Stick a fork in us, we’re done… looking for the perfect Valentine’s Day cards, that is.

Partycake, a Conshohocken-based greeting card start-up launched in early December, is rolling out their second batch of handmade greeting cards just in time for February 14. With lines like “You + Me = Sin” and “I’ve been hit by Cupid. Call the police,” how could we resist?

From the minds of local designers and PhilaMade members Brandon McNeely and Paul Nazarchyk, the line of “crudely concepted, tongue-in-cheek cards” provide all the sharp wit of your favorite e-cards, but with the benefit of locally-designed and beautifully-printed paper.

“It gives us a chance to step away from the computer screen, reconnect with doing print work and laugh for a couple hours. We feel that the effort put into a original, hand-crafted card has more of a personal impact than receiving a .jpeg in your inbox,” says co-founder McNeely.

The designers first explored the idea after a collection of jokes and sketches posted on Nazarchyk’s blog. The Kutztown University grads started sketching, and put out a modest first run of holiday cards – snarky notes about Christmas hangovers or a limited knowledge of the Jewish religion – to great success last month.

Partycake cards have a simple concept: crude, witty characters on quality recycled paper, with an emphasis on craftsmanship and passive aggressive humor. The founders also hope to “restore the hand-made touch lost in most communication today,” adding hand-stamped and personalized thank-you notes for every customer.

The next line of holiday cards are now available online at Partycakecards.com, featuring just the right kind of sexy/crude/passive-aggressive humor to make us laugh and hope our Valentines feel the same way.

This Wednesday, February 8th, Nerd Nite Philadelphia returns to Frankford Hall with (as always) a handful of awesome speakers. From a talk about using chemistry to “blow sh*t* up” (with demonstrations!) to a lecture on skydiving, this is easily the best line up I’ve seen Nerd Nite produce yet.

There are some great happy hour specials as well, including $5 half-liter drafts ($10 for a full liter), $6 for a beer and pretzel, or $8 to substitute that pretzel with a sausage. Nom!

Check out the list of the speakers and what they’re talking about, below.

Nerd Nite Philadelphia
Wednesday, February 8th, 7:30pm
philadelphia.nerdnite.com/updates

(more…)

You have the second Monday of every month blocked out for the Science on Tap event at National Mechanics, right?

Of course you do, for two very special reasons: science and beer.

February 13th’s topic is Violence in the Laboratory: How Science Changed War and War Changed Science, presented by Dr. Susan Lindee, Penn’s Associate Dean for the Social Sciences and Professor in the Department of History and Sociology of Science.

The talk will cover the effects science and war have had on each other, from scientific research funded by the military to battle tactics shaped by sophisticated tech. After her presentation, there will be a no-doubt lively discussion about how science and war have changed in the 20th century and when exactly we can expect our own Iron Man and/or War Machine.

Science on Tap is a monthly series of informal presentations by scientists and other experts. They’re held at National Mechanics on the second Monday of every month and are always a good time.

Science on Tap @ National Mechanics
Monday, February 13th at 6 pm

National Mechanics
22 South 3rd Street Philadelphia, PA 19106
(215) 701-4883
www.nationalmechanics.com

On this month’s episode of the Geekadelphia Podcast Jo and Dan tackle some Oscar nominations, and sit down with Tony Trov and Johnny Zito of South Fellini.

For a direct download of the podcast, right click and save as this file.

The 2012 Oscars:
oscar.go.com

South Fellini:
www.southfellini.com
www.twitter.com/SOUTHfellini
alphagirlsmovie.tumblr.com

Reel 9 Productions:
www.reel9productions.com

Theme Music by Chipocrite:
www.chipocrite.com

Follow Jo Pincushion: @jopincushion
Follow Dan: @danthefan

It seems that over the last year, one of the key themes in comics has been diversity. Whether it is more female creators in comics or the cancellation of titles featuring non-white, non-male characters, fandom wants a more diverse superhero universe.

Unfortunately, they seem to be shouting into a vacuum as nothing really appears to be changing. Thankfully, there are organizations such as the Asian Arts Initiative to show us where we have been in regard to ethnic characterizations in comics and the possibilities of where we are going.

Starting Feb. 3rd and running through March 23rd, they will be presenting the exhibition Marvels & Monsters: Unmasking Asian Images in U.S. Comics, 1942-1986. In it they will be showcasing how Asian-Americans have been portrayed over the last four decades in comics and graphic novels.

Highlighting the good and the bad, Gayle Isa, executive director of the Asian Arts Initiative, says “Marvels & Monsters illustrates how images of Asian-Americans have influenced contemporary culture. It’s exciting for the Asian Arts Initiative to bring this show to Philadelphia, as an opportunity for our community to reflect on the stories we want to tell and consider ways we can affect future perceptions.”

In addition, the show will also showcase work be Asian-American creators working in the medium today. It will include work by Larry Hama, David Henry Hwang, Naomi Hirahara, Genny Lim, Greg Pak and many more. The idea is to demonstrate how the representation of Asian-Americans in comics has changed and evolved over time.

So if this sounds like something that would interest you (and why wouldn’t it), check out the website for more information and get ready to learn why every superhero doesn’t need to look like Superman.

The Asian Arts Initiative
1219 Vine St., Philadelphia
www.asianartsinitiative.org

When you think of Valentine’s Day, what comes to mind? Is the heart? Cupid perhaps? How about a fetus, or embryos? It’s plenty romantic in theory. Some 20th Century artists believe this is a perfect way to depict romance for the Valentine holiday. These images also symbolized love, passion, politics, and society.

Professor of Biology, Dr. Scott Gilbert found that artists Gustav Klimt (The Kiss (1907-1908) and Diego Rivera (Man, Controller of the Universe (Or Man in the Time Machine) (1934)) depicted images of fertilized cells and embryos (with scientific accuracy) in their artwork. Dr. Gilbert will take an in-depth look at their paintings to see how they merged science and art at a special lecture at the Wagner next week.

The Wagner Free Institute of Science examines a period in history when science and art intermingled, and biology influenced artistic creativity in turn creating a method for political and social commentary. Scott Gilbert will bring science to art with insight into the history and meaning of these works.

This presentation is free and open to the public at the Wagner Free Institute of Science on February 9th at 5:30 PM.

What’s Love Got To Do With It?
February 9th, 2012, 5:30pm, Free

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

About a week ago Drew Bacon of Music Box Dynamo sent me a tweet about his ridiculously geeky guitar, The Poppler. After watching the clip that shows off the axe (and his vocal prowess), I had to post a little something about the instrument.

Drew admits that this isn’t the fanciest guitar in the world, a simple Fender DG8 acoustic guitar… but to him, it’s pretty damn special. It’s the guitar he learned how to play music on back in 2007.

Fast forward to 2011, and he’s regularly performing with a better guitar. He spotted his old ax sitting lonely in the corner and broke out pads of paper and pencils, furiously sketching characters he admired.

“It’s a little bit of good and evil,” says Bacon about the art on the guitar, “Superman, The Death Star, Bender, Leeloo Multipass, Lord Voldemort, The Bride, Spiderman, Philadelphia Skyline, Batman, The Joker, Captain America, A Snow Willow Tree, Wolverine, The Man With No Name, Mickey Mouse, an Iron Man [Arc Reactor], and a hidden hometown logo I don’t mention unless someone spots it.”

The whole thing took a little over two months to create, and it looks awesome. And in case you didn’t know, Poppler is a brilliant Futurama reference.

Make sure to check out Music Box Dynamo as they perform all around the city over the year. The song in the video is actually about their first show together. Hit up the band on their official website and on Facebook.

Mark L. Miller might not be a name you’re familiar with yet, but this March that will all change as he and Zenescope Entertainment bring us the latest Grimm Fairy Tales miniseries, The Jungle Book. Mark was nice enough to answer a few questions about himself, what fans can expect from his take on The Jungle Book and what it’s like to be the new kid on the block at Philly’s own Zenescope Entertainment.

Tell us a bit about yourself. You’re an editor at Ain’t It Cool News, correct?

Yes, I still do edit and occasionally still review on Ain’t It Cool as Ambush Bug and have been providing horror and comic book related content for them for over ten years on my weekly AICN COMICS and AICN HORROR columns. I don’t plan on leaving any time soon either, just possibly shifting my role more to editing than reviewing as the demands on writing increase.

I also practice expressive therapy at a residential home for boys and girls in Northern Chicago and have been doing that for about a decade. And then I teach expressive therapy in the grad program at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago as well. Over the last few years, I’ve written some comics; LUNA: ORDER OF THE WEREWOLF for Famous Monsters Magazine and VINCENT PRICE PRESENTS and NANNY & HANK for Bluewater (which was just optioned to be made into a film for 2013).

What is it like to join the ranks of Zenescope as their newest writer?

Joe Brusha, Ralph Tedesco and Raven Gregory have been great to work with. They are extremely supportive of my writing and have encouraged me to do my best (which I hope I’m doing). They have built a really fun company and so far, it’s been nothing but great as far as my collaboration with them on THE JUNGLE BOOK. (more…)

Equal parts supernatural spaghetti Western and buddy comedy, The Grave Doug Freshley (see my review here) is a story about the friendship between a cowboy and the boy he swore to protect. The twist here is that the titular Mr. Freshley dies early on in the book, yet his commitment to keeping the young scamp Bat safe is so great that he doesn’t let his own untimely demise get in the way of keeping his promise.

Originally released as a mini-series by Archaia, the issues have been compiled into a just-released graphic novel. The writer of this most wild of Wild West tales is Josh Hechinger, a 24-year-old Downington resident. Don’t let his young age fool you though, as Hechinger writes with a humor and pathos well beyond his years. Over the past couple of years, his creative output has included the historical comic Okita and the Cat and the ursine wrestling epic Bear Beater Bunyan (both of which are available as iPhone apps).

I recently had the opportunity to conduct a Q&A with Hechinger in which he discussed The Grave Doug Freshley at length, as well as his favorite things to do in Philly. Read on to check out the fun. (more…)

Photo via Brave New Worlds

An important side note to begin: For you geeks in town who didn’t make it out to the ZOE STRAUSS: TEN YEARS opening party at PMA two weekends ago, fret not: the exhibition runs through April 22nd. If you’ve driven down 95, Delaware Avenue or 76, you’ve likely seen one of the 54 billboards in the Billboard Project accompanying the exhibition– but did you know there’s also a Foursquare contest? Check in at a billboard before April 2nd and enter for a chance to win the grand prize: a private tour of the retrospective and lunch with Zoe Strauss and the exhibition curator.

February means that folks are finally getting back into the First Friday groove, post-holiday season. Here’s what’s happening:

FIRST FRIDAY IN CENTER CITY

Some great standards are happening on February 3rd in Center City: Starting in Old City around 7pm, note the HAMMY SPARKLE opening at Brave New Worlds. If you’re 21+, feel free to cross Market and head a few blocks south– first to the DRINK PHILLY space for a free gallery showing and live jazz on Chestnut Street (don’t forget to RSVP!); then head farther south around 9pm to see notorious duo Tony Trov and Johnny Zito (of South Fellini)’s opening party for TRAMP STAMP! at Tattooed Mom’s. Tunes and drink specials, included.

OTHER EVENTS

If you’re farther down the Schuylkill, you can pop by Lucky’s Last Chance, a vintage pub on Main Street, as they are hosting a February event for (the new-ish) MANAYUNK FIRST FRIDAY.

Sadly, there were no advance updates on any South Philly Second Saturday happenings on East Passyunk Ave next weekend, but here’s a head’s up on two galleries for this weekend in NoLibs/ Fishtown:

On Friday, PLANAR SPLIT, features ‘sci-fi folk art’, and has a reception with live music from 6-10pm at Part Time Studios on Frankford. On Saturday, February 4th, the Slinguff Gallery in NoLibs has an opening: WELCOME SKATEBOARDS AND JASON VIVONA.

BONUS event on Friday, February 3rd:

He may not be showing art… but if you’re out in the South-Eastern PA ‘burbs this Friday, you’re already more than halfway to a DAN AKYROYD BOTTLE SIGNING for Crystal Head Vodka at Total Wine in Claymont, Delaware… Cross the DE border, high-five Dan the Man for being in some of the best movies of your youth, and let him know the Crystal Head Vodka bottle unintentionally gives you tiny rage stroke flashbacks to the last Indiana Jones movie.

Happy travels!

—

A Geek’s Gallery Guide is a new monthly preview for First Friday and Second Saturday artist showings in Philadelphia. Submit tips for upcoming gallery events to geekadelphia@gmail.com.

Ever since 2007, Zenescope and writer Raven Gregory have been taking readers down the rabbit hole to visit Wonderland, easily one of the most disturbing titles of their Grimm Fairy Tales Universe. Up until now we have seen this place through the eyes of Alice’s daughter Calie and the other inhabitants of Wonderland, always returning scared out of our minds and a little worse for wear.

But now Zenescope is finally going back to the beginning and showing us how the story began in the new Alice in Wonderland miniseries. Gregory again returns as writer and brings with him Robert Gill on art. Together they finally show us what led Alice down the rabbit hole in the first place, why she stayed and what happened there that scarred her for life like it did.

It is pretty much a given that if Zenescope is going to publish something with Wonderland in the title, Raven Gregory is going to be writing it. In Alice in Wonderland #1, he somehow manages to show us Wonderland through a new set of eyes and make the place seem original and fresh. We already know what will happen to Alice, but you get caught up in the story and want to see what will happen next, even though you just know it won’t be anything good. It’s like watching a really scary movie; you watch through your fingers because you can’t look away. Alice in Wonderland will give you that same feeling.

On the original Wonderland trilogy, Gregory worked with artist Daniel Leister, who through his amazing work defined what Wonderland and its inhabitants should look like and gave the place it’s creepy as hell vibe. For Alice in Wonderland, Robert Gill steps into these massive shoes and somehow knocks it out of the park. If you need proof, just wait until you see Gill’s version of the Cheshire Cat. It is ferocious, intimidating and looks just a little bit like the Disney version everyone knows so well. His Alice is sexy yet strong and he uses some really unique panel layouts that fit a book like Wonderland like a glove.

Alice in Wonderland has been a long time coming. I guess it was inevitable that Zenescope would return to the beginning at some point to tell how the story began; I just didn’t think it would be this good. Join Alice down the rabbit hole and get scared again for the first time.

Zenescope has given us not only a copy of Alice in Wonderland #1 to give away to one lucky Geekadelphia reader, but a copy of the Return to Wonderland trade paperback that started it all as well. Leave a comment and we’ll pick a random winner at the end of next week. Please make sure to leave an e-mail address with your comment and books can only be sent to addresses in the United States and Canada.

Mega Bad Movie Night comes lumbering into the Academy of Natural Sciences next Thursday, February 9th, and will be poking fun at the second Jurassic Park film, The Lost World.

I’m psyched for another night of Mystery Science Theater 3000-esque hilarity with the Academy’s brilliant scientists, as they spend the evening pointing out the inaccuracies in the film. Make sure you show up early (doors open at 6:30pm), as the Academy’s staff will be showing a number of fossils from their vast Paleontology Collection.

Now, giveaway time.

I’ve got three sets of two tickets to dish out thanks to the folks at the Academy. How can you enter? Easy. Just leave a comment captioning the photo below. My three favorite entries will score a set of passes for two. I’ll contact the winners on Monday.

Good luck!

Mega-Bad Movie Night: Jurassic Park
Thursday, February 9th
mbmnthelostworld.eventbrite.com

Academy of Natural Sciences
1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 299-1009
www.ansp.org