Reviewing and Promoting The Guild Season 4

Reviewing The Guild
I've been reviewing all the episodes of Season 4 of The Guild over at PinkRaygun.com. If you haven't caught up with Episode 8 yet, here it is:

<a href="http://www.bing.com/videos/browse/originals/the-guild?&from=&videoId=f92ff3f2-d335-44a2-8505-db9de5e529e4&from=en-us&fg=dest" target="_new" title="Season 4 - Episode 8 - Busted">Video: Season 4 - Episode 8 - Busted</a>

Season 4 is really stacking up to being the best season yet. The storylines, acting and sheer joy is hard to describe. But I've been trying! Here's all my reviews, for your reading pleasure:


http://www.pinkraygun.com/2010/07/15/the-guild-season-4-episode-1-epic-guilt/
http://www.pinkraygun.com/2010/07/21/the-guild-season-4-episode-2-strange-allies/
http://www.pinkraygun.com/2010/08/04/the-guild-season-4-episode-3--oversupportive'd/
http://www.pinkraygun.com/2010/08/12/the-guild-season-4-episode-4--moving-on/
http://www.pinkraygun.com/2010/08/19/the-guild-season-4-episode-5-loot-envy/
http://www.pinkraygun.com/2010/08/30/the-guild-season-4-episode-6--moving-on/
http://www.pinkraygun.com/2010/09/06/the-guild-season-4-episode-7-awkward-birthday/
http://www.pinkraygun.com/2010/09/10/the-guild-season-4-episode-8-busted/


Promoting The Guild

Felicia tweeted the above last week. It's not because Season isn't doing well, but because it's easy to forget that some people aren't hanging around in Guild Chat on Monday at midnight waiting for the new epsiode to load:

It's up to us, as fans, to get the word out about The Guild. They don't have a fancy PR company, but they do have legions of fans. Every time you rate, comment, share and tweet about The Guild it helps make sure we'll be enjoying the team's work for a long time to come. Do your bit! Epsiode 9 is out on Tuesday, and you can find ALL Season 4 easily on The Guild's MSN Parallel Universe Channel. Let people know how much you enjoy it :)

The Guild S3 Ep2 on YouTube and Friendbuddies: Comments and votes needed!

Remember how cute The Guild looked at the end of S2?

Friday is Guild day!
Season 3, Episode 2 is now up on YouTube:



Season 3 puts The Guild through the wringer with ups, downs, thrills, spills and even some kilt-based action (go @wilw!). In fact, I was watching the S3 DVD bonus features today and I had never noticed the bit where Wil Wheaton is gesturing wildly in the background in the 'Axis of Anarchy' feature. Talk about swinging sporrans....

Anyhoo! Make sure to watch, rate and comment on YouTube. Even if you did that on MSN and watchtheguild.com because every time you do, it helps to show that The Guild has lots of fans that really love the show *cough* Season 4 deal *cough*. My reviews of all of Season 3 are up on PinkRaygun.com so check them out, too (full list with links under 'Shameless Plug', here).

Seasons 1 and 2 are also available on Netflix so if you have Netflix check them out (and rate, comment, etc).

Friendbuddies: vote now, vote often!

Friendbuddies: Who wouldn't want to see Sean and Payman on TV?

I'm not sure how many times you can vote or when the contest finishes but I do know that Sean Becker and Payman Benz, the brains (!) behind Awkward Pictures (and Friendbuddies) deserve a chance to be on TV. And you can make that happen. Simply go to the atom.com showdown page, click on Friendbuddies to watch the video and then vote. No registration or anything else to do - easy! They have picked up some % points this week but are still not winning, so please remember to vote. A lot.

Caprica! Tonight! Plus Set Tour!

(The view inside the Graystone's fridge. And no, we didn't test the food!)

NEED! MORE! EXCLAMATION! POINTS!!!!!
It's tonight, people - just a few hours away! I am seriously happy that the long wait is over and we can dig in for a delicious haul of TV goodness. Weeks of anticipation, joy and teeth-grinding are just  moments away. It's going to be like the good old days when BSG was being aired....YAYAYAY!

(Dr Graystone's desk in his not-so-secret lab. I love the fact they have disks!)

Oh - and if you want to hear about how I confused Dr Graystone (Eric Stoltz is so....warm, I think is the word) and played with a Cylon then you can read all about the Syfy Set Tour on PinkRaygun. It was a great day but made the waiting even harder! And even though I didn't actually see Jane Espenson that day, I'm still holding out for the day when I finally do. Good times....

P.S. I'm not the only one excited! Lots of excitement on Twitter including @kiala who has posted this heartfelt article today on Heartlessdoll.com SO SAY WE ALL!

Interviewing Jenni, KOTG and Dr Horrible makes a move

(The Knights of The Guild podcast - with Jenni and Kenny!)

The tables are turned!
In a couple of days I'll be interviewing the lovely Jenni Powell for PinkRaygun.com. Jenni's dulcet tones can be heard on the Knights of The Guild (KOTG) podcasts where she co-hosts with Kenny, and you might also know her as the Key Production Assistant on The Guild. We'll be chatting about The Guild, the KOTG podcasts and delving deep into the inner recesses of Jenni's brainbox. Probably. Although, to the untrained ear it might sound like lots of laughing. Ms Powell has been involved with many webseries over the years and recently had stints on the sets of Legend of Neil and The Guild as an extra. Which leads me to the next thing. Do you have a burning question for Jenni? I've already had some from people on the watchtheguild forums so if you have any more leave a comment here and I'll do my best to get an answer for you!


Listen to The Guild fans on the lastest KOTG podcast
The Guild has always been about the fans and the lastest KOTG Microcast #8 Quest for Skype features a Skype conversation with a group of Guildies:
Belrand
Chris F.
Jeff V.
Nas
Phil aka GrrAargh
Lydia
Tynesha
Higlet

Yay! It was a really fun time on Skype and there are plans to do more in the future so email Knightsoftheguild@gmail.com if you want to know more.

Dr Horrible in the news!

Yes, fresh on the heels of Dr Horrible receiving an Emmy last week comes confirmation that Joss is indeed planning a Dr Horrible 2. And the good Doctor himself (or Jed, anyway) has been dropping some hints recently as picked up by DrHorrible.net. And today, Maurissa tweeted this:

Hmmm. Coupled with the fact that the host for tomorrow's Emmys is none other than Neil Patrick Harris, it's probably worth tuning in. I wonder what is going to happen...

And in case you missed it, here's Joss' acceptance speech from the Emmys:

And with Dollhouse Season 2 premiering on Friday 25th September these are exciting times in the Jossverse!

The Guild Season 3, Ep 1 review up at PinkRaygun.com

I said I would tell you when it was up!

After watching Season 3, Ep 1 very early on Tuesday morning I was already thinking about my blog post for PinkRaygun.com. I will be reviewing each episode and the review for Episode 1 is up now. I'd love to hear what you thought about the review and if there was anything you would like to see in the future ones.

**Spoiler Alert** if you've not seen S3, Ep1 there is a slight spoiler ahead (plus - what were you thinking?!? - Go watch it right now!!)

Season 3 - Episode 1: Expansion Time

Felicia talks about the 'Found Object Stew'

Felicia Day popped into The Guild Forums today and had a little chat with people. She's packing up for Dragon*Con but still took the time to say hello. She also answered some questions, including one about the stew Vork was preparing in Ep 1. She said that it smelled really bad! Tyler, the Production Designer had made it from Cheetos, hotdog bits and a mousetrap...and that Kim Evey (the Producer who also plays the homeless person) actually had to eat it. I suppose that's when you find out who your real friends are!

And she also told us what Wil Wheaton's character is called. Want to know? Really? You do? How much....? Oh well, in that case I won't tell you.

But to prove Felicia was there here's a screen shot from the Chat:

Felicia Day Interview Pt 2 on KOTG plus Blizz*Con, Season 3 and more!

(Picture of Felicia Day from Knights of The Guild website, with permission)

Knights of The Guild podcast delivers again!

A year ago I had to force myself to listen to podcasts - it seemed so alien to me even after being brought up listening to the radio (yes, we had a TV but I only had a radio in my room - it was the dark ages after all! But my little radio brought me all the pop I needed and I loved the DJ's banter between the Kajagoogoo and Spandau Ballet records.) Now I listen to several podcasts.Knights of The Guild (KOTG) is the official podcast of The Guild and is your surest defense against Guild Deficiency Syndrome. In the latest - Ep7, Pt 2 - the hosts Kenny and Jenni deliver the usual excellent mix of cheery teasing (of each other), behind-the-scenes goodies, fan feedback and Part 2 of their interview with Felicia Day. @KnightsofGuild asked fans on Twitter if they had questions for Felicia and she answers them with gusto. Lots of information about Season 3, Do You Want To Date My Avatar music video and much more. A must-listen for anyone interested in The Guild.

The Guild at BlizzCon

Another weekend, after Con. This time the team were at BlizzCon and another rousing success. The booth looked awesome as this photo from Kenny shows:

(From Kenny's/ Geekyfanboy's Flickr)

Kenny has some other brilliant photos from BlizzCon up there, too - of the cast, crew and fans! @theguild wasn't liveblogging from The Guild panel, but wow.com was, and they have very thorough coverage of it up on their blog. It makes great reading - I'm sure fans are very grateful for it!

On the right-hand corner of The Guild table you might just be able to see a colourful picture. This is the new, Season 3 artwork done by the very talented artist, Jeff Carlisle. Jeff is a keen Guildie I had the pleasure of meeting some time ago on The Guild chat. He's a great guy (with a wicked sense of humour) and a look at his website will show you that he has created some brilliant artwork for the likes of Lucasfilm Ltd and Microsoft Game Studio. Here's a better view of this awesome piece:

(From Jeff Carlisle's Flickr)

Jeff also has another piece on his Flickr account which appears to be a S3 teaser - I hope we'll find out what this means soon!

Season 3 is nearly upon us!

The 25th of August 2009 is circled on my calendar as the day I get first dibs on the Xbox (for once!). Luckily for me we have Xbox Live which means I'll be able to download Ep 1 of Season 3 on Tuesday. Now, I know that Guildies who don't have an Xbox are disappointed that they won't be able to watch it for another week, and I can understand that. No one wants to feel left out. But the good news is that Ep 1 is the only one that is being released a week early on Xbox! YAY!!! Felicia confirmed this after @NasDestiny asked her when she was in The Guild Chat this week. And rumour has it that the Season 3 promo will be out today - maybe we'll see Wil Wheaton in it!

I won't be posting any spoilers here but I will give you my reactions. And I will then be blogging over at Pink Raygun each week to give you an in-depth analysis of each episode! I'm very excited about that. It's going to be another bumper week for Guildies!

'Browncoats: Redemption' Interview with Michael Dougherty on Pink Raygun

The new fan-made film is taking shape

When I first heard about the new film set in the Firefly/Serenity 'Verse it seemed too good to be true - the sort of brilliant idea that would never happen. But now filming is coming to an end and that brilliant idea is coming to life more spectacularly than I could ever have imagined. One of the creators, Michael Dougherty, was kind enough to take time out of his incredibly busy schedule to do an interview with me which is published today over at Pink Raygun. He talks about the inspiration to make the film, the challenges and how all the profits will go to charity. There should be more to come soon...

Exciting news!

This is my first article in Pink Raygun and working with Lisa Fary and John Dallaire is a real buzz. They have built up PRG into a fantastic resource for all fangirls (and yes, fanboys) with news, articles and reviews about all the shows, films and comics that matter. This is their new venture:

PHILADELPHIA, PA - Local comic creators, Lisa Fary and John Dallaire, will be at Geno’s Steaks in South Philadelphia fundraising for the Fraternal Order of Police survivors fund.

The pair’s latest comic effort, Intergalactic Law: Grey Squad is on Zuda, DC Comics’ online competition, through April 30th. The winner is selected via reader votes over the course of the competition. For every vote and comment that Grey Squad earns, Fary and Dallaire are donating twenty-five cents to the Philadelphia police survivors fund, with a goal of $1000. 

(from the 'Grey Squad' website)

If you want to show your support:

• Go and read Grey Squad on Zuda
  
• Click the “Vote” button to the right of the comic. The red box will turn green when you’ve voted. Click a star rating right under the “Vote” button. Click “Add to Favorites” at the bottom of the voting block.
• Scroll to the bottom of the page and leave a comment. Say you voted for Grey Squad.

More exciting news!

It's been a week and a half in the fandom with double-Joss at the Paley on the Dr Horrible and Dollhouse panels, and as the reports come in I'll post about them. In the meantime @Tabz has posted her report over at Joss'd and it's full of lovely details and brilliant pictures from @danregal. And - did you know Felicia Day persuaded Nathan Fillion to join Twitter after the Dr Horrible panel? Yes, it's really him!

And not least...

I'm still working on finding an agent and publisher for my novel. This is a lengthy process. To keep me going I've been working on alternative ways to promote the book and I'll be making an announcement about that over the weekend. I think you'll like it. I hope you do!

It's Pink Raygun's 2nd Birthday! Let every Fangirl rejoice!

(Ok, the Fanboys, too....!)

Lisa Fary and John Dallaire set up Pink Raygun for "News, Reviews and Interviews for Fangirls....and Boys" in 2007 and their ambitious plan to create a genre site that caters for the female part of fandom has blossomed beautifully. With lots of new ventures to look forward to let's take a moment to be thankful for Pink Raygun - made of awesome!

If you haven't made it over to Pink Raygun then - why not?! I will guarantee that you will find so many things of interest you will spend far more time there than you planned to - but don't let that put you off.

Congratulations to Lisa and John - I think that 2009 is really going to be a great year for the Raygun coloured Pink :)

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Birthday wishes and exciting announcements!

Yes, I am very definitely over the hill 

And you know what? I could care less! This year has been momentous with highs and lows, beginnings and ends and all manner of wonderfulness in between. I'm going to do a reflective look back for New Year, so for today this is a little post to say how much I appreciate all the friends I've made online in the last year. Thank you all for the support, well wishes and fun! Even those people who visit here and never comment - I know where you live, remember, and I appreciate you popping by.

So, what's the news?

There's tons going on and I have some very special announcements to make before I head off for some birthday fun:

In January I'm going to writing for PINK RAYGUN!

Ever since I first visited Pink Raygun I've been enthralled. I always spend much longer over there than I intend because it is packed full of fanly-goodness! From the hilarious comic strip, Intergalactic Law to the reviews of all your favourite TV, Film, books and web content, there is something for everyone (yes, even boys are allowed). Pink Raygun: Lisa Fary, Julianna Weiss and John Dallaire were on my list of people to queue to see at Comic Con so when they said they wouldn't mind if I wrote for them I was over the moon. 

The format's still to be decided but there will be interviews - lots of lovely interviews. So, who would you like to see given the full Higlet treatment? Felicia Day seems to have survived the ordeal ok, and Kim Evey and Vince Caso are recovering, but who will be the next victim? If you have anyone you would like me to interview let me know. I have some ideas....

The Streamy Awards are announced!

In a very exciting move Tubefilter have teamed up with NewTeeVee and Tilzy.TV to present the Streamy Awards. Tubefilter have all the details on their website, and this is what the awards are all about:

"Anyone can nominate their favorite web series, stars and creators starting today at Streamys.orgin any of the 25 award categories. From the nominations, an independent non-profit organization called the International Academy of Web Television (IAWTV), will select the final nominees in each category. The most-nominated entries in each category will automatically be one of the final five nominees. There’s also an Audience Choice Awards that will go to the web series (of any format) that receives the greatest number of public votes. The winners will be announced live at the 2009 Streamy Awards Ceremony held in Los Angeles on March 29, 2009."

This is going to be a huge event and we have a say in who wins! Now, who are you going nominate?

Evil WorldofHiglet is set to return

Well, the news from the Evil League of Evil Applications Processing Office (that is such a catchy title, don't you think?!) is grim indeed. Evil WoH finds out whether her application has been accepted or not and there's the ELE Christmas Humbug Party to deal with, too! I'm actually slightly afraid for Goggle-head - I can't see how this is going to end well...! If The Guild can do a Christmas special (which is very, very funny) then I'm sure Evil WoH is up to the challenge. More news to follow soon - betcha can't wait :)

And finally....

I hope you all have a great day, weekend, festive season, etc. Thanks again for all your kind words and I'm off now to have some Birthday Fun!

P.S.

Thanks to Soma, who added a Forum topic on The Guild Community site about my birthday - and to everyone who commented. And to Edgar who wrote a touching blog post, too. You guys are AWESOME!

Browncoats honoured and Dr Horrible update

Kids Need To Read new Endowment 

A wonderful announcement on the KNTR website this week:

"All of us at The Kids Need to Read Foundation sincerely thank the Browncoat community for its ongoing support of our efforts to not only provide books for children, but to encourage a life-long love of reading in the kids our books touch. To permanently demonstrate our gratitude, Kids Need to Read is establishing The Kids Need to Read Browncoat Endowment. This fund is being started from a donation by the California Browncoats and expanded by donations from the Austin Browncoats, Mid-South Browncoats and NoVA Browncoats Meetup Group..."

KNTR have already donated to many schools and organisations and this endowment will ensure that carries on in perpetuity. Many, many congratulations to KNTR and all Browncoats for the wonderful work you do.

What is a Browncoat?

Whedonesque posed this question today. What's your take on that?

Dr Horrible - top ten lists 

The Applications for the Evil League of Evil closed last week and since then there has been mounting excitement. Lists of people's favourites are popping up all over the place, and Pink Raygun are starting to interview some of the applicants and their creators. I can't possibly comment on any of the entries for the obvious reasons, but here some lists if you want to look for ourselves:

Pensees Admiratives

Tilzy TV

i09.com

And theonetruebix has set up a playlist of all the YouTube applications he has found:

YouTube Playlist

One thing that has struck me (apart from the obvious fact that neither Evil WorldofHiglet's or Felicia Day's entries aren't on any of the lists!) is that people are going for the  more highly-produced entries. My preferences don't swing that way, but that's only me. And no, I won't be publishing a list of favourites....

100th Post plus other stuff

Didn't think we'd make it this far.
Back in February when I started this little Blog I didn't have any idea. Did it show? Possibly. Why did I do it at all? Well, there were many reasons. I realised that there was a whole world of interest for me that was simply passing me by. After being a very early adopter of the Internet I had fallen by the wayside. I only used it as a tool for work and not for what it was meant to be - a big ole sandpit. This was prompted by watching 'Firefly' for the first time and realising there had been whole fan campaigns that I barely knew about. It was a call to action, and I jumped right in.

Still in the closet?
Back then I would have classified myself as a firm closet geek with no intention or desire to change that. But now? Well, in my online life I'm firmly out there, geeking it up with the rest of them, and enjoying it wholeheartedly. This is spilling out into my 'real' life and you know what, it's not that scary. Small steps, but I think it's progress. And after the Serenity Screening in Vancouver on 22nd June who knows what might happen? I might even tell my mum that I Blog :)

Things I like
I've made so many discoveries on the way, I'm not going to list them here (that would be what all those other posts are about....!). But here are some highlights:

• Discovering Fireflyfans.net message board and then joining Tranquility, a Virtual Firefly
• Joining the Universal HD Firefly message board and the Saturday Shindigs
• Contacting Vancouver Firefly/Serenity MeetUp and actually participating (wonderful people - hi Serena and Gayle!)
• Finding Kids Need To Read and The Softwire books - a fantastic literacy foundation and brilliant books
• Buffy: Between the Lines - podcast extraordinaire and the reason I know about Tabz and Scott Sigler
• Pink Raygun - because there always more to discover
• Realising that 'The Guild' was the start of something very big (and what a star Felicia Day really is)
• Starting WorldofHiglet's Weblog and Garim posting a link on Whedonesque

I've meet great people, made some interesting and life-affirming discoveries and had a blast in the process. And a big 'Thank you' to all the people who have commented on my Blogs, it really has made all the difference - it's all about the interaction!

Is that it, then?
Looking at the above, it's almost as if I'm getting ready to bow out of the Blogging business. Well I'm not about to do that just yet - in fact, it feels like I've only just started! There is so much still left to do - my first Fan Screening is booked but what about my first Fan Convention? Setting up my own domain so I can host both Blogs there and getting my freelance writing website sorted, getting another Serenity movie made, winning on Halo....there is much to do.

Browncoat Cruise and Battlestar Friday

Did you know about the Browncoat Cruise?
I heard tales of it from people who were there - t'was the summer of '07 and a gallant ship set out from San Diego, California to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and back on a journey of discovery and delights. Packed with Browncoats and celebrity guests, everyone enjoyed days of entertainment and relaxation, all without any Alliance interference. And now Kids Need To Read are auctioning two fantastic souvenirs from this unique event:

"A Browncoat Cruise Souvenir Program signed by Brian Wiser, producer of Done the Impossible and one of the cruise directors. Brian also designed, printed and made all the programs himself! This 30+ page, full color booklet includes bios of the guests, ads from your favorite Firefly/Serenity sources, and cover art by artist Adam Levermore-Rich (Lexigeek). Second, a limited edition (only 500 were made for the attendees) Browncoat Cruise Travel Poster measuring 17 x 22 inches. The poster bears the signatures of Ron Glass (Shepherd Book), Michael Fairman (Niska), Jonathan Woodward (Tracy), Nectar Rose (Lovebot), “Firefly Theme” vocalist Sonny Rhodes, The Bedlam Bards (Cedric & Hawke) and poster artist Adam Levermore-Rich. "

The auction is on eBay so cruise over and place a bid before the end of line on May 18th.

Battlestar Galactica
Ok, so I've not posted about BSG for a couple of weeks. Two reasons: lack of time and the fact it's so hard to post without spoilers! This last season is winding up to the huge and outstanding finale, and with lots happening to the crews, it's difficult to know what to say. Except - it rocks! So instead, I direct you to Pink Raygun. They have spoilers galore but if you want reasoned debate, incisive comments and hilarious explanations about BSG then this is the place to go. Just don't go if you need to be going out soon, and say I didn't warn you about the spoilers!

Practical Parenting: Geek-Style plus Morena Baccarin new role

Following in your footsteps.
The joys of parenthood: the sleepless nights, the tantrums, the chance to dress your offspring up in 'cute but geek' clothes....Rachel, from Pink Raygun gives us 'Help me Obi Mom: Five Ways to Grow a Fan Girl/Boy'. This is a practical guide to help ensure your kids inherit your geek-like tendencies and covers essentials such as dressing for (geek) success and encouraging suitable first words. Words such as 'Redrum' and 'Frak'. They all point to a solid foundation for future geekery. And, of course, it also covers the very important issue of when and what to expose children to, culture-wise.

Set the foundations
This is a tricky area and one that needs some thought. As a young kid I hid from Doctor Who but loved it just the same. Thunderbirds, Star Trek (TOS) , UFO, Time Tunnel, The Invisible Man and The Invaders to name a few, were essential viewing when I was growing up (thankfully my mum loved the right TV programs!). Being weaned on such offerings all but guaranteed that I would grow up to be the fully-rounded person I am now. Rachel advises caution and I agree - Darth Vader and The Master can be scary to youngsters. But sometimes unexpected things cause problems, too. My kids love Futurama and laughed like drains at Robot Santa, but when Ziodberg eats a guinea-pig in 'Anthology of Interest' there were tears aplenty! Kids, eh?!

Cast your vote
Io9.com also has a poll open at the moment: What's The Best Scifi Show To Get Your Kid Hooked On?. It has all the usual suspects such as Doctor Who and Star Trek. But guess which program is now winning? Firefly! Yay! I'm sure this has nothing to do with the fact that the link was posted on Whedonesque yesterday...But why stop at TV? Somewhere there must be a 'Geek ABC', 'Math for the geek baby' and 'First steps in Quantum Physics - hardboard edition'. If not, there should be. I can see it now - Galactica ABCs - 'A' is for 'Adama', 'B' is for 'Battlestar', 'C' is for 'Centurion', 'D' is for 'Destruction of the human race'...

Morena Baccarin news
Whedonesque has also posted the news that Morena Baccarin (who played the beautiful and intelligent Inara in Firefly) has a new role in an ABC law drama. She is going to play the female lead in a new, as yet untitled, David Hemingson pilot about a LA boutique law firm.

Angels, Bond Girls and Monkeys

Is Bond a Superhero?
I think not. He's a man. A man with gadgets, sharp suits, changing faces and a mission. But a man. How about Bond girls then? They always filled me with a curious blend of hope and despair. Yes, some are smart and sassy, take control etc etc. But then they always seem to be there only as a foil for Bond. Maybe that's inevitable because it is his show, but still...When watching Bond (in any of his many incarnations) I have to suspend the part of my brain that gets irritated about things like that and just enjoy the ride. Which I mostly do. Enjoy, I mean.

New Bond Girl - Not Hot But Geeky?
So it was with a familiar feeling of frustration that I saw the headline on MSN today 'Gemma: My Bond character is a geek.' I'm sure she really didn't mean any offence but I gritted my teeth when I read the first paragraph: 'Gemma Arterton has denied that girls will be jealous of her role in the next Bond film - because her character is a geek.' Of course. It's all clear to me now. Geek+girl= social pariah. *Sigh* Where's a Pink Raygun when you need it...

Angelic Superheroes!
At least I'm sure that the current auction from Kids Need To Read does actually contain superheroes. And possibly angels! They are auctioning a fantastic "collectible for comic book enthusiasts – Issues 1 through 4 of the Wall of Angels series, bound into a single volume and signed by creator and writer Anthony Garcia....also... a convention favorite – a beautiful, 10″x16″, full-color Wall of Angels poster drawn by artist Paul Cartwright." The artwork is stunningly sumptuous and the reviews I've read of the comics are very positive. You can also try the Twentytosix.com website for more details. Another great auction on eBay that closes on the 25th April.

Monkeys?
Yep, of the Terrify’n Space kind, that is! Kids Need To Read are now selling these cute little critters on eBay. They're not signed but they are cuddly!

Girl Geeks and Pink Rayguns

Do you wear girlpants or boypants?
That might be a bit presumptuous, but it is relevant for today's discussion (honest!). I, myself, wear girlpants and I am also a girl. Ordinarily I wouldn't have bothered to put this. I like the sexlessness of the Internet.
[Reader (there is one): "Are you kidding - the Internet has brought 'sex' to the masses like never before!? You are a fool and a simpleton!"
My gentle reply: "Oh dear reader, you are indeed discerning in your tastes in that you read my blog almost frequently, but I must make a slight correction. I meant only that I chose my name to be one that could be either male or female, because I feel that gender is not important in this sphere. You are right to correct me, but next time no name calling. Or else."]

Closet geek
For years I've been a closet geek, hiding my obsessions from most people. In my previous life it was fine - I was a geek at work because I 'did computer stuff' and everything else (the Buffy DVDs, the Angel DVDs, Lord of The Rings, the hours on the Internet....) were completely separate, like oil and water and a....third unmeshable thing. Where I grew up, girls didn't like computer games, computers or sci-fi, and a girl has to hide what a girl has to hide.

Geek, born again
Now, I am still in the closet. Make no mistake about that. I'm all growed up but old habits die hard. But I've opened the door enough to peep out and see what's going on in the outside world. One of the great things I discovered, via the Buffy: Between the Lines website, was Pink Raygun. Now, it is not, as I hesitantly thought when I heard the name, a website catering for adults with time (and other things) on their hands. Well, it is, but not in that way. It is aimed at female geeks (those wearing boypants are allowed, though) and I've just spent far more time than I should in the name of 'research' looking at what it has to offer.

A cornucopia of geekness
Ooh, and what treats it has! It is billed as a "webzine for the modern fangirl. A place to discuss and read about science fiction, fantasy and horror in all of their forms...". When you enter PinkRayGun.com the 'Intergalactic Law' cartoons grab your attention first off and they are very good, very funny and oh so true. Then you realise that there is so much that you want - no must! - read. A great article about Buffy:Between the Lines, a brilliant series about Firefly, must-not-look-at-'Cylon says'-for-fear-of-spoilers, Buffy, Xena, Heroes....if you have an interest (obsession has such bad connotation these days) then chances are you can pander to it here. Just don't blame me if you find yourself, two hours later, still there with all your work not done.