There’s less than two weeks until Wizard World takes over the convention center and the event’s organizers want to let you in for free…if you’ll winning to prove just how nerdy you are.

Starting last Friday, fans wanting free passes can submit pictures of themselves dressed up as their favorite sci-fi/TV/comics/movie character at the Wizard World Philly Facebook Contest Page. If the Book of Faces isn’t your bag, you can also tweet @wizardworld with the hash tag #wizardpic to have your pals retweet your entry. Wizard Entertainment will take the five most popular Facebook pics and the five most popular twitpics and then choose three folks who will win:

- Grand Prize:  A VIP pass to the Wizard World Philadelphia Comic Con (includes celebrity autograph of the winner’s choice), the ability to bypass all the lines at the convention — trust me, this will come in handy — and five free tickets to Snow White and the Huntsman.

- Second Prize: An autographed photo of the winner’s favorite celebrity who is appearing at the con, as well as three free tickets to see the upcoming Charlize Theron film that isn’t Prometheus, Snow White and the Huntsman.

- Third Prize: Two free tickets to, you guessed it, Snow White and the Huntsmen.

These winners will also be placed in the running for a national contest for round-trip airfare for two to any 2013 Wizard World event with VIP tickets and a two-night hotel stay. Not too shabby. (Full contest details can be found here).

So get out your cameras and get cracking. And be sure to check back for Geekadelphia’s complete Wizard World Philly coverage in a few weeks!

Guest Post by Mike Fenn

A week before Wizard World begins moving in, the Pennsylvania Convention Center will host another geek event, a “double strike” if you will. On Friday, May 25, from 10AM until 9PM, a “Magic: The Gathering” tournament will be held, sponsored by West Philadelphia’s Redcap Corner. It will be the first such event since Redcap’s recent move to their current Lancaster Avenue location.

The tournament is a Pro Tour Qualifier and will thus require a $25 fee to play. Smaller tournaments will be held at Redcap’s Corner itself on both Friday and Saturday.

For more information, head to the PA Convention Center’s events page.

Steampunk has long been one of the most underground of underground subcultures. Just try to explain what Steampunk is to someone and you might understand why. It is a genre that oftentimes defies description and can result in blank stares from those who don’t “get” it.

But over the last few years, Steampunk has become more and more mainstream, with the genre being a large plot point in the fifth season of The Guild and even having an episode of ABC’s hit series Castle devoted to it.

And now, anyone can go and experience the thrill and uniqueness of Steampunk at the Steampunk World’s Fair taking place on May 18th through the 20th at the Radisson of Piscataway in New Jersey. There you will be able to enjoy what is billed as the best Steampunk Festival in the world. It will include guests such as Leanna Renee Hieber, V is for Villains, PJ Schnyder and many more as well as a midway, an Absinthe tasting, a costume extravaganza and too much more to describe here.

Tickets, hotel information and more can be found on their website. So whether you are an old hat to the world of steam or if Steampunk is something that always intrigued you but you didn’t know where to start, The Steampunk World’s Fair is where you probably want to be.

Steampunk World’s Fair
May 18th – 20th, 2012
http://steampunkworldsfair.com

It’s time to dust off that Sailor Scout uniform and maybe break out that Eva plug suit, because it’s time for the Philadelphia area’s very own anime convention Zenkaikon.

The con, which runs May 11th and 12th, recently moved to the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA. From the looks of it, this will be another great year of panels, cosplay and picking up some of your favorite anime related goods.

Zenkaikon has become kind of a Geekadelphia tradition. I am personally looking forward to taking some pics of some of the great cosplay, buying some DVDS/Blu-rays and will definitely be on the lookout for some Green Tea Kit-Kats.

Passes for the con are $30 for the weekend and can be picked up at the door.  You can find more info on their official website here.

Phorum, a new technology conference for business and IT executives, launches next Wednesday, March 28th. The goal of this new conference, according to the Phorum website, is “to explore emerging technologies as they transition to mainstream adoption and to educate executives on the practical application of these technologies in business.”

The one-day conference will discuss Cloud technology, and how it can transform the way companies “do business, go to market, and compete.”

For a new conference, the speakers are pretty impressive. The keynote will be delivered by Nick Carr, Pulitzer prize finalist and author of The Big Switch and The Shallows. You can scope out the full list of speakers and panelists on Phorum’s official website.

However, for a new conference, the ticket prices are pretty up there ($350 for full-conference ticket). If you’re part of the Philadelphia Startup Leaders though, you can score tickets for a sweet $100.

You can learn more about the conference on their official website.

The Tattoo Arts Convention rolled its way into Philadelphia and ink enthusiasts from all over the Philadelphia area lined up to see the work of some of the world’s best tattoo artists. After getting into the building and stepping through the doors of The Pennsylvania Convention Center the sound of buzzing tattoo machines can be heard echoing throughout the room.

As you made your way around the convention you encounters all walks of life. From old tattoo connoisseurs to new tattoo fanatics– this was where both worlds came together. Tattoo artists displayed their proudest tats and were ready to give anyone the new ink that they desired. The atmosphere was calm, yet at the same time the excitement for the lifestyle could be heard in the conversations floating around the room.

There was plenty of entertainment for those not getting a tattoo. Awards were given out throughout the weekend, artists were working on their latest paintings, and Rigor Mortis Review performed their delightfully morbid burlesque show. There were over 200 of the world’s best artists tattooing all weekend long, and Amy Niletto from LA Ink was tattooing her fans. All around, the Tattoo Arts Convention was a great time, and you should definitely check it out next year.

I tried to find the geekiest tattoos in the convention and put them in a video for your viewing pleasure! Think you have a better geeky tattoo? Comment below with a link to a photo. We’d love to see it!

For more information on the Tattoo Arts Convention go visit Villain Arts’ official website.

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

Tattooing is an art form that has been around for centuries, and we know that many of you are tattoo enthusiasts. Well, The Philadelphia Tattoo Arts Convention is coming to the Philadelphia Convention Center and you should totally go! This is a great place to meet fellow tattoo enthusiasts and get some great ideas for your next piece!

The 13th Annual Philadelphia Tattoo Art Convention runs February 10th through the 12th and is the longest running show in the country, and this year will be even more exciting! The Convention will feature entertainment by the world famous Enigma, live bands such as Murphy’s Law, suspension acts, and a sultry burlesque show.

There will also be awards given out throughout the weekend. Best Back Piece, Leg Sleeve, and Tattoo of the Day are only some of the categories. An original art gallery and live painters will be creating things throughout the event. See over 200 of the world’s best artists tattooing all weekend long, and Amy Niletto from LA Ink will even be there!

Ticket prices are $20 per day or $40 for the weekend. Tickets are sold only at the show.

For more information, visit Tattooed Kingpin’s official website. Oh! And look for me on Saturday! She’ll be on the hunt for anyone with a geeky tattoo they’d like to show off.

The Philly Auto Show is not the domain solely for the petrol-head. Geeks like cars too. In fact, without geeks and boffins, some of that sweet tech you have in your new car may never have made it there at all. Satellite navigation, radar-guided cruise control, infrared night vision, and launch control all sound like things we might want in our Fifth Element hover taxi, but they are only a small part of amazing tech that can be found in the new, green, and exotic cars you’ll find at the Philly Auto Show.

From Jan 28th to Feb 5th, get (insert motoring pun here) for some of the sleekest and most cutting edge cars to ever hit The Pennsylvania Convention Center floor. Cars large and small will be there for you to oogle, sit in, push every button on the dashboard, and pretend you are belting around the Nürburgring at 170 mph. There is also sure to be a man with a rag over by the Ferraris waiting to sop up your puddles of drool.

In honor of the upcoming show, we have a short list (in no particular order) of some of the geekiest cars from film and real life. If there’s any one you think we should add to the list, drop us a message in the comments section below.

The Ecto-1: Who seriously didn’t want to ride round NYC to bust ghosts in this glorious bit of geek transport. Little known fact: It looks even cooler covered in slime.

The Back to the Future DMC Delorean: The Delorean may have been a complete failure in real life, but when Doc Brown got his hands on it to turn it into a flying time machine, it cruised easily into the hearts of every movie geek.

Peel P50: Small cars are geeky. The Peel P50 holds the record for being the smallest production car ever made. Never mind that it was hopelessly impractical and didn’t have a reverse gear, it was so awesomely small that you could easily drive it around your office building.

BMW Concept Car: No list of geeky cars would be complete without some iteration of the Batmobile. But this is a little something different. BMW created a concept car that’s able to change the shape of it’s fabric outer shell. You can even open and close the headlights to make it look like it’s blinking. It’s very ffective for winking at pretty girls on the sidewalk.

Reliant Robin: Because of it’s three wheel configuration, the reliant robin spent more time crashing than going around corners. But, since you only needed a motorcycle license to drive it, geeks loved turning it into all sorts of incredible things.

Undoubtedly, none of these cars will be at the Philly Auto Show, but like looking at a Lamborghini’s that will be there, it’s still fun to dream.

Philadelphia Auto Show
Jan 28 – Feb 5th, 2012
www.phillyautoshow.com

The Pennsylvania Convention Center
1101 Arch Street, Philadelphia PA 19107

Toy Story taught me that whenever no one is looking, children’s toys come alive. That thought is terrifying, just like the weeping angel statues in Doctor Who. I’ll have to recruit my friends to take shifts staring at my old Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle action figures. Don’t you dare call them dolls.

Some say this is an irrational fear and the only way to conquer such a fear is to face it head on. There’s no better place to be surrounded by old toys with questionable pasts than the Antique Toy Convention in Philadelphia. I’m going to overcome this one way or another!

The Antique Toy Convention shared the same space as the Pennsy Flea Market. When I initially walked in, I was thrown off by the Michael Jackson impersonator dancing by the CDs. True story. I eventually found the Antique Toy Convention tucked away in the corner of the flea market and after paying my $5 ticket I knew I was in the right place.

Bins of random action figures sat under tables laden with glass cases full of match box cars. Every vendor’s table reminded me of my old toy boxes. I did my best to respectfully rummage through their wares and not dump out entire bins onto the floor like a 7 year old at their friend’s house looking for a cool toy. It was tough.

Since there were plenty of people there to keep an eye out, I wasn’t too worried about toys scurrying around the displays or hitching a ride in my bag in order to make their way to their previous owner. In fact, I was reminiscing the good times I had with toys. I swear that some of my old toys my mom threw out ended up at this place. I wanted to buy all of my old toys back and show my mom in defiance. I’m too old for toys, you say? Ha!

The convention allowed me to peer into the world of people passionate about collecting toys. I overheard a story of one man’s quest for Mars Attacks trading cards that paralleled the quest for the Holy Grail. Overhearing conversations about the best way to showcase a toy collection in their home showed me there are toy geeks out there who are serious about these objects meant for children.

Toys are not alive, but they bring imagination to life. They won’t run around having adventures on their own, unless you want them to.

Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.

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I had a wonderful time at Wizard World this year! I went around and interviewed all the different cosplayers at this wonderful convention. I had some laughs, learned some life lessons, and most of all… got my geek on! I even recruited Dr. Who cosplayers to help me with the ending of this segment.

Don’t miss Wizard World next year! It’s a great time where you can meet fascinating people, buy some great geek swag, and stalk your favorite celebrity. What can go wrong with that mix?

Here’s a video of some of the people I met this year. For the extended cut, go to www.reel9productions.com!

Wizard World Philadelphia will offer you plenty of opportunities to rub elbows with the comic book elite… but what about after hours? It’s not surprising that folks tend to stay close to the convention center to grab a drink. Where do your favorite comic creators like to hang out when the con closes its doors?

Geekadelphia found out!

The Marriott Lounge was mentioned by artist Brian Quinn (Blood River) but it does tend to become the place where a lot of creator sightings happen.

Writer Tony DiGerlamo (The Web Comic Factory) mentioned the legendary McGillin’s, “the longest operating bar in Philadelphia, you can’t miss it” in the alley street of Drury Lane.

Formally East Coast artist Michael Avon Oeming (Powers, Mice Templar) swears by Tattoo Mom’s for drinks while local artist Scott Derby gave a shout out to Sugar Mom’s. “Great beers on tap, great jukebox, and old friends Bowman and Chad behind the bar. What else can you ask for?”

If you’re looking for places a little farther outside the convention sphere, Zenoscope editor-in-chief Ralph Tedesco swears by Ladder 15 in Rittenhouse.

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This past weekend was the TooManyGames convention, held this year at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA.

If people didn’t get their fill of video games this weekend, then they clearly did not try hard enough.

We had the pleasure of hitting up the Expo on Friday evening when the event was kicking off, right when they were about to host a screening of “The Wizard.”

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