the pulp (Issue 8, September 2014)
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Transcript of the pulp (Issue 8, September 2014)
Issue 8, September 2014
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Issue 8, Sep 2014
Editor Talk
Conventions—what’s not to love? Sure, the line-ups can be a
hindrance. You can never quite squeeze in everything you want to
do. Sometimes it smells. But…comics! Creators! Celebrities! We’re
pretty excited that the Edmonton Comic & Entertainment Expo is
this week and we’re gearing up for a weekend of pure awesome.
In this issue, find some tips and tricks for how to make the most of
a convention experience, along with a feature on some local
cosplayers.
For you film buffs, we have a Reconsideration of Gunday by Matt
Bowes and a One Too Many on More American Graffiti by Allan
Mott: two films you should probably watch (if you haven’t already).
Russ Dobler is back with a great piece on Marvel Dice Masters and
its relation to Red Queen Theory. (Wait…what?) Trust me. You
need to read it to get it.
Hate being judged on your clothes? Teresa’s latest fashion column
will teach you to ignore the people who make assumptions about
you and just…be.
And don’t forget the food. Dr. Who cakes. Edible Marios. Mad Men-
inspired bourbon cocktails. Sherry Lawler has them all in this issue.
We also have Kelsey’s musings on Back to School season and a
cosplay feature to get you ramped up for the Expo.
Enjoy!
Cheryl
Editor-in-Chief
thepulppress.com
Cheryl Cottrell-Smith, Editor-in-Chief
Writer/editor. Founder of The Pulp and lover of comics, gaming, anime, old literature, and gin. Especially gin. @CottrellSmithC
Matt Bowes, Lit + Film Columnist
Self-proclaimed cultural commentator of good taste. Enjoys movies/books, and writes about them at thisnerdinglife.com. @matt_bowes
Teresa Simmons, Fashion Columnist
Fashion writer/blogger at Simmons On Style. Can’t live w/out little black dresses, seafood, Indie music, and lip gloss. @simmonsonstyle
Russ Dobler, Nerd Science Columnist
Known as "Dog" to friends and weirdos; wannabe scientist; beer lover. Blogs at thoughtfulconduit.com/whatdoesthismean.
Kelsey Beier, Musings Columnist
Lover of music, writing, traveling and working with kids. Teacher by day; unpublished author by night (and sometimes on the weekends).
Allan Mott, Film Columnist
Film enthusiast and blogger at vanityfear.com. Can be found giving opinions on films and other cultural paraphernalia @HouseofGlib.
Sherry Lawler, Bites Columnist
Local editor and writer. Linguist, grammarian, language enthusiast, and owner of AlphaProofing. @AlphaProofing
The People of the Hour!
magazine
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Issue 8, Sep 2014
fashion + cosplay
15 A true geek…underneath it
all? – Teresa Simmons
29 Expo highlight: Nerdpunk
Cosplay – Cheryl Cottrell-
Smith
gamertown
12 Live to game, game to live –
Russ Dobler
4
musings
26 What does “Back to School”
mean to you? – Kelsey Beier
CONTENTS
21
bites
17 We wants it, we needs it.
Must have the precious
cakes. – Sherry Lawler
24 Bring on the bourbon –
Sherry Lawler
lit + film
8 One Too Many: More
American Graffiti (1979)
– Allan Mott
21 For Your
Reconsideration: Gunday
(2014) – Matt Bowes
quirky events
4 Making the most of your
Expo experience – Cheryl
Cottrell-Smith
27 Edmontonians band together
to build Wolverine statue –
Cheryl Cottrell-Smith
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With less than a week left, we’re ramping up for the
third annual Edmonton Comic & Entertainment Expo.
Whether it’s your first convention or your hundredth,
there will be plenty of new booths and some exciting
guests to keep you occupied the entire weekend.
Personally, I’m looking forward to an epic photo op with
Jim Beaver (Supernatural for the win).
We’re all agreed: conventions are great. But stick a few
thousand nerds into a confined space for prolonged
periods of time and there can be issues. Line-ups abound.
Creators are occupied with seemingly never-ending fan
conversations. Dedicated cosplayers can bring foot traffic
to a dead stop. Accessing an ATM is nigh impossible.
There’s a lot to take in, so we’ve opened up the
discussion to our local Edmonton nerd community, who
have some tips and tricks for the best ways to enjoy a
convention.
“Have patience. This is a big one because as
conventions grow, lines are longer and the con floor is
more crowded; remember, everyone is there to enjoy
themselves, so be respectful,” says Sylvia Douglas, co-
founder of LGNYEG. “And bring comfy shoes, water, snacks,
a bag for swag purchased, a folder or tube for artwork, and
bags/boards for comics."
Andrea Brown, Sylvia’s LGNYEG co-founder, agrees
with being prepared for everything. “I'd suggest bringing a
backpack and your own food, since generally onsite food is
stupid expensive,” says Andrea.
Having a plan is tantamount to a great con experience,
which is why you can view the show schedule on the
Edmonton Expo website. “Look at the schedule and make a
Having a plan is tantamount to a great con experience,
which is why you can view the show schedule on the
Edmonton Expo website. “Look at the schedule and make a
plan for what you want to see and know the times for
autographs and photo ops if you are planning to get them,”
says Nicole Reid of 501st Legion. “Pace yourself, eat, and
wear comfortable shoes. And have fun!”
Don’t forget that you’ll be in crowds all day and,
well…things can get sweaty. “Stay hydrated and hygienic,”
says Sailor Moon blogger, Pauline French. “And wear a
good pair of walking shoes.”
The Pulp contributor, Matt Bowes, even has a blog post
dedicated to convention tips on This Nerding Life. His post,
entitled “How to Convene – Comic Book Convention
Etiquette and Tips,” gives some much-needed advice on
how to stay healthy, hydrated, and happy at a comic book
convention. For example, conventions can be a breeding
ground for bacteria, so pack Purell. And, if you’re nervous
about meeting some of your heroes, a cocktail or five is a
great way to boost confidence.
Along with all of these life-saving tips, we’d like to add
one very important suggestion: Always. Bring. Cash.
So what, exactly, is everyone looking forward to at this
year’s Expo?
“I look forward to meeting artists and visiting artist’s
alley,” says Andrea. “Lots of great local talent in Edmonton!
I only get to go on Sunday this year because I'm holding
down the fort at Happy Harbor, so I'm going to make the
most of my day. I hope I can do it!”
Collectibles, comics, and cosplay are some of the
convention’s main draws. Pauline French, like many
Making the most of
your Expo experience
Words and images by Cheryl Cottrell-Smith
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most of my day. I hope I can do it!”
Collectibles, comics, and cosplay are some of the
convention’s main draws. Pauline French, like many
others, is looking forward to adding to her collection.
“There are amazing artists to discover, celebrity heroes to
meet, and grail collectibles to track down and haggle over,”
says Pauline. “This year I'm most looking forward to the
guests, but I'm also excited to see what Sailor Moon items
might show up with the anniversary celebrations still
going strong in Japan.”
Dan Shessel of The Northern Nerd Network attends
conventions purely to indulge in his passions. “Where else
are you going to find someone to have a full-on
conversation about their favourite Faction Type and Class
Starship from Star Trek while waiting in line to get an
autograph from Wil Wheaton?”
His wife and Nothern Nerd co-founder, Trina, is
looking forward to the cosplayers. “When I went to my first
convention, it was mostly to get autographs and attend
panels,” she says. “Now I’d rather just check out the
vendors and see all the great costumes other con-goers
come up with.”
Trina isn’t the only one looking forward to the Expo’s
cosplay scene. “What am I most excited about? As always,
seeing all of the costumes people put so much hard work
into and getting some great photos of/with them,”
says Shauna Rene. “Also, I plan to attend the BioWare
panel on Dragon Age: Inquisition. I simply cannot wait for
it's release and I look forward to listening to my friends at
BioWare further torture me with details of the game I have
been waiting for, for years.”
For others, each convention becomes less a place to
buy and more a place to gather. A place where friendships
are developed and mutual interests are shared. A place to
promote charities and foster human connections.
“I’m most looking forward to seeing my friends,” says
Sylvia. “I've been attending the Calgary and Edmonton
Expos since their inception and, since then, I have been so
lucky to meet really amazing people. I love that at both
Expos, every turn I take I run into someone I have met
through our love of all things geek.”
“I’m most looking forward to working the [501st
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Expos, every turn I take I run into someone I have met
through our love of all things geek.”
“I’m most looking forward to working the [501st
Legion] charity booth and raising money for Kids With
Cancer,” says Nicole. “Swing by the booth and donate some
money to get a picture with us! Support a great charity and
get Star Wars pics—what’s not to love?”
“I look forward to the exposure,” says Janna
Cummings. “I get to see things, and maybe do things, that I
would normally not have the chance of normally seeing or
doing. Cons/Expos are the opportunity to geek out on new
items and new visualizations. To boldly try out things
you've never tried out before.”
Our contributor, Allan Mott, certainly has his Expo
plan in place:
Whether you choose to heed our advice or not, we
hope you have a great convention this year. Keep an eye
out for me as Silk Spectre and don’t forget to tweet
us @thepulppress to tell us your favourite part of the
convention!
The Northern Nerd Network’s latest podcast also
features convention tips for the eager Expo beaver. You
can listen to it at northernnerd.com/podcast.
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One Too Many: More American
Graffiti (1979) For folks of my generation, George Lucas’ 1973
hit movie American Graffiti is regarded mostly as the
film that allowed him to move on to Star Wars, where
shit got real and all of our favourite toys and bed
sheets were finally allowed to happen. But for those
who came before us it was a genuinely important
film—their first real chance to indulge in the nostalgia
that is the birthright of every generation (did anyone
else watch that Lifetime Saved by the Bell movie?).
This was even more significant than it is now
because, in 1973, technology did not allow people
instant access to the memories of their youth. For the
most part, they existed as exactly that—memories
that had to be inspired by certain specific sights and
sounds to be recreated, rather than brought back
immediately to life via a quick trip to YouTube or
Google.
Which explains why American Graffiti was so
huge when it came out and led to the creation of
TVs Happy Days, which arguably had an even more
significant impact on popular culture than the film that
inspired it (and from which it purloined a post-Andy
Griffith, pre-journeyman-auteur Ron Howard).
But we can probably thank Star Wars for the
existence of More American Graffiti, the 1979 sequel
that many people have no idea even exists and which
isn’t very well thought of by those who are aware of it
(it currently has a rating of 5.2/10 on IMDB). To ride
the wave of Lucas’ third film’s mega-success,
isn’t very well thought of by those who are aware of it
(it currently has a rating of 5.2/10 on IMDB). To ride
the wave of Lucas’ third film’s mega-success,
Universal decided to re-release American Graffiti into
theatres in 1978 (a common pre-home video tactic)
and the resulting box office clearly justified another
trip to the nostalgia well.
Except Lucas was too busy working on the
sequel to his second zeitgeist-changing hit to devote
himself personally to the sequel to his first zeitgeist-
changing hit, so a filmmaker with only one forgotten
film and a cult TV movie to his credit was tasked with
the challenge.
And it was definitely a challenge that B. W. L.
Norton (or Bill L. Norton, as he would later be credited
in his following work) faced. Not only was there the
daunting prospect of attempting to recreate another
filmmaker’s success, but there was also the fact that
the first film had already famously ended by telling the
audience what happened to its four main male
characters and none of their fates lent themselves
well to light-hearted entertainment.
Going in he (and everyone else) knew that Paul
Le Mat’s John was killed by a drunk driver in 1964,
Charles Martin Smith’s Terry would go missing while
serving in Vietnam, Richard Dreyfus’ Curt would dodge
the draft and become a writer in Canada, and Ron
Howard’s Steve would—most chillingly—become an
insurance salesman.
the draft and become a writer in Canada, and Ron
Howard’s Steve would—most chillingly—become an
insurance salesman.
How, then, could he craft a screenplay that
featured every character while also acknowledging
their respective fates? Rather ingeniously, it turns
out.
I first learned about the film’s existence when I
saw a commercial for an upcoming TV airing when I
was around 11 or 12. Already a major film buff, I was
taken aback by the fact that I hadn’t been aware of it
until that exact moment. I wasn’t able to watch it at
the time (and I suspect if I had I would have
discovered what I believe has to be a major reason for
its obscurity), but the fact that I hadn’t heard of it
before definitely coloured my perception of it. If they
made a sequel to a film as well-known as American
Graffiti and I didn’t know it even existed, it had to be
reeeeealllllllly bad.
Sometimes I am wrong about these things.
Having just watched More American Graffiti, I
can appreciate intellectually why it failed to satisfy
contemporary audiences and faded into obscurity, but
as it went on I couldn’t help but conclude that it got a
very raw deal—for as much as it gets wrong, it gets
so many more things right and turns out to be a very
entertaining, well-made, and emotionally satisfying
experience in its own right.
Perhaps it’s my distance from the original (I
Written by Allan Mott | Images courtesy of Universal Pictures and Lucasfilm
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entertaining, well-made, and emotionally satisfying
experience in its own right.
Perhaps it’s my distance from the original (I
haven’t seen it in a decade and have always regarded
it specifically as an artifact of my parents’ era—
making the experience of watching it much more
anthropological than anything else) or just my own
inherent contrariness, but I found myself laughing and
smiling throughout this strange film, which isn’t
strong enough to work as a stand-alone rediscovery,
but proves to be a fascinating example of an
imaginative attempt to overcome some Herculean
narrative hurdles.
The way Norton solved the problem he faced at
the outset was to abandon the original film’s “one day
in the life” multi-character structure and expand it to
the same day (New Year’s to be exact) over the
course of four different years in the same decade.
Each character (with Candy Clark’s Debbie
subbing in for Curt, since by the time the film was
made Dreyfus had won the Oscar for The Goodbye
Girl and starred in Jaws and was way above this sort
of thing) gets their own year and mini-narrative within
the film. And, since the various scenes are edited non-
linearly, Norton helps us keep track of which year
we’re in by changing the ratio of the image, as well as
employing other camera tricks.
John gets 1964 (which makes sense since he’s
dead after that) and his New Year’s Day is spent at the
racetrack, where he meets a gorgeous foreigner
(former Miss Iceland and future mob-informant, Anna
Bjorn) and overcomes a major setback to stick one
over on the big-time racing crew who thinks he’s too
small potatoes to join their ranks. It’s a not-
completely convincing romantic interlude (it’s hard to
accept that two people who literally can’t talk to each
other would develop such strong feelings so quickly,
and while his lust makes sense in the face of her
beauty, her reciprocating that affection is definitely an
only-in-the-movies phenomenon), but it still manages
to earn an affecting poignancy based largely on our
knowledge of what is to come.
only-in-the-movies phenomenon), but it still manages
to earn an affecting poignancy based largely on our
knowledge of what is to come.
Terry’s story occurs a year later and focuses on
his attempts to get the hell out of active duty. The
tenor of his section is best exemplified by the opening
scene that features him trying to figure out the best
way to shoot himself in the arm, only to inadvertently
cause a massive jungle bombing raid in the process.
This dark humour plays well today, but I can definitely
see how it might upset audiences in 1979 who were
barely ready for the existential horror of Apocalypse
Now, much less an outright parody of it as presented
here. Shot in a full-screen ratio to replicate the news
footage of the period, it’s hard not to think of the TV
version of M*A*S*H in these scenes, which I suspect
might have also further alienated contemporary
viewers.
Debbie’s story is set in 1967. With Terry now
missing in Vietnam, she has become a full-on flower
child who lives in a commune and works as a topless
dancer to help support her musician boyfriend, Lance.
missing in Vietnam, she has become a full-on flower
child who lives in a commune and works as a topless
dancer to help support her musician boyfriend, Lance.
When he’s arrested for pot possession (by Harrison
Ford’s formerly-drag-race-happy Bob Falfa in a very
effective uncredited cameo), she scrambles to earn
bail money (eventually agreeing to dance with a snake
per her club owner’s request), only to have him betray
her when she attempts to get him hired by a local
band led by a surprisingly dreamy Scott Glenn.
This section is presented almost entirely in split-
screen with multiple images in the frame, which meant
it would have been largely incomprehensible in the TV
version I mentioned above. In this age of widescreen
TVs, this isn’t an issue and is really fun to watch (with
the exception of some sped-up moments that are just
a bit too cartoonish for their own good), but for about
25 years after its release this quarter of the film
would have presented a challenge to even the most
sympathetic of TV viewers.
And, finally, Steve and Laurie (Cindy Williams)
are given 1968, which finds their marriage in trouble
over his adamant refusal to let her get a job. She
leaves him to look after their twins and—via her
activist brother—ends up in a Kent State-style
demonstration that leads to her and Steve’s political
awakening when they find themselves victims of police
brutality. This sequence in particular reminded me of
similar work the late Michael Ritchie was doing in the
70s, particular Smile and The Bad News Bears. While
Norton is a lot more facile than Ritchie, the tone of
affectionate satire presented here proves effective
when it’s hit in the face by the brutal reality of
physical violence.
This last sequence also proves to be the most
blatant purveyor of the film’s strong sense of anti-
authoritarianism, which is chiefly responsible for the
film’s unique balance of darkness and light. The
stories themselves are broadly comic and simplistic,
but they all feature a deeply cynical centre that belies
the candy-coated surface. At times, I wasn’t sure if
this was as effective as I wanted it to be, but then—
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Issue 8, Sep 2014
but they all feature a deeply cynical
centre that belies the candy-coated
surface. At times, I wasn’t sure if this was
as effective as I wanted it to be, but
then—when the film ended with the same
epilogues as the first (adding only the
previously neglected fates of Debbie and
Laurie)—I found myself overwhelmed with
emotion and burst into tears.
Taken together, the American
Graffiti series suggests that you can’t
ever know the whole story. You can’t
judge a person based on the events of a
single day or a short description of where
life has taken them. By repeating the
epilogues, Norton shows how much they
don’t tell us. In Lucas’ film they were a
downbeat shock of reality after a
colourful festival of happy/bittersweet
memories—as memorable as that night
was, it ultimately led only to death,
isolation and servitude. But here instead
the exact same words are hopeful and
joyous, because now we know there’s so
much more to the story.
More American Graffiti is an
imperfect film whose strange mixture of
late 70s cynicism and early-80s optimism
alienated its core audience who likely
didn’t even want the film to exist in the
first place. But seen today with fresh
eyes, there’s a lot here to take in and
admire, both technically and thematically.
Saddled with perhaps one of the most
perfunctory sequel titles of all time, it
transcends its obstacles to become
something that is completely familiar, but
which we’ve never really seen before.
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Live to game, Game to live
When Steve Cates sat down at the Crazy Squirrel Game Store in Fresno, CA for one of the first
organized tournaments of Marvel Dice Masters, he probably wasn’t thinking about half-billion-year-old
ocean life. Superficially, there don’t seem to be a lot of similarities between the recently released
collectible, competitive game, and spiky, multi-limbed worms.
Yet much like an animal in an early Cambrian ecosystem, Cates was able to navigate his deck of simple parts to victory.
In June, the game was too new for players to make effective use of devastating components like Green Goblin: Gobby and
Black Widow: Tsarina. Hallucigenia probably had it pretty easy before the terrifying predator Anomalocaris showed up in
large numbers.
Which is scarier? Depiction of Anomalocaris by John Sibbick
Dice Masters will expand in October, and that influx of new content will inevitably change the game’s young status quo.
The current dominant decks will have to adapt to new pressures, as what’s commonly called the “metagame” shifts from its
former plateau.
“Metagame, to me, is the idea that I need to keep in mind more than just the rules of the game,” Cates says. “There are
certain strategies that players of the game will focus in on and you must have a way to deal with those strategies or you just
Yet much like an animal in an early
Cambrian ecosystem, Cates was able to
navigate his deck of simple parts to victory.
In June, the game was too new for players to
make effective use of devastating
components like Green Goblin: Gobby and
Black Widow: Tsarina. Hallucigenia
probably had it pretty easy before the
terrifying predator Anomalocaris showed up
in large numbers.
Dice Masters will expand in October,
and that influx of new content will
inevitably change the game’s young status
quo. The current dominant decks will have
to adapt to new pressures, as what’s
commonly called the “metagame” shifts from
its former plateau.
“Metagame, to me, is the idea that I
need to keep in mind more than just the rules
of the game,” Cates says. “There are certain
strategies that players of the game will focus
in on and you must have a way to deal with
those strategies or you just won't be
competitive.”
Or, to put in a biologic sense, keep up or
die. There’s an idea in evolutionary theory
called the Red Queen hypothesis, named
after the “Through the Looking-Glass”
antagonist who said to Alice,
Written by Russ Dobler | Images courtesy of John Sibbick,
Wikipedia, Watch it Played YouTube Channel, and Sam Landstrom
Which is scarier?
Depiction of Anomalocaris by John Sibbick
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Issue 8, Sep 2014
Or, to put in a biologic sense, keep up or
die. There’s an idea in evolutionary theory
called the Red Queen hypothesis, named
after the “Through the Looking-Glass”
antagonist who said to Alice,
“Now, here, you see, it takes all the
running you can do, to keep in the same
place.”
This concept help us understand why,
for example, insects like aphids don’t wipe
out all our crops or, conversely, go extinct
themselves. Evolved defenses like toxins may
kill many of the bugs, but some will be
luckily adapted to be resistant. Those
individuals will breed and multiply and then
the process is back to square one.
Like life, the Dice Masters game is likely
to continue its stasis, despite the addition of
new tricks. “If the counters are in place and
Gobby and Tsarina aren’t played, then the
counters get dropped and then Gobby and
Tsarina will come back again as relevant,”
Cates says. “It’s sort of a vicious cycle.”
Danny Mandel, co-founder of
Super Awesome Games and one of the
Tsarina will come back again as relevant,”
Cates says. “It’s sort of a vicious cycle.”
Danny Mandel, co-founder of
Super Awesome Games and one of the
original designers of the soon-returning Vs.
System trading card game, further breaks
down what goes into determining a local
metagame in language that could be ripped
from an ecology textbook.
“Cheaper decks are more likely to get
played,” he says, just like animals with a
lower metabolic cost. Fashionable decks can
make appearances, Mandel says, if they’re
offbeat or fun, “even if they’re not really
that good.” Sounds like sexual selection to
me.
And of course, it always comes back to
the Red Queen. “Players often try out
different decks in response to how they think
the metagame is going to evolve from the
previous tournament,” Mandel says.
Don’t breathe easily thinking this kind
of go-nowhere competition only afflicts
creepy crawlies and plastic cubes, though, or
you might be sucking wind to catch up
yourself. In his appropriately-titled book,
“Metagame,” Sam Landstrom envisions a
creepy crawlies and plastic cubes, though, or
you might be sucking wind to catch up
yourself. In his appropriately-titled book,
“Metagame,” Sam Landstrom envisions a
tomorrow in which humans improve their
own personal decks, and those of their
children, by deliberately altering their DNA.
“I don’t want my child to be the stupid
one on the block; they should be a genius,
too,” Landstrom imagines a future parent
saying. “I could
see people easily
going over to
genetic
engineering in
order to not roll
the dice with
their kids, to
make sure they
have the looks
and intelligence
to be
competitive.”
Game on.
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A true geek… Underneath
it all?
Written by Teresa Simmons | Images
courtesy of muchomas.com,
thingsnerdslike.com, and fora.mtv.ca
it all?
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Issue 8, Sep 2014
How you dress tells the world a lot about who you are
without having to say anything. Your clothes do the speaking
for you—this is why style and fashion is so important. Like it or
not, people make judgments about you that are purely based on
what you decide to wear in the morning. As with every other
style, dressing geek chic comes with its own assumptions that
other people can’t help but make. But it’s up to you to prove
them wrong by telling them who you really are and what
interests you.
Geeks like to read comic books and graphic novels. If you
prefer geek chic style, people might make this assumption
about you. But this statement may or may not be true. You
might be a fanatical collector of comic books who prowls eBay
and garage sales looking for that “special edition,” or you might
only read high fashion magazines. You might not even like
reading at all. It doesn’t mean you can’t rock the style.
Anime conventions are every geek’s idea of a dream
vacation. Believe it or not, some people may think this as
you’re walking down the street in your bowtie and large
glasses. You may enjoy going to anime and comic conventions
in your spare time and counting down the days until the next
think if you told them that you failed math in high school, but
got the highest marks in your English class? And what if you
told them that you don’t like science or anything
molecular? The Big Bang Theory is one of your favourite
shows on television, but you don’t have the same interests as
the characters in the show. Go figure!
The point of reassessing your style amidst a world that
loves to make assumptions is that there is really no such thing
as being a “true geek.” You don’t have to dress like one to be a
“geek” and just because you may like certain style elements
that fall under the geek chic category, it doesn’t mean that you
like all of the things that people assume to be nerd culture. You
simply just like the style…and there’s nothing wrong with that.
If people want to know the real truth about you, all it takes is a
bit of time, some coffee and a little conversation.
CC cover photo credit: fora.mtv.ca/2012/05/geek-chic.
one, but your idea of a dream vacation may be lounging on the
beach sipping beer on a beach in Jamaica. They really haven’t
got you figured out, now, do they? There’s much more to you
than meets the eye.
They’re wearing suspenders, so they must be really,
really good at mathematics and science. What would they
think if you told them that you failed math in high school, but
got the highest marks in your English class? And what if you
told them that you don’t like science or anything
molecular? The Big Bang Theory is one of your favourite
shows on television, but you don’t have the same interests as
the characters in the show. Go figure!
The point of reassessing your style amidst a world that
loves to make assumptions is that there is really no such thing
as being a “true geek.” You don’t have to dress like one to be a
“geek” and just because you may like certain style elements
that fall under the geek chic category, it doesn’t mean that you
like all of the things that people assume to be nerd culture. You
simply just like the style…and there’s nothing wrong with that.
If people want to know the real truth about you, all it takes is a
bit of time, some coffee and a little conversation.
17
Issue 8, Sep 2014
Summer is coming to an end and, as September closes out, so will the summer wedding season. To mark this memorable season, I’ve
scoured the web for some creative, pop-cultured inspired wedding cakes—so awesome, you’ll want to get married just to sink your
teeth into these bad boys.
An elegant Star Wars cake
This elegant galaxy includes the Millennium Falcon, an X-wing Starfighter, the Death Star, and a tie-fighter amongst its stars.
The ultimate Dr. Who rendition
This artsy wedding cake was topped with a Tardis, a sonic screwdriver, and a small fez. The weeping angel is hovering on the
middle tier, alongside a sugar peony and a red bow-tie. Sitting cute and pudgy on the ledge of the middle tier is a little adipose. A
Dalek and a soufflé, with a burnt top, finished off the bottom of this three-tier wedding cake.
Royalty-worthy Game of Thrones ensemble
Thoughtful, elegant, creative. Be sure to check out this editorial for the epic Game of Thrones-inspired wedding. From the opulent
floral arrangements, House of Stark sigils, and a nod to the collar of chains worn by maesters, this themed wedding was filled with
all sorts of remnants of Westeros.
A fondant Back to the Future
This Back to the Future homage is complete with a Delorean, Emmett Brown, and of course a rendition of the happy couple: Marty
McFly and Jennifer Parker.
Save the Princess, Mario. Then, ye may be wed.
Each layer of this gamer’s wedding cake portrays different Super Mario worlds. Of course, it’s topped with Mario kissing the
Princess in front of the castle. Oh, all those cute, little mushrooms.
Literary Bliss
Oscar Wilde. Life of Pi. Vonnegut. Enough said.
Find your Precious in Middle Earth
This piece of wedding cake art carves out several Middle Earth landscapes, fit to be featured in a Hobbit-themed affair.
Alice in Wonderland Chic
Right down to the pages of a vintage Alice in Wonderland hardcover, this cake is beautiful, chic, and classic. “Pocket Watch: your
wishes will be granted very soon."
We wants it, we needs it.
Written by Sherry Lawler | Images courtesy of Sherry Lawler,
popsugar.com, artisancakecompany.com, burnettsboards.com,
walyou.com, fanpop.com, cakecentral.com, walyou.com, and
karaspartyideas.com
Must have the precious cakes.
An elegant Star Wars cake This elegant galaxy includes the Millennium Falcon, an
X-wing Starfighter, the Death Star, and a tie-fighter
amongst its stars.
The ultimate Dr. Who rendition
Literary Bliss Oscar Wilde. Life of Pi. Vonnegut. Enough said.
Find your Precious in Middle Earth
18
Issue 8, Sep 2014
Royalty-worthy Game of
Thrones ensemble Thoughtful, elegant, creative. Be sure to check out this
editorial for the epic Game of Thrones-inspired wedding.
From the opulent floral arrangements, House of Stark
sigils, and a nod to the collar of chains worn by maesters,
this themed wedding was filled with all sorts of remnants
of Westeros.
A fondant Back to the Future
This Back to the Future homage is complete with a
A fondant Back to the Future This Back to the Future homage is complete with a
Delorean, Emmett Brown, and of course a rendition of the
happy couple: Marty McFly and Jennifer Parker.
Save the Princess, Mario. Then, ye may be wed.
Each layer of this gamer’s wedding cake portrays
19
Issue 8, Sep 2014
Save the Princess,
Mario. Then, ye may
be wed. Each layer of this gamer’s wedding
cake portrays different Super Mario
worlds. Of course, it’s topped with
Mario kissing the Princess in front of
the castle. Oh, all those cute, little
mushrooms.
Literary Bliss
Oscar Wilde. Life of Pi. Vonnegut.
Enough said.
The ultimate Dr.
Who rendition This artsy wedding cake was
topped with a Tardis, a sonic
screwdriver, and a small fez.
The weeping angel is
hovering on the middle tier,
alongside a sugar peony and a
red bow-tie. Sitting cute and
pudgy on the ledge of the
middle tier is a little adipose.
A Dalek and a soufflé, with a
burnt top, finished off the
bottom of this three-tier
wedding cake.
Royalty-worthy Game of
Thrones ensemble
Thoughtful, elegant, creative.
Be sure to check out this
editorial for the epic Game of
Thrones-inspired wedding.
From the opulent floral
arrangements, House of Stark
sigils, and a nod to the collar
of chains worn by maesters,
this themed wedding was
filled with all sorts of
remnants of Westeros.
A fondant Back to the
Future
This Back to the Future
homage is complete with a
Delorean, Emmett Brown, and
of course a rendition of the
20
Issue 8, Sep 2014
Find your Precious in Middle
Earth This piece of wedding cake art carves out several Middle
Earth landscapes, fit to be featured in a Hobbit-themed
affair.
Alice in Wonderland Chic
Right down to the pages of a vintage Alice in Wonderland
Alice in Wonderland Chic Right down to the pages of a vintage Alice in Wonderland
hardcover, this cake is beautiful, chic, and classic.
“Pocket Watch: your wishes will be granted very soon."
21
Issue 8, Sep 2014
For Your
Reconsideration:
Gunday (2014)
Written by Matt Bowes | Images
courtesy of bollywoodmdb.com,
ibnlive.in.com, and Yash Raj Films
The Internet Movie Database is a useful website, but it does have
some drawbacks. It’s a great device when you’re trying to remember that
guy who was in that thing but as a measure of general film quality, it
leaves a lot to be desired. Unlike Rotten Tomatoes, which analyzes critical
opinion to get a consensus on a movie’s quality, IMDB tends more
towards extremism as fans want to make their enjoyment of things they’ve
just seen get recognized on the Top 250 list (The Dark Knight at #4 best
of all time, Forrest Gump at #14, really? REALLY?). The Top 250 list is
also very Hollywood-centric and, for the most part, the films date from
the last thirty years or so.
Currently reigning at the very bottom of the IMDB chart, however,
we find this year’s Gunday, a movie that has been affected by the public’s
taste more than most. Due to a coordinated campaign against the film,
where most of the people involved probably didn’t even seen
it, Gunday has been singled out for this dubious honour due to what its
critics feel is a misreading of historical events (more information on this
can be found here). The movie itself is not the issue here, as personal and
political beliefs are what marked this film off as being unworthy, which is
22
Issue 8, Sep 2014
critics feel is a misreading of historical events (more information on this
can be found here). The movie itself is not the issue here, as personal and
political beliefs are what marked this film off as being unworthy, which is
too bad because Gunday is about as good of an introduction to Bollywood
cinema as you could ever want. It’s got it all, over-the-top gangster action,
a romantic triangle that hits the peak of melodrama, lush cinematography
(and moustaches), and interludes of music and dancing.
The story starts off in the 1970s, as the nation of Bangladesh emerges
from a bloody war of independence. Two young refugees from
Bangladesh, Bikram and Bala, find themselves working for a gunrunner
near the newly-formed border, but soon they make their way to Calcutta
after Bala has to kill a corrupt army officer to save his friend’s life. Flash
forward fifteen years, where Bikram (Ranveer Singh) and Bala (Arjun
Kapoor) have set themselves up as the city’s most beloved gangsters, two
self-proclaimed “gunday” (Hindi slang for outlaws or goons) by cornering
the market on coal coming into town by rail. They achieve this control
over Calcutta’s resources by beating seven shades of hell out of the man
who used to control the trade, Dibakar. To illustrate the heightened level
of insanity at which the fight scenes in the film operate, at one point
during the raid on Dibakar’s train, Bikram picks up one thug and uses
him to smack two other thugs before throwing him at a sign.
Right away, Gunday deviates from the classic gangster film formula,
as the means by which the duo become wealthy and powerful is not a
difficult pill for the audience to swallow. As opposed to a drug dealer like
Tony Montana in Brian de Palma’s remake of Scarface, or a bootlegger
like Little Caesar and most of the 1930s Warner Bros. gangsters, our
heroes here are virtuous criminals by default as they control the use of a
household necessity rather than a societal ill. To further reinforce the fact
that these are two great dudes, they’ve gone on to use this wealth for
philanthropy in addition to their lush lifestyle, building hospitals and
schools for the less fortunate. This follows a rich tradition of social justice
in Bollywood cinema, which is often concerned with the plight of poor
people and the disabled.
philanthropy in addition to their lush lifestyle,
building hospitals and schools for the less
fortunate. This follows a rich tradition of social
justice in Bollywood cinema, which is often
concerned with the plight of poor people and the
disabled.
The songs in Gunday are some of my
favourites of the Bollywood films I’ve seen. The
adult versions of Bikram and Bala are introduced
with "Jashn-E-Ishqa," a joyous song that talks
about how good of friends the two are, and how
they are awesome bros. They do cool things like
ride around on motorcycles, set playing cards on
fire and mud wrestle one another.
As you can expect from this description, the
homoerotic tension in the film is heightened just
as much as the action scenes. This is definitely a
film designed for the female/homoerotic gaze, as
our two heroes are excellent specimens, who seem
to sweat baby oil and lose their shirts often. That’s
not to say that women are not represented in the
story, though, as one comes between the two men.
Nandita (Priyanka Chopra) is a cabaret dancer at the Calcutta Club.
She’s introduced to us in a comedic scene in which the two heroes are
momentarily stymied by how to use a urinal in their traditional outfits, at
which point things get further awkward as Nandita leaves a stall. Her
initial song, “Asalaam-E-Ishqum," is performed alongside the burlesque
troupe at the Calcutta Club, and features what is perhaps the most baller
image ever put onscreen when Bikram shoots a silenced Uzi machine gun
at the sky and money rains down on Nandita leaning on a classic car.
This is only the beginning of the lush 70s-80s environments
that Gunday delivers to audiences. In addition to some excellent location
photography, sets like the Calcutta Club and Bikram and Bala’s coal mine
are very well-realized and tactile.
Nandita is far from just being another bit of eye candy, though, as
she’s a fully developed character in her own right. Both men profess their
love to her, and then concoct schemes to win her affection. It is Nandita,
though, who has all the power in this three-way relationship, and the two
men are the ones who are left pining for her. In another great scene later
on, Nandita invites Bikram and Bala to meet her at a run-down movie
theatre screening Mr. India, and she sings and dances along with a
musical sequence onscreen. In a manner reminiscent of John
Boorman’s Point Blank, violence later ensues as the figures on the big
screen play on unaware of what’s going on in the real world, but this
initial scene is very charming. Gunday has an interesting approach
towards Bollywood’s film history. Many movies made in India at the
moment are remakes of classic 1970s films, while Gunday makes
comparisons to this era metatextually, both in the Mr. India example and
in the use of film soundtracks from earlier eras throughout. Fans of M.I.A.
may recognize the clip she used in her song “Jimmy” in a scene in which
Bala tries to impress Nandita by buying her any fish she wants at the
market.
The antagonist of the piece comes in the form of international film star
23
Issue 8, Sep 2014
market.
The antagonist of the piece
comes in the form of
international film star Irrfan
Khan, who Western audiences
probably know best from Life of
Pi, or his recent arthouse
success, The Lunchbox. In a
departure from those sorts of
role, he plays Satya, a cool-as-
nails supercop who’s brought in
to take down Bikram and Bala’s
criminal empire. Satya is a
chessmaster type who plays
other people off one another to
bring justice to Calcutta’s
streets. Both the criminals and
the cop who’s chasing them are
very likeable and cool
characters, making every scene
between them very entertaining.
I tried to go see Gunday
during its opening weekend this
Valentine’s Day at one of the few
multiplexes in town that plays
Bollywood movies, but I was
shocked to see that the
screening was sold out. We
ended up going to see it a week
later, and the theatre was still
pretty packed. While I do think
it is very important to support
arthouse theatres like the Metro
Cinema, it’s also fascinating to
think that inherently populist
and fun films like Gunday are
reaching an audience that a lot
of filmgoers don’t even think
about. Luckily, it’s now available
on Netflix, as are a lot of
entertaining Bollywood action
films like the Dhoom series
and Don 1 and 2. I’d definitely
recommend stepping out of your
comfort zone once in a while and
seeing what other cultures have
to offer in the form of popcorn
fare, in addition to their art
movies that score high on IMDB.
24
Issue 8, Sep 2014
Meathook
1 1/2 oz Knob Creek Bourbon
1/2 oz Punt Mes (Sweet
Vermouth)
1/4 oz Ardbeg Scotch Whisky
1/8 oz Maraschino Liquor
Instructions: In a mixing glass, gently stir
bourbon, Punt Mes, Ardbeg, and
Maraschino Liquor with ice. Strain mix
into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with
a brandied cherry.
Bring on
the bourbon
September is National Bourbon
History Month in the US. Before we get
to our Bourbon-inspired cocktail list,
here’s a brief history to commemorate
this fine spirit.
Bourbon is required to be distilled in
the US, must be made of at least fifty-
one per cent corn, and aged in a brand
new, charred oak barrel. Unlike Scotch
and Irish whisky, which are able to
incorporate colour and flavour to create
consistency across thousands of whisky
batches, this practice is flat-out illegal in
the distilling of bourbon.
Some of your favourite Scotches
may, however, contain some bourbon.
Why? Since barrels are only able to be
used once in the making of bourbon,
these barrels are then shipped over to the
Scotch distilleries, usually with
approximately three to five gallons of
bourbon still seeping from the wood, to
be used in the aging of scotch whisky.
This mixing of spirits often gives the
scotch much of its flavour.
Now for the pièce de résistance: our
Bourbon Mad Men-inspired cocktails.
Written by Sherry Lawler | Images
courtesy of scoutmagazine.ca,
justcocktails.org, and Sherry Lawler
Manhattan
2 oz Buffalo Trace Bourbon
1 oz Carpano Antica (Sweet
Vermouth)
3 dashes Angostura Bitters
1 Brandied Cherry
Instructions: In a mixing glass, gently stir
bourbon, Carpano Antica, and bitters
with ice. Strain mix into a chilled martini
glass. Garnish with a brandied cherry.
25
Issue 8, Sep 2014
Old Fashioned
1 tsp sugar
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
2 oz Jefferson’s Reserve Bourbon
1 orange peel
1 orange slice
Instructions: Take orange peel and coat rim of rocks glass.
Muddle orange peel, sugar, and bitters. Over large ice ball, or
two large cubes of ice, add bourbon. Stir gently with bar
spoon. Garnish with orange slice, if you’d like; otherwise,
the orange peel in the drink is a great garnish in itself.
Tip: Change up the bitters for a different flavour to your Old
Fashioned. Can easily substitute Peach bitters, Black Walnut
bitters (always a hit), or, for a bit of spice, some Cajun
Bitters.
Mint Julep
10-12 leaves of fresh Mint
2 oz Maker’s Mark Bourbon
1/2 oz mint syrup (or simple syrup)
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Instructions: Spank mint, dropping into a Julep
cup. Add bourbon, mint syrup, and bitters.
Muddle. Fill cup with shaved ice. Garnish with
sprigs of mint.
For a twist: Try Fee Brothers Plum Bitters and 1
barspoon Agave Nectar instead (shown in photo).
There you have it. Three Mad Men-inspired
Bourbon cocktails, and another with an extra
kick of Whisky. After a night of drinking like
Mad Men, don’t forget to comment below with
your favoured Bourbon cocktail.
26
Issue 8, Sep 2014
It’s that time of year again. I would like to
take this opportunity to wish you all a very
Merry Back to School. You celebrate Back to
School, right? Of course you do. Whether you’re
a teacher, student, any-colour-collared worker,
or a retiree, I’m positive you acknowledge this
progressively commercial holiday season in
some sort of way. So what does “Back to School”
mean in our modern, new-age world? Has it
always been celebrated in the same way? And to
the same degree?
For me, Back to School means exactly that:
heading back to school. I have very fond
memories of shopping with my mom for back to
school clothes and supplies as a child. I
remember her coming with me to the mall in my
early years, allowing me to pick out two or three
new pairs of pants and four to five tops,
depending on the price. I could always easily
sway her judgment by convincing her that I
couldn’t possibly make it through the school
year without the latest styles, along with that
completely useless mini leather backpack. As I
grew older, mom wised up and caught on to my
ploy. She started giving me a set amount of
money and sending me to the mall with my
friends to do my shopping, knowing that this
way I wouldn’t be able to make any last-minute
pleas her way before getting up to the counter. I
would always insist that she come shopping
would always insist that she come shopping with
me so we could spend quality time together…but
she was too smart for my manipulative teenage
wiles. Alas, I soon learned to think very carefully
and critically about my Back to School
purchases. And, because of this, I cared very
deeply for them, laying each outfit perfectly on
my bed, imagining my friends admiring my new
duds as I walked down the school halls.
I asked my husband, a Senior Buyer for a
manufacturing company, if the idea of Back to
School means anything to him. His reply: “Not
really. It means I need to start making your
lunches again.” What a guy, hey? This started
me thinking about my attachment to this time of
year.
I’m a school teacher, so it clearly makes
sense that I still consider the month of
September as the beginning of a new year, a
fresh start, an opportunity to go spend my
Canadian dollar on some new threads. More
significantly, the new school season provokes me
to re-evaluate my day-to-day routines, my
teaching, and admittedly, my overall purpose in
life. This is the time of year where my real New
Year’s Resolutions are made.
Obviously, I’m not the only one who views
the Back to School holiday as an important time
of year. It’s now time to talk about that ugly
elephant in the room. The one that makes the
elephant in the room. The one that makes the
world go round. The one that is very difficult to
escape from even if you try so hard to do just
that. That’s right—the elephant that is
Capitalism.
As you can see from my earlier nostalgic
memories, I’ve been one of the many young
minds brainwashed to think that the new school
year means automatically needing to have new
things. Lots of news things! And if the thing is
from last year but it’s still in very good
condition, it’s too late; it’s still too old to be new!
Come late August, the seasonal aisles of
every store you go into will hold shelves supplied
to the nines with school supplies. Just weeks
before, these were the exact shelves that once
housed summer water toys and patio furniture.
And once the Back to School capitalist markets
make their buck, these same shelves will be
home to a large array and mixture of turkey
figurines, spooky decorations that talk at you
when you walk by, and loads of delicious mini-
sized “I-can-eat-five-of-these-because-they-are-
small” packages of Halloween candy.
I guess what I’m trying to say is that we, as
a society, might as well just get it over with and
make it official. In North America, Back to
School Season is an actual thing. We like to
celebrate and acknowledge it. It may not have
been accepted into the club of our favorites yet,
like Halloween, Valentine’s Day, and St Patty’s,
but just like the others, it happens every year
and we act upon it.
Thusly, as it ‘tis the season, I’ll leave you
and your thoughts with a quote from F. Scott
Fitzgerald, who must also have been musing on
the Back to School season:
“Life starts all over again when it gets crisp
in the fall.”
How are you going to start the new school
year?
What does “Back to School”
mean to you?
Written by Kelsey Beier |
Image courtesy of 5wpr.com
27
Issue 8, Sep 2014
Edmontonians
band together to
build Wolverine
statue
Written by Cheryl Cottrell-Smith | Images courtesy of steamtradingcards.wikia.com,
Marvel Comics, and jadedeye.aminus3.com.
Canadian comic book lovers are taking a stand. They’re working to reprint Golden Age Canadian
classics. They’re pushing local content and artists at conventions. And they’re signing petitions to build a
majestic life-sized Wolverine statue smack dab in the middle of Edmonton.
Even the local news outlets have picked up on the Wolverine hype. Brian LaBelle is the initiator of
the original Wolverine statue petition, which he wrote as a satirical commentary on the funding
arrangements for the new downtown arena. A certified child and youth care counsellor and program
manager of a group care program, LaBelle’s original petition for a 1000 foot Wolverine statue—which
gained almost 1800 supporters—garnered so much interest that he soon realized this idea could become
a reality.
“The petition was shared by Edmonton media and managed to end up in the news across the
United States and even in Brazil and Japan,” says LaBelle. “There was clearly some actual interest in the
concept but to build a 1000' statue would be impossible and completely ridiculous. From there, the idea
grew that a 10-15' statue could be possible.”
LaBelle isn’t the only one to see the value of the project. Not knowing the original petition existed,
Jesse Seitz, helped by friend Christopher Olivier, recently began a new petition to build a Wolverine
statue in Edmonton. This petition has reached over 1200 supporters as of Sunday, September 21.
Edmonton wouldn’t be the first city to celebrate the best in pop culture with a concrete monument.
Philadelphia has a Rocky Balboa statue and Detroit recently erected a Robocop statue, paid for with a
crowdfunding campaign. Edmonton is jumping on board with its own wish to celebrate a pop culture icon
of its own: the Albertan-born member of the X-men, Wolverine.
“I just think it's fun,” says LaBelle. “The character is from Northern Alberta, there are literally
thousands of options for public art that are going to be displayed in the city, and I just think this is
something that could and should be considered and others obviously do too.”
Worldwide, Wolverine is already a symbol of Canadian perseverance and strength. Erecting a
statue to celebrate this character is tantamount to claiming him as Edmonton’s own. Not just as an
Albertan, but as a really awesome Albertan.
“I’ve been working on [this] for the past year and I just recently got some great advice and direction
on what would actually need to be done to get a statue like this built and displayed,” says LaBelle.
Likewise, people throughout Alberta are throwing their support behind the idea.
“With my original petition and with this latest one, there has been a lot of public support,” says
LaBelle. “A lot of people think if we're going to spend money on baseball bats and piles of balls, why not
something like this?”
Of course, some people have been voicing their concerns with the fact that Wolverine is a Northern
Albertan, claiming that the character isn’t really suitable as an Edmonton monument. But, as author
Leslie Chivers shows in a recent blog post, Wolverine’s connection to Edmonton is multifaceted,
stemming from his connections with the Canadian government and John Byrne’s Alpha Flight, a group of
Canadian superheroes who first appeared in X-men #120 when they tried to reclaim Wolverine from the
X-men. Several of Alpha Flight’s exploits take place in Edmonton, throughout notable spots such as West
Edmonton Mall and Jasper Avenue.
In Edmonton, the likelihood of a Wolverine statue initiative actually reaching fruition has been
helped along by advice from Edmonton’s new mayor, Don Iveson, who gave LaBelle the information he
needed to further his cause.
“Mayor Iveson actually reached out to me through Twitter, got my information and passed it along
to people on the Edmonton Arts Council so we could arrange to meet and go over the steps necessary
for having a piece of art considered for public display,” says Labelle. “They gave me some perspective on
potential issues I hadn't considered but [which] they have, because that's what they do for a living. It was
28
Issue 8, Sep 2014
statue in Edmonton. This petition has reached over 1200 supporters as of Sunday,
September 21.
Edmonton wouldn’t be the first city to celebrate the best in pop culture with a
concrete monument. Philadelphia has a Rocky Balboa statue and Detroit recently
erected a Robocop statue, paid for with a crowdfunding campaign. Edmonton is
jumping on board with its own wish to celebrate a pop culture icon of its own: the
Albertan-born member of the X-men, Wolverine.
“I just think it's fun,” says LaBelle. “The character is from Northern Alberta,
there are literally thousands of options for public art that are going to be displayed in
the city, and I just think this is something that could and should be considered and
others obviously do too.”
Worldwide, Wolverine is already a symbol of Canadian perseverance and
strength. Erecting a statue to celebrate this character is tantamount to claiming him
as Edmonton’s own. Not just as an Albertan, but as a really awesome Albertan.
“I’ve been working on [this] for the past year and I just recently got some great
advice and direction on what would actually need to be done to get a statue like this
built and displayed,” says LaBelle.
Likewise, people throughout Alberta are throwing their support behind the
idea.
“With my original petition and with this latest one, there has been a lot of public
support,” says LaBelle. “A lot of people think if we're going to spend money on
baseball bats and piles of balls, why not something like this?”
Of course, some people have been voicing their concerns with the fact that
Wolverine is a Northern Albertan, claiming that the character isn’t really suitable as
an Edmonton monument. But, as author Leslie Chivers shows in a recent blog post,
Wolverine’s connection to Edmonton is multifaceted, stemming from his connections
with the Canadian government and John Byrne’s Alpha Flight, a group of Canadian
superheroes who first appeared in X-men #120 when they tried to reclaim Wolverine
from the X-men. Several of Alpha Flight’s exploits take place in Edmonton,
throughout notable spots such as West Edmonton Mall and Jasper Avenue.
In Edmonton, the likelihood of a Wolverine statue initiative actually reaching
fruition has been helped along by advice from Edmonton’s new mayor, Don Iveson,
who gave LaBelle the information he needed to further his cause.
“Mayor Iveson actually reached out to me through Twitter, got my information
and passed it along to people on the Edmonton Arts Council so we could arrange to
meet and go over the steps necessary for having a piece of art considered for public
display,” says Labelle. “They gave me some perspective on potential issues I hadn't
considered but [which] they have, because that's what they do for a living. It was
productive and provided some clear direction.”
Supporters of the Wolverine statue initiative can stay tuned to
the @WolverineStatue Twitter account, which will be posting information for
volunteer meetings within the next month. All other updates about the project will be
shared through this channel by LaBelle.
29
Issue 8, Sep 2014
Expo highlight:
Written by Cheryl Cottrell-Smith | Images courtesy
of Nerdpunk Cosplay and SeyeCo Images
Name/Handle: Nerdpunk Cosplay
A newcomer to the local cosplay scene,
Nerdpunk Cosplay began her adventures
in costume at the Calgary Expo earlier this
year. Rather than taking the easy route
and buying a costume, she decided to
make her own cosplay to have the full
experience. Since then, she’s been
hooked.
“My favourite things about cosplay are the
community and how accepting people are,”
she says. “All of my experiences at
conventions have been great. It feels like a
big family! You can’t really leave a con
without at least one new friend.”
Edmonton Expo Cosplay Exclusive
Nerdpunk Cosplay
Edmonton Expo Cosplay Exclusive
Nerdpunk will be appearing as Harley
Quinn on Friday and will be debuting her
Demon Hunter (Diablo 3) cosplay on
Saturday and Sunday.
Find more information on Nerdpunk
Cosplay’s Facebook page.