From 2008 through 2010, ONCE UPON A GEEK featured a new post every weekday.  Sure I missed a few days here and there, but for the most part you could find some new geeky missive here five times a week.  It was an absolute blast! Running this blog provided me with opportunities I never would have had otherwise.  I met numerous people through this site which led to things like: blog crossovers, podcast guest appearances, complimentary products for review, and interviews with comic creators such as Dan Mishkin and Gary Cohn (the creators of Blue Devil and Amethyst).

I’m one of those bloggers that closely watches the hits to my sites. With my background in Marketing, I find the viewer statistics fascinating. ONCE UPON A GEEK far exceeded my expectations! When I was posting regularly, we typically got around 1,500 hits per day. We just recently passed one million hits overall! That’s right, ONE MILLION HITS! Insane!

WHAT HAPPENED?

Towards the end of 2010, I was feeling burned out. I’d become something of a slave to this site. I absolutely loved writing about all things geeky and the relationships I’d built, but I was wearing myself out. I have a family, so the only time I have to blog is late at night. I was surviving on approximately 4 hours of sleep a night (often only 3 hours). I’d stopped watching TV, rarely read comics (which is what I was primarily blogging about), and had practically given up on novels. I missed unwinding. I missed enjoying my hobbies.

I knew the answer. If you stop loving something, stop doing it. It’s a no brainer. Unfortunately, I hadn’t stopped loving it, I was just tired. So in the beginning of 2011, I cut back the number of posts. I originally had planned to post once a week. That fell apart around June and I’ve rarely posted since then. While I haven’t posted in recent months, I still love ONCE UPON A GEEK. I’m very proud of the content here and often have new ideas for posts.

WHERE HAVE I BEEN?

If I haven’t been blogging here at ONCE UPON A GEEK, where have I been?  Well, somehow I’ve managed to keep myself plugged into the interwebs over the past year. Below are some places you may have found me:

• ONCE UPON A GEEK Twitter – I don’t tweet a lot from this account, but when I do it’s geeky!
• FIRESTORM FAN – My coverage of DC Comics’ Nuclear Men. Check out FIRESTORM FAN’s website, Twitter account, and Facebook page.
• THE FIRE AND WATER PODCAST – I’m one of the co-hosts of a podcast dedicated to Aquaman and Firestorm!
• TWO TRUE FREAKS PODCAST has offered me the occasional guest star opportunity. We typically chat about Star Wars and Star Trek!
• GIRLS GONE GEEK have done a few G3 lunch podcasts which I managed to sneak into.
• And you can usually find me over at THE UNIQUE GEEK podcast and THE UNIQUE GEEK listserv through Google Groups.

GOING FORWARD AND HOW TO SUBSCRIBE

Going forward, I’m gonna do my best to post here from time to time. I can’t promise any amount of frequency, but I’ll be around. It may only be once a month, but I’ll be sure to keep the heart pumping at ONCE UPON A GEEK. Personally, I hate checking a site every day when the content is rarely updated.  I’d much rather be notified when there is a new post.  If you’re like me, then I recommend the following ways to have ONCE UPON A GEEK content delivered directly to you:

• Subscribe to the RSS feed
• Subscribe via e-mail
• Subscribe through Networked Blogs which posts to Facebook

It feels pretty good to be back!  Thanks for stopping by and checking on ONCE UPON A GEEK!  Feel free to drop a comment and say HOWDY (you might need to scroll WAY down to find the comments – I gotta fix that)!  Talk with you soon!

Absolutely adorable! To see her in an Iron Man mask a last year, click here.

For news of her passing, visit the Doctor Who News Page.  Those folks will do an excellent job providing all the newsworthy details of her death.  While they report the news, I’m going to focus on my own personal feelings.

Hearing the news about Elisabeth Sladen really shook me.  Just a few short months ago we lost Nicholas Courtney and now this.  I realize death is part of life, but c’mon!  This isn’t fair!  This has totally blown any anticipation I had for this Saturday’s Doctor Who season opener.

I’ve been watching Doctor Who for nearly 30 years now.  Hands down, Sarah Jane Smith is my favorite companion.  Always has been, always will.  I first encountered Sarah Jane in Genesis of the Daleks in 1982, my very first glimpse of the show.  The early Tom Baker years were the first episodes I saw on a regular basis, so like most other young men I totally crushed on Sarah Jane.   She was everything a 10 year old boy wanted from a girlfriend.  Her smile lit up the room, she went on adventures, she fought evil, she constantly needed rescuing, she was so very sweet and friendly, and she always stuck by her best friend.   She was cool!  She wasn’t just a companion, she was a hero!

When I was older and re-watched several of her episodes, I was surprised just how likable she was as a character.  This was entirely due to Elisabeth Sladen’s fantastic performance.  Sladen’s Sarah Jane was warm, friendly, and believable.  Seeing Sarah Jane in later stories such as The Five Doctors or Dimensions in Time just reaffirmed how excellent the character was. While I can find something to like about every companion, Sarah Jane was THE premier Doctor Who companion as far as I was concerned.  Re-watching episodes like Genesis of the Daleks or Ark in Space, I can now see just how foxy she was as well!

When Elisabeth Sladen returned to Doctor Who for the episode “School Reunion” in 2006, I was overjoyed.  That episode was a real tear-jerker for me.  Seeing one of my favorite characters back in action after so long really pulled on the heartstrings.  Shortly after that, BBC announced The Sarah Jane Adventures.  Good for Elisabeth Sladen!  Nearly 30 years after leaving Doctor Who, she was granted her own spin-off (for a second time if you remember K-9 and Company)!  It’s not often an actor or actress can walk away from a role, then turn around 30 years later and make it even more popular!

She was really a great actress, even in her more recent appearances.  In the Doctor Who episode “Journey’s End”, Sarah Jane starts to cry and quiver with fear after hearing Davros’ voice again after 30 years.  Every time I watch Elisabeth Sladen cry, I start to tear up as well.  Also, it’s a testament to Sladen’s performance that the character of Sarah Jane Smith has worked so well with numerous Doctors (Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, David Tennant, and Matt Smith).  She made you believe these actors were playing the same character that she traveled with all those years ago.  She was so good!

I’ve only seen Elisabeth Sladen in a few interviews, but she always seemed like an absolutely wonderful lady.  From everything I’ve read about her, she was a talented and dynamic actress who was always friendly.  I had hoped to meet her one day at a convention, but now that can never happen.  Such an amazing woman and character.  She will be sorely missed.  The following cartoon speaks for itself…

When I was a child I thrilled to the adventures of the Doctor and Sarah Jane.  One of my greatest Doctor Who-related joys is that 30 years later and my own children have been able to thrill to their new adventures!  Elisabeth Sladen and Sarah Jane Smith… rest in peace.

UPDATE:

This post was a sort of catharsis for me. I had a lot of feelings roiling around about Elisabeth Sladen’s death and I had to work through them somehow. Upon re-reading this entry, I really didn’t convey what a wonderful actress Sladen was, what a great character Sarah Jane was, and the empty hole left behind by her passing.

My friend Ed sent a link to an article about Elisabeth Sladen on io9. I highly recommend you go read it. Some of the quotes and comments started me tearing up again.

http://io9.com/#!5793664/rip-elisabeth-sladen-doctor-whos-apprentice

For the past two years, I’ve run a site dedicated to Firestorm the Nuclear Man. While I enjoyed writing about Firestorm, I felt it was time to move on to something new. When I started the site in January 2009, Firestorm had been reduced to a minor character. His monthly series had been canceled for a third time, and he was a junior member of the Justice League of America. It was easy to keep up with his appearances and I could spend lots of time focused on his history. I liked that formula. Nowadays Firestorm is practically mainstream, appearing in DC’s number one selling comic Brightest Day. With rumors abound of a new Firestorm ongoing series, I felt it was time to move on before it became too difficult to keep up.

B’wana Beast has always been my favorite character and after searching around the web I haven’t been able to find an active blog dedicated to the character. I decided it was time to bid Firestorm a fond farewell and follow my heart. Thus was born B’WANA BEAST’S BLOG!

At B’WANA BEAST’S BLOG I’ll discuss all things about the character. I’ll be covering both B’wana Beast and Freedom Beast, comic books, toys, cartoon appearances, memorabilia, advertisements, my own editorial thoughts on the character … just about anything related to B’wana Beast. For example, today I published posts featuring some of B’wana Beast’s cartoon appearances, best comic covers, action figures, and more! That’s the general idea behind the blog.

So please feel free to stop by anytime or subscribe to the RSS feed.

Support B’wana Beast! Do Justice to the Jungle Master!

I snapped a few pictures during the fireworks.  The first couple shows off the icicle-coated castle (a special treat for winter 2010), the rest are from the fireworks.

That last shot was an incredibly lucky one.  It really was a spectacular experience.  Can’t wait to take the kids again!

If you’re not familiar with Power Pack, they are a team of super-powered siblings ranging in age from 5 to 12.  They first appeared in 1984, but Marvel started a new series of adventures five years ago featuring Power Pack in their “All Ages” range of books.  There have been eleven Power Pack mini-series in the “All Ages” range, each reprinted in digest format.

These Power Pack stories are pure and simple fun!  You can’t help but love these kids!  Alex the brave big brother; Julie the book smart older sister; Jack the smart alec younger brother; and Katie the impulsive baby of the group.  The kids come across as genuine and endearing, rather than grating on your nerves like some child characters. The label “All Ages” really applies here.  Kids from age 6 through 100 can enjoy these books.  Several years ago I started reading these digests to my step-son before he could read himself.  I’d often find him pouring over these digests looking at the pictures trying to relive the adventures.  Now he’s 11 years old and enjoys reading the digests himself.  Whenever a new one comes out, he ravenously rips through it.  Heck, I enjoy reading these digests!

Each digest is a stand alone story.  You don’t have to buy all the previous books to understand what’s going on.  Most digests guest-star a popular Marvel character or team. Often the story is timed to coincide with the release of a related film (i.e. the Power Pack/Thor digest just came out and the Thor film is on the horizon).  The coordination with the films provides a nice link for kids.  For younger children that may not be old enough to see the Marvel films, these digests at least expose them to the characters.  They see all the merchandise on TV and in the stores, so they’re naturally curious about the heroes.  For the older kids that can see the Marvel films, these digests serve as a primer so they know the basics of the characters.  For grown-ups, these digests are fun adventures with some favorite characters, but without the angst or event fatigue.

The majority of these digests have been written by either Marc Sumerak or Fred Van Lente, and drawn by Gurihiru.  Sumerak and Van Lente both do an excellent job conveying the innocence, exuberance, and sheer sense of fun these characters possess.  Gurihiru’s art has hints of Manga styling, but the crisp lines and vibrant colors make these books work.

If you have children ages 6-13, I urge you to pick up these digests.  You can order them from your local comic shop.  Your children will love them, it will get them reading, and they’ll discover the wonder of superhero comic books.

To be fair, I’ll admit that I’m biased.  I bought Power Pack #1 off the shelf back in 1984 and collected it for years.  I enjoyed the adventures of these children when I was 11 years old.  25 years later and my own 11 year old is thrilling to their adventures.  That makes this old geek happy.

I’m loving old Marvel comics from the Bronze Age!  This is surprising because I’m predominantly a post-Crisis DC guy (or Tween-Crisis DC guy to be exact).  The Bronze Age is often defined as mainstream comics published from 1970 to 1985.  Growing up I didn’t connect with most comics from the 70s.  Perhaps it’s because I’m getting older, or perhaps I’m just finally appreciating these great works, but I think I finally “get” the Bronze Age stuff.

The photo above shows some recent Bronze Age acquisitions, some of which I’ve already read and blogged about:

• Micronauts #1-20
• Essential Nova vol 1
• Avengers: Kree/Skrull War
• Essential Marvel Two-in-One vol 1 and 2
• Essential Marvel Team-Up vol 1 and 2
• Essential Ms. Marvel vol 1
• Essential Captain Marvel vol 1
• The Life & Death of Captain Marvel
• Essential Man-Thing vol 1
• Star Wars: A Long Time Ago… vol 1 – 6

Now the real question is when will I have time to read all of these?!?!  I’ll probably tackle the Essential Nova next.  I used to follow his exploits in the New Warriors and I’m also considering jumping into Annihilation.  That Essential should be a good gateway-drug into Annihilation.

I hear lots of people say they don’t enjoy reading the Essentials because they’re in black-and-white.  I can understand their complaint, reading a previously-color comic in black-and-white is sort of like eating french fries without ketchup.  It just comes down to what you can cope with.  Once you get past the color concern, you find these comics are still really enjoyable!

If you’re a fan of Bronze Age comics, you gotta visit the Comics Bronze Age site run by my buddy Andrew.  He does a phenomenal job on that site!  Check it out!

So… anyone else willing to share their vehicular weirdness?

Back in July, Diamond Comics Distributors advertised in their Previews catalog several different mini-comic bundles for Halloween:

• Archie & Friends All-Stars Presents Archie 1: The Dawn Of Time (from Archie Comics)
• Toy Story: The Return Of Buzz Lightyear (from BOOM! Studios)
• Bone Halloween (from Cartoon Books)
• Hot Stuff Halloween (from Dark Horse)
• Melvin Monster & Nancy A John Stanley Library Ha Ha Ha Halloween Treat (from Drawn & Quarterly)
• Littlest Pirate King & Toys In The Basement (from Fantagraphics Books)
• Smurfs Halloween (from Papercutz)

Sold in bundles of 25 copies, each colorful 6″ x 9″ mini-comic is filled with all-ages adventures and laughs that will last a lot longer than any chocolate bar.  The suggested retail price for each bundle of 25 is $4.99.  I picked up three bundles myself.  Well worth the money if it gets even just one kid interested in comics.

These mini-comic bundles shipped a few weeks ago.  However, if you contact your local comic shop today, they may still be able to re-order some for you in time for Halloween.

I bought the sticker at Lofty Pursuits.  I can’t seem to find it for sale on the internet, but if you go looking it was produced by “Duck and Cover”.  I’m still deciding whether to slap the sticker on my new Jeep or my laptop.

The phrase is a play on words from an old Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young song, “Almost Cut My Hair”, in which they sang the line “Let your freak flag fly”.