Getting My Geek On

I stumbled across a reference to this years Supernova Expo. I was going to go last year but life got in the way and I only remembered it was on when I saw a story about it on the news. It was too late to get tickets.

The Sydney Supernova Expo is on the 15th - 17th of June. I'm getting my geek on and have already put the date in my calendar.

There is a huge line up sci-fi and fantasy stars from Movies, TV, Books and Comics to tease out the nerd in all of us.

Here is the full list of stars.

Movies and TV

• Christopher Lloyd - the very popular Emmett ‘Doc’ Brown from Back to the Future
• Yvonne Craig - from the Golden Age of television, Batman’soriginal Batgirl and an original alumni from 2002
• Michael Rosenbaum - Smallville’s Lex Luthor and Justice League’s The Flash
• Hayden Panettiere - Heroes’ indestructible cheerleader & passionate activist seen in The Cove
• Callum Blue - The lovable Mason from Dead Like Me and the complex villain General Zod from Smallville!
• Mercedes McNab - This ‘Scream Queen’ is best known as Harmony from Buffy & Angel
• Natalia Tena - Harry Potter’s heroic ally, Nymphadora Tonks, and Osha from Game of Thrones.
• Colin Cunningham - From Stargate SG-1 to Falling Skies, with stops by The 6th Day and Elektra on the way!
• Bob Wall - World champion kickboxer who featured in Way of the Dragon, Enter the Dragon and Game of Death with Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris.

Voice actors:

• Jennifer Hale - videogame superstar, Hale voices Shepard in the Mass Effect Trilogy and many other characters in Metal Gear Solid, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
• Vic Mignogna - fan favourite Vic voices Edward Elric in theFullmetal Alchemist anime series, Broly in Dragonball Z, Ikkaku in Bleach, and hundreds more

Authors:

• Christopher Paolini - the American novelist is best known for his Inheritance Cycle, comprising Eragon, Eldest, Brisingr, and Inheritance.

Comic-book creators:

• David Mack - critically acclaimed comic-book illustrator and creator of the Kabuki series and another returning 2002 guest
• Jim Cheung, British illustrator renowned for his work on Marvel Comics’ Scion, New Avengers: Illuminati, Young Avengers, and Avengers: The Children’s Crusade

PLUS Seattle’s own fabulous Nerd Rock band, KIRBY KRACKLE - see kirbykracklemusic.com

 
I must have brought up my sons the right way because they are as excited as I am.

What I've Been Reading # 8

Hal Junior - The Secret Signal
By
Simon Haynes
Bowman Press 2011
ISBN978-1-877034-07-7

Hal Junior – The Secret Signal is the first children's book from WA author Simon Haynes. The book is a prequel to the humorous adult Sci-fi, Hal Spacejock series. Older Hal is good natured, confident in his abilities but an utterly clueless trouble magnet. It was interesting to glean a little insight into Hal’s formative years.

Hal Junior is good natured, confident in his own abilities, an utterly clueless trouble magnet, but he is a well meaning and likable dreamer. The story opens with Hal dangling upside down in a garbage chute by his elastic shoelaces trying to retrieve the only homework he has actually bothered to do. The antics continue from when his mother, the head of station research, gives him a secret signal for help, right to the climax where his earlier misadventures give an idea that might just save the day – or destroy the entire station…

This is a brilliant easy to read but exciting and funny story, perfect for reluctant boy readers. The humour is not as sophisticated and obscure as Simon’s adult series but I still caught myself chuckling out loud while reading the book. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.