Nerdware

Clothing - Make up - Toys

Letting your Geek Flag soar majestically through the sky is relatively easy these days. So many retailers, both offline and on, have a plethora of amazing designs ... But, if you're like me you want to wear something unique, something that will catch the eye and make people come up to you and ask, "WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?!?!?!" 

Retro Outlaw Studios
Retro Outlaw

So many bad-ass Clockwork items!!

Kirk: Ever the Ladies Man

The creative force behind Retro Outlaw Studios is nothing short of impressive! Shirt designs, art prints, toys, and collectables for fans BY fans!! Designer and face of Retro Outlaw, Chris Santoro, has done an amazing job of combining cult hits and pop culture favorites with a unique "retro" feel. We ALL know that Captain Kirk is the smoothest mother fucker in the galaxy; Retro Outlaw knows it, too! Their A Clockwork Orange items such as shirts, prints, and busts/statues, many of which are numbered and signed by not only the designers of Retro Outlaw, but Malcolm McDowell himself, too, will thrill the heart of many a-droog, indeed! Plus, this is the same studio that brought into the world, the ever quirky Evel Fett! So many feels for the fan-boys and girls! Be sure to check them out!!                          

Che Bacca Bust (Mini Bust)  - Power To The People Calrissian (Print) - Evel Fett (Print)

  

Mon Ennui Cosmetics
MonEnnui.com

Top Row: Dalek, Tardis, Margaery. Bottom Row: Pippin, Ice and Fire, Stormageddon

Top: Fairytale, Djinn. Bottom: Ice and Fire, and Djinn Swatch

Mon Ennui (Pronounced Mon on-We. French for My Boredom) is my absolute, hands down FAVORITE indie make up brand! Their colors are vivid, unique, and LAST all day! Plus, many are named after some pretty rad fandoms and characters *Nerd Swoon*!! Let me start out by saying this: I have ridiculously sensitive skin! When my skin comes into contact with whatever it decides is The Enemy, I break out with dry and painful eczema, peeling, and just general, all around grossness. Which is why I was so stoked to happen upon Mon Ennui. Cruelty Free, many vegan products, and oh, joy! My skin doesn't freak out when I wear it! Plus, if you use Mon Ennui's Pigment Potion (I HIGHLY recommend the liquid Cucumber pigment potion. I swear by it!!!) your shadows will have an extra POP in vibrancy and will literally stay beautiful and perfectly in place ALL DAY AND NIGHT!! I've NEVER ordered a pigmet/gloss/potion/glitter from M.E. and have been underwhelmed once arrived and in use. If anything, it looks even more amazing up, close, and on my lids!! For beauty that won't break the bank and set you apart from the crowd, I highly recommend this beautiful brand!

Lip Gloss: Under The Sea, True Love's Kiss, Elsa, Maleficent

Notable Mention

INNABLUEBOX
INNABLUEBOX Art Shop

I bought the White Biker Tank on the right.

I've been wearing the frak out of this design! I'm a sucker for any and all things Winter Soldier and fell in love with this giggle inducing design from INNABLUEBOX Art Shop on Society6. Seriously, I LOVE Rnlaing's designs! I'll be getting the "Who The Hell Is Bucky" shirt soon. The "A Dude and His Bear" throw pillow also needs to be in my life!! 

 






Espionage Cosmetics - Nail Wraps
Espionage Cosmetics

Harlequin and Comic FX Nail Wraps

ECCC Limited Edition Nail Wraps

I fell in love with Espionage Cosmetics' nail wraps when I visited their booth at Emerald City Comic Con (ECCC). They know their fanbase and have so many killer nail wraps to choose from. They're ridiculously easy to apply and last for weeks! With a toddler, a cat, my art, dishes, shenanigans, etc. I'm always hesitant to plop money down on anything that goes on my fingers (aside from jewelery. Mama likes her bling!). Nail polish, even the gel kind, chip and crack and peel within a couple of days. But, there I was face to face with the ECCC Limited Edition nail wraps and I couldn't say no. After I applied them I went about my normal routine and was pleasantly surprised to find that after all the abuse I subjected them to they remained beautiful! 

The Adventures of Mama CPop and Kid Bane

 People, Let me paint you a picture:

 

 

You're in the grocery store or, let's be real here, Target, and you say to yourself or your significant other that you'll pop in quickly for some cereal, some cleaning supplies, maybe a couple of patio chairs. No problem! That's a 10-15 minute jaunt, max!

No, wait. You have a kid (maybe a set). A kid who's neck deep in their Terrible Two phase. A two year old who's angelic smile and curly hair hide their devil horns. Now that 10 minute trip has spiraled into a 30 minute frantic dash through the aisles. Your kid is already whining and you've only JUST put them in the shopping cart.

You venture down an aisle, ONE AISLE, and then it starts. The complete and total possession of your child. Bucking, writhing, yelling, and ... hold the frak up! Was ... was that Latin?!? NO! You can't let them win, your kid and the demons residing within your child! YOU'RE the parent! You WILL buy butt-wipe!! You WILL get that cereal you came out for!! And come HELL or HIGH FUCKING WATER you WILL reward yourself with a delicious iced latte! You'd Irish that bad boy up if you could!

People are staring at you because they're convinced you're beating a sack of cats against your shopping cart. They watch you as you tell your kid that no, they cannot have candy, a cookie, a toy, your sanity. The people, they watch and they judge. You're caving under the pressure. You can't REASON with a two year old. There's no explaining to them that 'we don't behave like that' and having them understand. Nope. Bottom line ... Kids can be selfish, heartless jerks. Villains in the classic fairy tale/comic book sense. They don't have any reason to be lashing out, but deep inside their very core they know that YOU MUST SUFFER!! If my two year old had the ability of stringing together a cohesive sentence she would be telling me to FOAD! (Look it up, people)

That was my reality today and for the past few shopping trips. Want to know how I deal with it? Simple ... Just imagine your child as a tiny little Bane. The Dark Knight Rises Tom Hardy, Bane. Complete with Bane-Voice. Trust me, it will save your fragile psyche!! 
That, or plunge you further into the Abyss of Insanity. I now give you ...

  

The Adventures of Mama CPop and Kid Bane: The Eternal Struggle
   

Me: Okay, sweetie. We're going to pick up a few things. I want you to be good, okay. 

Kid-Bane: No, mother. That's not how the game works! I'll give you two minutes of uninterrupted shop-time. Once time is up what happens next will be entirely on you. 

Me: If you flip out while we're in here you'll be put in time-out when we get home. Do you understand?

Kid Bane: You're threats are weak, just like your spirit!

*Kid Bane attempts escape from the shopping cart. I buckle Kid Bane in*

Kid Bane: Do you really think these restraints will hold me?!

Me: Stop trying to bust out!

Kid Bane: Stop wasting your breath!

Me: *Mumbles a string of expletives and eyes the exit*

Kid Bane: I knew you would break eventually!

Me: *Trying to regain composure in a deserted aisle/Praying to Baby Jesus, Galactus, Cthulhu*

Kid Bane: Why have we stopped?! I thought you NEEDED cereal!!

Me: *Stink Eye*

Kid Bane: I wondered what would break first. Your spirit *opens shopping cart buckle and attempts to escape the cart* or your pride!!

Me: *Ignoring Kid Bane trying to bait me into leaving*

*Grocery Shop Complete*

Kid Bane: And now I shall scream in the car for all to hear what a bad Mommy you are! Ooh! The mechanical pony! I WILL ride it.

Me: No.  

Kid Bane: That wasn't a request ...

Yup, I guaran-fucking-tee that you will be stifling church level giggles if you imagine dialog between yourself and Kid Bane!!! Sure people will think you're a little loopy but hey, you sort of are if you're imaging your child as Kid Bane! And if they think you're a bit mental they'll more than likely move out of your way and vacate the aisle you want to go down, thus resulting in a quick shopping trip.

Congratulations!  YOU WON!!!!

Kid Bane: You forgot your cereal ...

Me: ...

T.V.>> In The Flesh

          On BBC 3 and BBC America - Spoiler Free

 

                          

Zombies!! No, wait, don't call them that. They're Partially Deceased Syndrome Sufferers, or at least they are on the BBC  produced series In The Flesh.

I happened across this show by chance, really. I was browsing On Demand and rolling my eyes because I couldn't find anything interesting. With a nap looking more and more likely I clicked through BBC America and saw the first season on In The Flesh. I'm a sucker for anything and everything zombie related, and since I had recently binge watched all of The Walking Dead on Netflix I figured I'd give this a try. I'm so glad that I did! In The Flesh is an interesting, and smart, take on the zombie genre. Firstly, they're not zombies, walkers, biters, or shuffling, mindless reanimated corpses. They're Partially Deceased Syndrome Sufferers, and they aren't responsible for anything they might have done in their untreated and rabid state during The Rising.

The show centers on Kieren Walker, wonderfully played by Luke Newberry, a kind hearted and artistic 18 year old from a small and rural town called Roarton. Already having been ostracized from the community before The Rising, he now has to face life back home amongst the HVF (Human Volunteer Force) and the townsfolk who have an angry and often times violent outlook on "Rotters." Deeply remorseful of his actions in his rabid state, Kieren very much wants to fly under the radar by going with the status quo. However, by Season 2 he's begun to find his voice amidst the intolerance shown to people who suffer from PDS. His growth from fear and shame in Season 1 to confident and not taking anyone's crap in Season 2 is amazing to watch. It's captivating, really. You'll find yourself rooting for this amazing character. I can't imagine anyone other than Luke Newberry playing Kieren.

Amy Dyer (Emily Bevan) is Kieren's BDFF, Best Dead Friend Forever. Kieren and Amy reconnect after having been rehabilitated at the treatment center in Norfolk. Oh, they first met during The Rising and would hunt together while in their rabid state. Ever the optimist, Amy sees  having PDS as a gift, a second chance at life. Amy is one of the most endearing characters on television and is beautifully played by Emily. You smile when she smiles and your heart aches when hers does ...

 


The cast is rounded out by equally captivating characters like Kieren's younger sister, Jem Walker (Harriet Cains) who joined the HVF in order to protect the community of Roarton. Having been very close to her older brother Kieren before The Rising, she's conflicted and faced with a hard decision: to leave behind her life in the local militia where she worked her way up to be a highly respected leader, or to stick with the HVF, where most of the members show a complete and unadulterated hatred toward "rotters"; and Simon Monroe (Emmett J. Scanlan), who we're introduced to in Season 2. Simon is a disciple of the, as of now, masked and mysterious Undead Prophet and leader of the ULA (Undead Liberation Army). Intensely played by Emmett, Simon could have very easily been a monotone character immersed in the ULA. Instead, Simon is a complex character and his journey from a risen rabid to a disciple in the ULA is layered as much as it is heartbreaking.

In The Flesh is a smart take on the zombie genre. It could have very easily been another show about mindless, perpetually hungry zombies that want to *nom* anything with a heartbeat and factions of humans resorting to cannibalism, but instead it's an entirely captivating and realistic (Yes, realistic) take on what would happen to society in the event of a zombie apocalypse. Sure, shit would hit the fan in the event of the dead rising. But upon figuring out that the undead have a disease (Hey, ALL the scientists and doctors can't bite it!), PDS can be treated, for the most part, and scociety can once again resume with all the heartbreak and beauty that life holds dear.

And so it begins ...

What a time to be a nerd!

Looking back even just 10 years ago, Comic Culture and various Fandoms were still a bit of a subculture. It was commonly thought that only nerds, dorks, people with no jobs, chuds and adults who read comic books in their parents leaky basement while wearing a Thor helmet, were apart of the convention scene. "You STILL read comic books?! How old are you, again??" or "You collect action figures? And you have a boyfriend ... and friends?!" was something I would hear all too often; Social Ostracism at it's *best.* Apparently, playing Super Smash Bros. and being stoked that I managed to track down an uncut Marvel Comic Card page pissed people off ...

One of the only ways to connect with like-minded people in the mid-90's was either hanging out all day at your local comic shop (for us youngsters), tracking down a convention, or my personal favorite, writing to pen pals that you discovered through WIZARD: The Comics Magazine! I don't know about you, but I would laugh my ass of at Magic Words when Jim McLauchlin wrote it. Or reading about how the WIZARD staff would break in to Jim Lee's hotel room and steal his bathrobe every year at the San Diego Comicon. Yes, the pages of WIZARD and Twisted Toyfare Theater very much laid the foundation of my particular brand of humor. It helped to develop and improve upon my art. It made me want to write. Comics made me aware of various types of social commentary and empowered people to find their voice, find their calling ... find their happiness, and see the beauty as well as the grit in life ... 

Cut to the present.

Now ... NOW we can ALL rejoice and let our Geek Flag fly! You KNOW you aren't the only person in the movie theater who got chills, honest to god CHILLS, over the Sin City trailer or was so upset, devastated really, over Peter Parker (played by Tobey Maguire) strutting down the street in Spider-Man 3 that you wanted to hurl your popcorn bag (or your seat) at the movie screen. You won't get laughed out of the movie theater if you and your friends dress up for a movie premier. Have a duplicate action figure or Funko POP? Well, guess what, Buddy?!?! Now you can hop on various forms social media and trade that mofo for something you want! And the cherry on top of your Nerd Sundae?? The PLETHORA of kick-ass Cons! Comic Conventions, Gaming Expos, Cosplay groups ... you name it, there's a convention for it!

Everyone, from your neighbor to esteemed writers, actors/actresses, artists, and elected officials have embraced Nerd Culture! In my opinion it still has untapped potential and it's only going to get better from here on out.

Thundercats HO!!!!