr, there be Martians!