Tag: comics

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Community Student Life

Comic Book Club execs at Concordia give us the rundown

Photograph by Emily MacDonald. Graphic by Lily Cowper/The Concordian

Superhero fans rejoice! The Concordia Comic book club is back in action.

 My friend showed me his huge comic book collection, it was quite a marvel.

Concordia Comic Book Club executives Emily MacDonald, Liam Quraeshi, and Wade Maddin explain all there is to know about comics.

“I think it started when I found my dad’s collection of comics. He had them in the basement and one time I was down there I found them all. It was quite a sight to see,” Quraeshi recalled. “Before then I never really bought any comics, so seeing all these varieties of ‘Spiderman’ and ‘X-Men,’ I became very interested in that whole world.”

Maddin explained that his early years of collecting were very much influenced by the cartoons that he watched at the time.

“A lot of the cartoons I watched growing up were all stuff like Batman. I was also a big fan of the Avengers TV show back when that was a thing,” Maddin recalled.

Just as each member became interested in comic books in various ways, their safekeeping methods differ as well.

MacDonald, who has been interested in comics since the age of 14, keeps her comics stored in four big boxes. 

“I have a few hundred, like individual issues. In the comic industry the stuff that you keep the comics in is called a bag and board.

Quraeshi, on the other hand, uses the knowledge that he has acquired as a history major and applies it to the safekeeping of his collection.

“The best way to preserve any sort of paper, writing and comics included, is to keep them in a nice dry and dark area. Too much light can damage the comic by draining the colour.  If the area is too moist, the paper kind of smudges a bit and they can get stuck together,” Quraeshi explained.

Quraeshi also advises any new comic collectors to have paper dividers in between each and every issue. This is for purposes of organization as well as to protect the condition of the actual issue. 

In terms of the value of comic book issues, The Concordian was able to learn more about what makes comics valuable.

“Supply and demand is a big factor. Whenever there is a relatively small amount of a certain item, value increases. In some cases it can differ, a good example is the ‘Action Comics 1,’ it’s not only one of the first detective comics but it also debuts one of the most popular superheroes, Superman,” Quraeshi said.

Quraeshi, along with his two other colleagues, is eager to spread his passion for comic books with new members. 
Potential new members can join the Concordia Comic Book Club Discord server and their other socials through this link.

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Student Life

Keep Geekin’ on the cheap

Indie bundles keep your geek on, and your wallet full.

Gaming, comic books and even digital copies of novels can get pretty hefty as a hobby. Let’s be honest, the average high-end game release usually runs for $60, comic books can be $10 an issue and books, well, that’s all over the place really. Either way, keeping up with those hobbies can be pretty taxing on your wallet, especially if you’re always looking for something new.

If the previous paragraph got your attention, you’re in luck! There’s a handful of ways to keep your geek on, on the cheap, with the help of some great websites. For starters, the most prominent of the bunch is HumbleBundle. The site features weekly sales in the shop, with deals on games for PC and Mac going all the way down to 75 per cent, and bundles for games, books and comics going up every week or two for a “pay what you want” price. Better yet, you can divvy up whatever you’ve decided to pay between charity, developers and the site itself.

If you’re into indie games, then sites like Indiegala, Bundlestars and BlinkBundle might be right up your alley. Often throwing in five to 10 games together for under $10. Another great resource is isthereanydeal.com, a site that can keep track of specific titles and whatever sales they might be involved in. Either way, you’ve got plenty of opportunities to get some games on the cheap to sandwich between some study sessions.

Fancy yourself as more of a book person? Well, check out the StoryBundle site, which usually rotate a handful of books per bundle on specific categories like mystery, horror, cyberpunk, and what have you.

There are literally hundreds of amazing sites like these that can keep your hobbies on the cheap. Having grabbed hundreds of issues of comics from Valiant and Dynamite publishing off of humble bundle, and over a hundred steam games from other bundle sites. I’ve accumulated well over a lifetime’s worth of stuff. Bundles are great, and there’s so many around that it’s impossible to cover them all in just one short article, but if you keep your finger on the trigger, and use a bit of Google magic, you can keep geekin’ on without resorting to eating ramen for the rest of the month.

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Student Life

A taste of Montreal’s 2013 ComicCon

Photo by Alex Melki.

Montreal’s ComicCon has grown tremendously over the past few years. From a once dinky collection of booths, it has become a massive convention with more than a few things to keep attendees entertained for hours.

The three-day geek culture convention brings together one of Montreal’s massive communities. There are over two- dozen booths filled with comic book artists who are ready to draw up an original piece on the spot, or for a lesser price, you can purchase a high quality print instead. These guys and gals are fantastic at what they do, and watching them work is a real treat.

Photo by Alex Melki.

You can buy anything from your favourite TV show/video game/movie, from comic books, to t-shirts, to figurines. Here’s a tip: withdraw some cash and spend only that. The temptation to dish out cash for some unique collectibles is a strong one.

Sony was on the scene as well, with live demos of their upcoming PS4 next-gen gaming console, and if the wait to play wasn’t 45 minutes, I might’ve even tried it out!

One pet peeve I’ve always had with ComicCon however is that while celebrity attendance is always a crowd pleaser, you can’t even walk up, talk to, or photograph celebrity guests unless you’re paying for an autograph/picture. Which will run you about $40 or more. Sure it would be awesome to meet Lou Feriggno (The Incredible Hulk), Christopher Lloyd (Back to The future) , and George Takei (Star Trek), but not at the cost of being broke. Yet one actor, Jason Mewes of Jay and Silent Bob fame, was present and was not shy of the camera.

Doctor Who fans were able to take a picture next to the famed TARDIS, Star Wars fans witnessed Darth Vader and entourage making the rounds on the convention floor, and Ghostbuster enthusiasts could have their photo taken with the Ectomobile. All in all, there is something for everyone.

But the best part of ComicCon is, and always has been the cosplay. Cosplay, is simply an abbreviation for “Costume play” and involves dressing up as a fictional or non-fictional character. Basically it’s Halloween! And some of the work these cosplayers put into their costumes is extraordinary.

So here is a taste of what Montreal’s ComicCon has to offer!

All photos by writer.

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Categories
Arts

PHOTOS: Comic Khaaaaaaaan!

Montreal Comiccon set up shop in Palais des congrès on Friday for three full days of pure uninhibited geeking out.

Now in its 6th edition, the convention featured it’s usual nerd-gasmy array of vendors and artists selling comic books, signed prints, vintage action figures, steampunk jewellery, obscure variations of “Keep Calm and…” t-shirts, sonic screwdrivers and plushie-versions of every Pokémon in the greater Johto region.

Saturday tickets sold out online, resulting in line-ups at the box office that trailed outside onto Viger Ave. Most seemed to make the wait bearable by befriending their neighbours and turning the winding queues into walk-by photo ops for the zombies and Master Chiefs shuffling along with them.

While the eternal Kirk vs. Picard debate rages on in excruciatingly detailed lists on Star Trek fan forums, both former Starfleet Commanders (played of course by William Shatner and Sir Patrick Stewart) headlined as this year’s guests of honour.

And the fans, as always, made the event worth attending with their awesome costumes and genuine enthusiasm towards their shared subculture.

*Want credit for your awesome costume? Leave your name and who you cosplayed as in the comments and we’ll add your info to the photo caption!

Categories
Arts

We need to talk about Kevin

Ed Piskor's graphic novel Wizzywig comes out this July and is available for pre-order on Amazon.

Ed Piskor’s graphic novel Wizzywig comes out this July and is available for pre-order on Amazon.

To hack or not to hack, that is the question.

In Ed Piskor’s Wizzywig, it all starts when main character Kevin Phenicle tries to cheat his way out of paying bus fare. This leads to Kevin becoming a computer hacker and eventually a convicted felon. Throughout the story, readers get to see Kevin transition from a timid, bullied schoolboy to an over-confident person on the verge of spending his life in jail.

In the graphic novel, the author uses a colour drawing for the cover, but the rest is in black and white. This gives the impression of holding a photo album in your hands. The drawings in Wizzywig tend to be realistic, as they help depict the life of Kevin, without exaggerating too much on detailing. What is most noticeable, however, is that Kevin’s eyes are completely white, they do not have pupils, unlike the other characters in the book.

As part of Kevin’s probation, after he is caught, he is asked to put everything hacking related aside. His new life without the use of technology leaves Kevin no choice but to simply adapt. What is so great about this story is that anyone can relate to it, there are no boundaries set to Wizzywig, everyone can have their own interpretation of the story, which is why it makes it such an interesting graphic novel to read.

These different ways of how people see Kevin, make us rethink the vision we once had of him. Can we truly call Kevin a criminal? Or can we say that he is talented in his own way? Those questions are left to be answered by the reader.

Wizzywig is rumoured to be based on the real life story of Kevin Mitnick, a professional hacker who was arrested by the FBI in 1995. Though Piskor never confirms this, the fact that they share the same name and are both professional hackers is something that should not be left unsaid. Also some panels displaying the words ‘Free Kevin’ may refer to the movement made in the 90’s, which petitioned to give Mitnick a chance to prove his innocence with a trial.

Regarding the novel’s unique title, Piskor said on Twitter: “I like the term ‘What you see is what you get.’ No bullshit. Kind of indicative of how hackers live. No apologies.”

Wizzywig demonstrates how life can be complex while surprising us when we least expect it. We may have a lot of challenges and obstacles coming our way, some brought on by ourselves in the same way Kevin brought misfortune on himself. We learn from our mistakes and Kevin is a great example of that, proving that you may need to fall at one point in your life in order to get back up on your feet.

For more comics visit www.wizzywigcomics.com.

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