Guide To A Con

Chani Larsen made this handy guide to follow to best enjoy any event, like ECCC going on right now.

This reference manual was helpful on our fist day at Emerald City Comicon.  Hope it helps you to get the most out of ECCC too.  Make sure to check here at LarsenGeekery.com for all your gear before your next event.  Have a great Con.

o    ‘Ouch…!@#$#%’


Which is the noise I’ve apparently been making a lot these last few days while. That and some other choice words I’ll leave up to the imagination. I’ve been finishing up some of the last minute projects for Emerald City Comicon. Because it’s seriously right around the corner and there’s so much that needs to get done. Fortunately with such a short deadline, my projects are coming together quite nicely.

I’ve been so busy though, I had to set up my second sewing machine side by side! Just so I could finish up two more belt-loop pouches. I have also taken up the front entrance since it has the most solid surface. It happens to be the best place to set up to pound snaps into what I’ve been calling ‘man pants.’ It’s fun to say. Go ahead, say it out loud right now: man pants! It’s cool, right?

What makes ‘man pants’ so unique? For starters they have a wide waist band, deep pockets and plenty of room in the seat and rise. I’ve been using heavy twill so they’re rugged like denim or cargo pants but also comfortable. They look nice and the all-cotton fabric breathes and allows air to flow. They can handle the pressure of a long day at the comicon or whatever else you might want to use them for. But the real geekey thing is that they’re fitted around the calf so you can wear boots. Or just to get that same look as wearing spats without having to be dressy or uniformy.

Nobody else you know will have them, because they’re not as geeky as you… unless they also come to larsengeekery.com

Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice...

We are off to Emerald City Comicon all weekend.
If you are going, we will see you there.
If not, we will still be there, Geeking Out on your behalf.

Here's a new Geekery Mascot for your enjoyment.

Hickman's Fantastic Four Worth Geeking Out About

By Lazy Jay
The comic news sites say the Jonathan Hickman will stop writing Fantastic Four soon.  I feel sorry for the writer that has to come in after this 3-year run because Hickman has literally been “fantastic”.

He really brought the family dynamics of the group to the forefront of every story.  These aren’t just super-powered heroes who happen to be a family—The Fantastic Four is a Family who happens to have super powers to add to their list of challenges.  And believe me, having super powers doesn’t make it any easier to raise brilliant but precocious children, or to deal with the loss of a family member.

4 Days till ECCC 2012

by Lazy Jay


Only 4 more days until Emerald City Comicon 2012 in Seattle.

Terry Dodson just posted an exclusive ECCC print he will have at the show.
Steampunk Orcas, what could be Geekier than that!  Love it.

Got the ECCC Mobile App loaded on my phone.
Got my single issues pulled for autographs.
Got a box full of mini comics to hand out.
Evelyn has been putting finishing touches on costumes and gear that friends and family are wearing to the event.

This is one of the top GEEK Events of the year and we are ready to go.
Really, Are We There Yet?  Can we go to the show now?
Can you tell I'm anxious and excited?

Exclusive Geekery Mini Comic

By Lazy Jay

I have created a mini comic exclusively for LarsenGeekery, "Real Geeks Know".
We're going to hand them out at events and include them with purchases of product.
So if you want one, meet us at an event or purchase a product (hint, hint).

In my opinion, reading comics online is not as cool as holding them in your hands, but in the Geek spirit of sharing here is the electronic version.  The only mini comic I know of with robots, flying monkeys and Spock's brain!  (Psst: Click on "Read More >>" below to see the rest of the pages.  And you can click on the individual pictures to see larger versions!)

Siona is helping us Geek Out

By Jay from the Geek Phone
Siona is helping me fold Larsen Geekery mini comics.
I'll post an electronic version soon. But for now it's a limited
edition collectors item.

Fwd: At our secret lair

> A top secret Geekery project is unfolding. Well, actually there is
> lots of folding.
>
> By Jay from the mobile geek phone.

Flying Monkey Mascot

Holy Flying Monkeys, Batman!
Its a new Geekery Mascot.
A flying monkey wearing a fez is cool...
But shouldn't you be wearing pants, Mr Monkey?

by Lazy Jay
I'll have to do a color version soon.

Positively Geeky

by Lady Evelyn

These past few weeks in Geekery central time went by fast. I have been in the sewing room organizing my supplies, designing new products and received a few special orders. I have completed construction on two of the three steeple jacks or ‘man pants’ for the Emerald City ComicCon event. As well as a clip on pouch which you can attach to a shoulder strap, belt loops… or bustle?

That’s right; this cloth bag has two lobster claw snap-clips that are great for hanging from any convenient location. But in this case, I have a matching bustle to go with it. The pleating especially on this bustle came out really nice. I decided to give the pleating points for a bit of an interesting stylish flair.

 

Inspired a little from Xena: Warrior Princess and a little by Wonder Woman.

I created a prototype of the belt loop pouch, while thinking of an alternative to the old style fanny pack. This pouch is a hip, modern and positively geeky substitute to the bulky ‘granny fanny’ pack. The prototype was made out of the same material as a bodice I made for my daughter’s eighteenth birthday, which she conveniently can’t find (Siona’s addendum: I’m working on it!)

There are inside pockets on the pouch for various little items you might want to keep a hold of: pens, keys, etc. My husband, Jay, also suggested the stylish clear front pocket. Have to have a place to put your Con pass after all, right?  This way the pass doesn’t ruin the style of your outfit. The lining is made out of cotton and those are some sturdy snaps.

All in all, I’m quite proud of this design and have received many compliments. I’m really looking forward to wearing this ensemble to the ECCC. Just 10 more days, I can’t wait.  Now everybody go geek out on something fun.

Pre Con Anticipation

By Lazy Jay

Is it Geeky or just pathetic to be experiencing high levels of Pre Con Anticipation for the Emerald City ComiCon 2012?  There are only 14 days left to wait for Seattle's biggest and best Comic Book Event.  So why do I feel like a little kid waiting for Christmas to get here?

Probably because I am still just a little kid inside, with no intention of growing up, and ECCC is a lot like Christmas.

So what is the solution to Con-ticipation (OK I tried it, but that just sounds weird), I mean Anticipation?

Well, Bully gave me a great idea when he posted this picture:

Who is Nylor Truggs and why do possessive pronouns freak him out?

I don't know.

But if I invent a time machine, it will always be ComicCon time!!

I can wait until the reviews come out to see which panels I should have gone to, and then go to them!

Heck, I could go to two or three panels that are scheduled at the same time!  (Why does it always happen that two or three of the panels you most want to go to are set to go off at the same time?)

Oh well...Emulating Lex Luthor is probably a bad idea, even if Lex's time machine does look like it could be a TARDIS  (Yes Lex tried to build a TARDIS in 1984, The New Adventures of Superboy #50).  And nobody in a TARDIS ever seems to get to were and when they are trying to get to.  So even though watching other people ride in TARDISes is entertaining, it could be quite disruptive to actually ride in one.  And honestly, I don't have the first idea of how to build a real time machine.

So I will just have to travel through time the old fashioned way and wait for March 30th to come one day at a time.  If I seem a little anxious you'll just have to be Con-siderate of my childish Con-dition and do your best to Con-sole me.

Geekery Gear is Going Fast According to Chani

Here is a comic Chani did to express how cool the Geek Gear made by Evelyn really is.

Fan girls and fan boys are literally trying to take them off her back.

Don't worry, Geeks!  Evelyn can make you some great gear to wear to your favorite Con, or for everyday Geek wear.  Click the Contact Tab above and send Evelyn a note if you are interested in having some custom gear tailored just for you: Jackets, Pants, Accessories, you name it.

Oh, and Thanks for the cool comic, Chani (aka Knight Poe 23)!!!

Evelyn Geek Mascot

She's a Sewing Super Hero!
My Lady Evelyn is her own Geek Mascot!
Modeling her own handiwork!
Ready to help you Geek Out your Gear!
by Jay Larsen (c) 2012

Watching John Carter (Princess of Mars)

By Lazy Jay

Forget what the critics are saying—the new John Carter movie delivers the action.

While waiting for Disney’s movie “John Carter” to come out, I got a little bit peeved and worried by the prerelease marketing.  Dropping the original title of the Edgar Rice Burroughs book “Princess of Mars,” I could kind of understand.  But then dropping “Mars” from the title “John Carter of Mars” just seemed weird.  Also, the previews didn’t do a very good job of telling us what kind of story the film was going to be telling.  It was all kind of troubling for an old-fashioned fan boy of the original books—I read them all between the ages of 8 and 12 and loved them.

Then I went and saw the movie, “John Carter”.  Wow!  Not worried anymore!  It rocked!

Phonautograph Geekery

By Lazy Jay

What is a Phonautograph?  And why should I Geek Out about it?

Good questions.  The phonautograph was the invention of  Éduoard-Léon Scott, and in 1857 it was the first mechanical device to record sound.  That's pretty cool.  But he didn't have any way of playing the sound back.  His marvelous device just made lines on paper.  
But if you go to Boing Boing (click here), you can hear the first sound recordings as reproduced by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory from the original 1857 paper phonautographs.  And you can see Scott's mechanical drawings of his phonautograph.  


That's something to Geek Out about.

Wear What You Geek

By Lady Evelyn

I have been in the real estate world for over 10 years now.  And as this industry has become more and more politically charged; I have decided to add to my portfolio in a unique and diverse way.  Thus the launch of a new career at Larsen Geekery I am inspired passionately by only a few things in this world.  My husband Jay and children Siona and Chani first and foremost bring me that joy. But sewing has always been in my life and also brought me a great deal of delight and satisfaction.

My idea of fun is to create new classical fashion designs that are wearable for everyday life. I make creative fun clothing and accessories that are Steampunk Geekery.  Historical styles to incorporate in your geekey convention and cosplay fun or classic pieces to just geek out in. Think fashion forward for everyday geekery.

We will be blogging about new crafty designs and some old ones as well. At LarsenGeekery.com we will be demonstrating crafts and construction tips, highlighting new creations and retailing some of our Steampunk Geekery and other fashion product lines. We’ll see you online and at the cons!

So bring your geek on!

Crusading Comics Couple

Geeking Out About Terry and Rachel Dodson

By Lazy Jay

I think it is very cool that real life husband and wife, Terry and Rachel Dodson, team up to make such great comics together.  Terry draws in pencil and Rachel inks them.  The end results are fantastic.  I have really enjoyed their Wonder Woman run, X-men stuff, Spiderman, but my most favorite of all are the new Defenders, which are written by Matt Fraction (mostly because I’m a sucker for Silver Surfer and Doctor Strange).  Defenders is one of the best comics of the year so far, cosmic and quirky—lots of fun all around.

You can check out the Dodson’s work at The BoMBSHELLTeR, their official website.  I like this new cover for Marvel’s Defenders #4 they did, where Doctor Strange and a mysterious redhead are obviously modeled after me and my wife Evelyn. (What, you can’t see the resemblance?  I do...especially that mystical mojo and the arched eyebrows.  Looks just like us.) 

Defenders 4 by Terry and Rachel Dodson

The Dodson’s are scheduled to be at the upcoming Emerald CityComicon (ECCC 2012) here in Seattle at the end of March.  I’m hoping to meet them and ask what it is like having all that talent under one roof.

Three Geek Cheers for the Dodsons!  Their work is definitely worth Geeking Out About!

If you have time, Sign Up for our LarsenGeekery Mailing List.  Get valuable coupons.
Visit our LarsenGeekery Store. You win, we win.
Or Like us on Facebook. It's a social thing.

Geek Robot Mascot

Wave and Say Hello:

Geek Robot 

He is not a sad robot.  He is a Happy Robot!
He is not a bad robot.  He is a Good Robot!
He would never break the rules Mr. Asimov set fourth (minus one).
He is a Geeky Robot!  Ready to be the first Mascot at LarsenGeekery.com
-----
What do you think of a robot who speaks Geek?

A Geek Manifesto

A Geek Manifesto

Lots of things in the world suck.  There is no way around it.  War, hunger, disease, politics, the size of your cell phone bill, etc, etc, etc… That list could go on forever.  And everyone of us is completely capable of adding on a very personal list of things that suck in our lives: my parents, my car, my boss, etc, etc, etc…  It is easy to freak out about the crappy stuff in life.  It is easy to complain.  But that negative response seldom fixes anything does it?  I’ve tried it, it doesn’t work for me.  You can’t fix the crappy things in the world by focusing on the crappy things in the world.  It just brings you down and it brings the people around you down.  So what do we do?

Enter the GEEK!  Being a “geek” means you are really into something, you like it.  Heck, you don’t like it, YOU LOVE IT!  Doesn’t matter what the thing is you geek out about is, Star Trek, comic books, Doctor Who, Sewing, Painting, etc.—If you are Geeking Out about something it is a positive statement: “Hey, I really like this thing!”  There is nothing negative in a Geek Attitude.  Geek says: “This thing brings joy and wonder into my life!  Want to share?” 

What could be more beautiful than that?

So the Larsens are here to Geek Out about all things Geekery!

We want to share what we find to be beautiful, wonderful, fun, and worthy of praise.
We want to know what you find to Geek Out about.
Let Us Geeks Geek Out Together About All Things Geeky!

And don’t worry if you unique combination of Geekery doesn’t seem like it fits into a “normal” lifestyle.  Real Geekery means liking what you like, without bashfulness or shame.  I read about a study of iPod contents: Everyone told the researcher that they had a really eccentric collection of music, weird combinations like Jazz and Punk, or Country and Rap.  The thing is the researcher found out that everybody had these weird and wild combinations of music on their MP3 players, everybody.  The real oddballs were the people who only listened to one kind of music.  So don’t be concerned if your love of Steampunk doesn’t mesh nicely with your love of Star Wars.  You like what you like.

Geek Out about the things you love!  Share that Geekery with those around you!  And the world becomes a much more positive place!  Geekery, it doesn’t change the world, but it changes how you experience it.

And that is the Larsen Geekery Manifesto!


Jay & Evelyn Larsen
larsengeekery.com