The last time I attended Zenkaikon it was at the Valley Forge Convention Center, but since that is now a casino, they have had to relocate to the Expo Center at Oaks. You might remember Oaks as the site of GameX and Too Many Games; two gaming cons one sadly now defunct .

I am just saying I have been to cons there in the past, that made really effective use of the space, I mean you went inside and could tell there was an actual convention going on.

Zenkaikon… not so much.

What staff described as a “transitionatory space” was essentially a dark empty warehouse that was not really setup as a convention space at all. I had a few problems with this as both a con-goer and a parent. There were no real boundaries telling con-goers where they could and couldn’t go. When I first walked in honestly I didn’t know where the convention was until I was told sarcastically, “right here.”

This made for a really strange con experience, because folks just seemed to disperse unsupervised throughout the space, which was very badly lit. There was of course a dealer’s room that seemed normal. It was just badly setup for con traffic, as there was more space in-between the tables than in walkways for the actual foot traffic.

While the experience was far from optimal the con-goers as I have seen them do in the past made the best of the situation. I think my personal highlight was all the great Adventure Time cosplay I saw. Sadly since Zenkaikon is moving now to Lancaster, this will probably be the last time I attend this convention. I wish them luck with their new space and with that I leave you with some of photos of the con and some of the cosplay I came across.

Inside the Wagner

We all use electricity every day for almost everything we do (just try to charge your precious cell phone without it) but we almost never think about where it comes from. Luckily, there are people a hell of a lot smarter than us who do know and are willing to share.

On Wednesday, May 23rd at 5:30 PM, the Wagner Free Institute of Science will present their last Weeknights at the Wagner lecture, “Electrifying Philadelphia: Pageantry, Progress, and Power in the City Beautiful.” Dr. Aaron Wunsch, a lecturer in Penn’s Graduate Program in Historic Preservation, will talk about how Philadelphia first began using electricity, its advertising and how it spread to other parts of the area.

The lecture is free and open to the public with a Members Reception following afterwards. And just think; the next time the power goes out, you’ll be able to regale everyone with stories of how electricity first came to Philly to keep people entertained. Win/win.

Electrifying Philadelphia
May 23rd, 2011, 5:30pm

Wagner Free Institute of Science
1700 West Montgomery Ave. Philadelphia, PA 19121
(215) 763-6529
www.wagnerfreeinstitute.org

Because someday… this could be you.

All your life you have dreamed of working in advertising. So you went to school, got your degree, graduated and now have a kick-ass portfolio you are just dying to show off and can’t wait to get your career as a creative professional off the ground. Or maybe you worked in advertising, but with the economy the way it is, got laid off or downsized and are looking for an opportunity to start over and get the creative juices flowing again.

Now, for the tenth time, Portfolio Night will descend on Philadelphia and give aspiring copywriters, art directors and designers the chance to network and show off their portfolios to creative directors from some of the city’s top agencies. Done in a “speed dating” format, you will be able to have your portfolio looked at and reviewed by directors from the city’s top design firms, make connections and get valuable feedback.

So put the finishing touches of your portfolio and be at Lincoln Financial Field (West Club Level) on May 23rd at 5:00 PM. The cost if $30, but experiences like this are really invaluable. And who knows, you may walk away with that creative job you have always dreamed about.

Portfolio Night 10
www.portfolionight.com/10

YOU’RE TEARING ME APART, LISA!

If you’re a fan of bad cinema like me, you have probably heard of the insanity that is Tommy Wiseau’s The Room. The film is the story of a happy-go-lucky banker (Wiseau) that sees his world fall apart when his friends begin to betray him one-by-one. It’s one of those films that is simply so bad it’s good, that you have got to see for yourself to understand why.

It’s no surprise that the film by one of the most eccentric writer/director/actors around has turned into a midnight movie cult phenomenon. Folks show up in costume to not only interact with the film, but recreate their favorite scenes as the film plays as well. You can read more about that here.

I bring this all up because the film will be screening at the Colonial Theater on Friday, May 18^th at 9:45pm, sponsored by the folks at the You’ve Got Geek On You podcast.

I have 10 passes to give away to the screening courtesy of You’ve Got Geek. Want to win one? Just leave a comment with your favorite line from The Room with YOUR FULL NAME and 10 folks will be picked at random this Thursday night to be put on the guest list for a free ticket!

Mega-Mad Movie Night returns to the Academy of Natural Sciences at the end of the month, on Thursday, May 31st. This time around, they’ll be showing the Oscar winning cinematic gem, Sharktopus.

On stage for the live commentary are Jason Poole, Paul Callomon, and Mark Sabaj-Perez, the Academy’s shark expert. The event is adults only, and guests can look forward to light snacks, beer, and roaming the museum from 6:30 to 8pm when the movie begins in the theater.

Oh! And this time around, the Academy will be hosting a raffling, dishing out a copy of Sharktopus signed by Roger Corman, a bunch of Sharktopus t-shirts, and an (adorable?) Sharktopus plush.

We’re giving away three pairs of tickets to some lucky readers. Just leave a comment with your dream mashup monsters, and I’ll select three of you at random at the end of next week. You’ll score two tickets and be given the opportunity for the best first date ever.

Sharktopus @ the Academy of Natural Science
Thursday, May 31st, 2012
mbmnsharktopus.eventbrite.com

Time stopped for a few minutes on May 4^th last week when word spread that Adam Yauch, better known as MCA of the iconic band The Beastie Boys, had died. Only 47 years old, he had been fighting a courageous battle against cancer since 2009 and leaves behind an impressive legacy of music and fighting to bring freedom to Tibet.

In honor of Yauch and his work, The Awesome Fest and the Trocadero are holding a special screening of the Beastie Boys concert film “Awesome; I F*ckin’ Shot That!” on this Thursday, May 17th. The 2006 film was directed by Yauch and was filmed by giving camcorders to 50 members of the audience at the band’s show at Madison Square Garden.

The event is a 21 and over, free event with a charitable donation of $5 to go toward a charity of the Yauch family’s choosing. The doors open at 7:00 and the movie begins at 8:00 with a DJ and an anthology of Beastie Boys videos before the movie.

So head down to the Troc this Thursday to celebrate the life and work of someone who was truly a unique voice in music.

Awesome; I F*ckin’ Shot That @ The Trocadero
Thursday, May 17th, 2012
http://www.thetroc.com/

In case you missed it, here are some photos from our event at The Trocadero.

We had a great time screening Masters of The Universe with you guys, but we think we enjoyed The Alpha Girls trailer more! Have you seen it yet? It’s awesome! We can’t wait to see the whole movie, and we’d like to congratulate Tony Trov and Johnny Zito on doing such an awesome job.

Of course, after Masters of The Universe Skeletor himself hosted his famous Karaoke. We had a blast! You can’t miss our next event. It’s guaranteed to be a good time.

Keep your eyes on the website for updates on upcoming events!

This Saturday, I’m swinging by ComedySportz Philadelphia to guest judge their geek themed improv show. I did this last year as well, and it was an absolutely blast. You should come!

Here are the details on the show, straight from ComedySportz’ website:

On Saturday, May 19th at 10PM, we are letting our Geek Flag fly with the return of ComedyGeekz! It’s still ComedySportz but fortified with Dilythium-Crystal-powered fun: comic books, LARP, video games, Sonic Screwdrivers, knowing Han shot first — your inner nerd will totally be geeking out!

Featuring a distinguished panel of Celebri-geek Judges: Eric Smith Editor of Geekadelphia, Joel Rickenbach from the You’ve Got Geek on You podcast and Tara Bennett, Pop Culture expert and co-author of The Lost Encyclopedia.

Oh man, we are totally stoked! Get out of your parents basement and see this show!

We’re psyched too, ComedySportz! See you there!

ComedyGeekz @ ComedySportz Philly
Saturday, May 19th @ 10PM only

The Playground
2030 Sansom Street, Philadelphia, PA
$17/$14 (students w/ ID)

On Tuesday May 15th, The Awesome Fest is teaming up with the folks over at the Trocadero for a screening of Father’s Day, hosted by Mr. Troma himself Lloyd Kaufman. Father’s Day is the deranged tale of a serial killer/urban legend known as the Father’s Day Killer, that you guessed it kills exclusively fathers.  I will admit it’s a lot more sick and twisted then that, but coming from Troma I think you kind of expect it.

While the film is not for everyone, if you’re into exploitation throwbacks you might enjoy it. We’re giving away 2 pairs of tickets to check out the movie. Simply comment with your favorite Troma film by May 13th and two folks will picked at random thanks to Josh Goldbloom over at The Awesome Fest. Check out the trailer below.

If you’re not familiar with The Secret Cinema, they screen great 16mm films at various venues throughout the city and have been doing so for over 20 years. However this Friday, May 11th, at 7:00pm they will be doing something a little different with A Secret Cinema Blind Date: 35mm Archival Surprises at the iHouse.

Its called a blind date because they will be screening various 35mm films and shorts that they themselves haven’t seen, since the Secret Cinema hasn’t owned a 35mm projector for quite some time.

If you’ve been to any of their events you know you’re in for a treat and you are going to see some things you probably won’t see anywhere else. Tickets are a mere $9 for regular folks and $5 for iHouse members. Find out more on their Facebook page here. See you there!