the pulp (Issue 8, September 2014)

Issue 8, September 2014

2

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 Teacher by day; unpublished author by night (and sometimes on the weekends).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

3

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

17

4

Issue 8, Sep 2014

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

5

Issue 8, Sep 2014

6

Issue 8, Sep 2014

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

7

Issue 8, Sep 2014

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.

8

Issue 8, Sep 2014

9

Issue 8, Sep 2014

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

10

Issue 8, Sep 2014

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—

11

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.

12

Issue 8, Sep 2014

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

13

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.

14

Issue 8, Sep 2014

issuu.com/thepulp

15

Issue 8, Sep 2014

A true geek… Underneath

it all?

Written by Teresa Simmons | Images

courtesy of muchomas.com,

thingsnerdslike.com, and fora.mtv.ca

it all?

16

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.

30

Issue 8, Sep 2014

Thepulppress.com