Some people love fantasy. Then there are people who are so utterly enmeshed in it that they’ve gone so far as to bring it to an academic setting (where it belongs – am I right?). One of those people is Philadelphia’s very own Dr. Donald Riggs, who will be teaching a course this summer on A Game of Thrones at Drexel University.

The course, simply titled “A Game of Thrones,” will explore the differences and similarities between the first book in the series and the first season of the HBO series based on it. It will be offered through the Pennoni Honors College on Thursday afternoons from 2:00 to 4:50. It promises to be just as epic as the tale it focuses on.

Dr.  Riggs

This is not the first time Dr. Riggs is teaching a class this rad. He often teaches whole courses on Lord of the Rings, and, in fact, he’s also teaching a course this summer on The Hobbit. Several years ago, he ran Tolkienfest, an entire day of celebrating the work of Tolkien, here at Drexel University.

My favorite class I’ve ever taken with him was centered around Dune (yes, it was glorious). I’ll be sitting in on as many Game of Thrones classes as I possibly can this summer.

For more info, visit Drexel University’s official website.

On a quiet block in a neighborhood nestled between Rittenhouse Square and the Avenue of the Arts is a curious little shop. Omoi (meaning “thoughts and ideas” in Japanese) is one of Philly’s finest little retail stores. Elizabeth Seiber opened the shop in 2006 as a way to introduce Philadelphia to different cultures through products and as a way to break new brands in the U.S. “I’ve always been fascinated with other cultures – my family has some wonderful and unsual collections from around the world, and I guess I just naturally did the same thing.”

After studying in Japan for the second time, Liz decided to come back to Philly bringing some of east along with her. For over half a decade now, customers have been drawn to her heavily-curated “zakka” shop–a small type of store in Japanese retail culture intended to be packed with brilliantly alluring little treasures.

“I discovered that Japan was the holy grail for collecting. Not only do Japanese artists and companies make some incredible pieces to covert, but they also dominate in the wide world of curating.”

Omoi’s selection of accessories, apparel, home goods and stationery has earned its reputation of being an excellent gift shop, especially amongst the geeky and eccentric crowd. Liz tells us that zakka shops are a mainstay in Japan, with emphasis on every items that may be small in size but have a good quality, feeling and design. “… the idea isn’t to be a shop about Japan, but more like the kind of shop you would actually see in Omotesando or Umeda.” Liz states.

Frequent patrons may notice some recent arrivals in the realm of designer stationery, which has been a popular sell on the website. New to the shop this season are “DAYS Collection” pens, pencils and notebooks, along with tons of new masking tape colors. For the non-stationery geeks, Liz has made mention that the Omoi folks are currently obssessed with playing cards from IDEA, a Japanese home and design company. For lovers of t-shirts from SEIBEI, Omoi is also happy to share that they’ve recently restocked.

All in all, Omoi continues to grow both in-store and online. So be sure to visit the shop on Pine Street, OmoiOnline.com or check out their Tumblr for their thoughts and musings.

Emilio Garcia, the famed designer and illustrator celebrated for his quirky jumping brain toys, is visiting Drexel University for a four-day workshop and residency. As a designer, Garcia has worked with companies like Hitachi, Diesel, Inditex, Metro, Vans and The North Face.

He’s coming all the way from Barcelona, Spain for the workshop, and he’s giving a special public lecture that anyone can attend. The talk is free and open to the public, and will take place in the Stein Auditorium on Monday, April 16th.

The lecture will “focus on the world of collectable toy making, a growing sub-culture taking hold in many of world’s urban centers.” For more information, visit Drexel’s website.

Emilio Garcia, Public Lecture
Monday, April 16, 2012
Free and Open to the Public

Stein Auditorium
111 Nesbitt Hall (3215 Market St)

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.

Yeah. This is happening.

In a press release issued by our friends at The Hacktory, the hacker space is hosting another (they did this before?) sex toy hacking workshop, inviting curious folks to come fiddle with a variety of naughty gadgets, “from DIY floggers to vibrators that vibrate in Morse Code.”

Maggie Avener of the Prometheus Radio project will start the workshop with a quick talk about a few of the projects she’s been working on, and then guests can share ideas and start work on their own projects. No technical know-how is necessary.

This clearly 18+ event at the Hacktory goes down (heh heh) on March 20th, from 1pm to 4pm, with the workshop running 1pm to 3pm. The entrance fee is $20.

For more information, visit The Hacktory’s website.

The Hacktory
1524 Brandywine Street (19130)
www.thehacktory.org

Last week I had the pleasure of chatting with Shawn Smith, former video game journalist for EGM Magazine, and creator of the character design studio Shawnimals.

In the world of Shawnimals lies Ninjatown, featuring a wide selection of ninjas with their own unique story and design. Ninjatown has been everything from toys to videogames. You can even read about Ninjatown on your various Apple devices thanks to the Ninjatown: Adventures of Wee Ninja comic book App available in the iOS store.

I had the chance to talk to Shawn about his background, how Ninjatown came to be, and some of his favorite games from the past year.

For those not familiar with the world of Shawnimals or Ninjatown, could you tell me a little about its creation, as well as a little background information about yourself?

Shawn: Sure thing, Shawnimals is a character design studio that believes in the power of unbridled, astonishing, ridiculous joy. Each Shawnimal comes with its own story that starts in the Shawnimaland universe, but is then given over to you to continue each unique creature’s adventure in your own universe.

Our huggable friends appear as designer toys, lifestyle accessories, apparel, comic books, video games, and as anything that fosters companionship. We believe that the best artistic experiences are participatory and affordable, and that – with an open heart – friendship can happen between you and just about anything. Even facial hair.

We have a staff of four: Myself, my wife and biz partner Jen, Monte and Eric. And two rotating intern positions.

As for me: I’m the creative force behind Shawnimals, and started the company before I even knew it by watching cartoons, drawing pictures and playing video games as a kid.

Fast forward to my job at EGM magazine as a game reviewer (1996 – 2000), I made the difficult decision to leave and focus on my first love: Art and design. I had the opportunity to explore my various characters and the countless sketchbooks on my shelf filled with hundreds of unused characters. In a way, Shawnimals were born shortly after. Without a doubt I have pop culturally-inspired aesthetic: Simple, compelling character designs, strong narratives, and a healthy dose of humor. All of the stuff that makes great pop culture great.

With Ninjatown you have found success with an all ages title, a genre that seems to elude the bigger comics companies. Do you think it’s hard to find that balance of kid friendly entertainment that also appeals to an older audience?

Shawn: Yeah, it is definitely a balancing act. It’s cute and simple enough to appeal to kids, but not so simple and so cute to turn off adults. There’s also a level of inherent weirdness some of our characters have — or at least a level of absurdity — that I think a lot of adults can appreciate. We don’t necessarily want to be everything to everybody, but we are thankful that our characters seem to transcend the usual boundaries.

Piggybacking on the last question, what were the influences behind Ninjatown and Shawnimals in general?

Shawn: Anything and everything. Pop culture at large, for sure, but beyond that I love the idea of personifying things that would otherwise be common or even pointless. Objects, food, etc. Then there’s the character like Wee Ninja that obviously inspired by ninjas, or still other that are completely make believe.

Will Shawnimaland expand beyond the lands already discovered, or will you continue to populate the existing lands with new creations?

Shawn: Absolutely. Creating new characters, lands and stories is what we do. We love it. We’ll also continue populating our existing lands, too, because working creatively within parameters is as fun as it is challenging.

Working with Ninjatown as a digital comic, are you enjoying the new format and presentation?

Shawn: Absolutely. Apples devices (and really, smart phones in general) lend themselves incredibly well to reading. With regard to comics specifically, the displays handle the bright, saturated, detailed visuals so well.

Speaking of digital comics, have you been reading comics on the iPad or iPhone, or do you still pick up the physical copies? Also, do you have any favorite titles that you pick up regularly?

Shawn: Maybe it’s my background in publishing but there’s something really nice about picking up a physical copy of a comic or mag. Digital is a fantastic supplement, but shouldn’t be a replacement.

Finally, knowing your background in video games, what were some of your favorite games were from last year, and what games are you looking forward to this year?

Shawn: Rock Band 3. I’m a sucker for fake rocking. Outside of that, being limited to a Wii, I’ll go with Black Ops, GoldenEye and Epic Yarn. 2011 is going to be insane, though, and hopefully my wife will increase my allowance and I can finally get an Xbox and/or PS3. If not, I’ll stick to my other pastime: Drinking beer.

Thanks for the taking the time out to chat with us Shawn.

Shawn: My pleasure!

I won’t lie to you, Geeks… I’m not a fan of the holiday season. People singing, children laughing… yeah, I could do without all that, thank you very much. However, I do love the awesome sales and clever gifts that pop up around this time of year. Folks get creative in their attempts to part you from your hard earned money, and the Geekadelphia crew has picked our favorite items available for gift-giving this year.

From handmade Star Wars crafts to the World of Warcraft expansion, we’ve compiled quite a list. Have a look, get some shopping done, and have a safe holiday.

Timmy Q (@bigredtim) – I recommend anything from Mike Mitchell’s shop. Everything here is curated and designed by Mitchell, geek extraordinaire. I have one of his works framed and hanging in my bathroom. Star Wars inspired knit hats on Etsy. You can find some great R2D2 caps. Like this one, here. A must for any Star Wars fan in your life, who also happens to have a cold head.

Our friend Vince has one of these camera lens mugs… and it is freaking awesome. The Camera Lens mug, a most for any photographer in your life. Jinx currently has some fantastic World of Warcraft swag, including this WoW Murlock hoodie.

Eric Smith (@ericsmithrocks) – I spend a lot of time shopping on Amazon, and they have a killer $10 blu-ray section. Browse away for that high definition media lover in your life. These jawns go for $30+ in your local FYE, and you can scope them for less than $10. Make yourself look like you spent a lot of money, kids.

Also, the X-Men Arcade game hits XBL next week. Buy a voucher, give it a friend. They will love you forever. So much nostalgia.

Daniel Oliveri (@hey_daniel) – World of Warcraft: Cataclysm. That is all.

Nicole Kline (@toits) – Instead of picking something up for the usual friend or family member (or yourself, Selfish McSelfish), why not buy something… anything off of this wishlist here? What is it? Why, it’s the Child’s Play Charity page for the Children’s Hospital of Pennsylvania. Buy something for a kid in need.

More below!

Erica Maxwell (@fitofwhimsy) - Leonard Nimoy’s Live Long and Prosper shirt in his Etsy shop. Also I’m listening to him tell the story of Hanukkah on the radio right now. Go, Mr. Spock!

Dustin Johnson (@dqj) – Super Meat Boy! That game changed my life. Okay not really. But it did feel me up on the train once. I didn’t stop him because… well… because I was lonely. It’s an awesome downloadable game.

Bianca Cevoli (@drawonthewalls) – Raptor hoodies from Discovery Channel. Apparently only for children… good thing I fit in a little boys XL! Buy one for that special little person in your life. Like me.

Into art? Into puppies? Scope out these super cute Boston terrier portraits. I have two of these framed in my apartment, one with chiquita banana fruit on her head and the other with a devo hat.

Mikey Il (@mikeyil) – Love Jawn. The classic LOVE logo with the Philly slang Jawn. Perfect combo, crafted with love from this Etsy seller. ANYTHING from the PhotoJojo store… that’s right, I have the mug too. ThinkGeek has an adorable plush doll… my First Bacon Talking Plush.

And speaking of World of Warcraft… forget the expansion, why not pick up these amazing steins or mugs? Wow Steins. Wow indeed.

Ah, yes. Omoi. Every self respecting Philadelphia geek’s favorite boutique. You can find this unassuming little treasure-of-a-store in Rittenhouse, right on 16th and Pine.

Tomorrow they’ll be hosting a 20% off sale, on everything in the store, all day. There’s a ton of great Japanese toys to choose from, vinyl figures galore. You’ll also find Japanese inspired toys, stationary, clothes, fantastic prints, candles… the list goes on. I could ramble, but you’d be better off checking out their website and online store. Also, be sure to scope out their official blog, where they post about new items and events.

Go hit up the sale, and tell Liz I said hi.

Omoi
www.omoionline.com

Fact: Omoi is my favorite boutique in all of Philadelphia. End of story. This amazing little shop that sits nestled in Rittenhouse Square on 16th and Pine, seems to just pop out of nowhere amongst the gorgeous rowhomes and coffee shops in the area. But the shop is there, and you need to check it out.

And what better time to scope out this shop, then on this Friday, when they’ll be hosting their 2nd Annual Tent Party. Liz, the lovely owner of the shop, will be opening up the shop’s backyard for an evening of sales, music, and partying. Faux Slang, a post punk band hailing from Philadelphia, will be on the scene rocking out. Want a preview of what you’re gonna hear? Download their full length album, for free, right here on their website. Awesome.

$10 t-shirts, $5 goodie bags, a free concert, and tasty nibbles in the best boutique in the city? Yeah, we’ll be there. The sale runs from the 26th to the 3rd, but the party is only this Friday. Which is probably for the best. Cause Liz parties hard.

See you there, peoples.

Omoi’s Tent Party
Friday, June 26th @ 7PM

Omoi’s Epic Sale
Friday, June 26th – Friday, June 3rd!

Omoi
1608 Pine St, Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 545-0963
www.omoionline.com

Dexter is has to be one of my favorite shows on television right now. It’s smart, edgy, suspenseful and it’s about a serial killer that kills other serial killers. I do have to admit the third season was not the show’s strongest effort. Word around the campfire is they thought the show was pretty much going to be canceled after the second season, which is why they went the direction they did. But when the show aired on CBS during the writers strike (edited for network TV) to high ratings and a surge in the first season dvd sales the show was picked up for the third season. The second season was phenomenal to say the least but that set the bar insanely high for season 3 which they returned to the books that Dexter is based on for inspiration taking liberally from Dexter in the Dark.
More after the jump!

Needless to say, but it would be kinda hard to make merchandise for a show about a serial killer in this age of political correctness. After all when the show was aired on CBS  the Parents Television Council  fought hard to keep the show off the air because it “Compels viewers to empathize with a serial killer, to root for him to prevail, to hope he doesn’t get discovered.” Well I hope they are not paying attention because Dexter just got his own Action Figure line from Bif Bang Pow! who also gave us the Big Lebowski action figures.

There will be two flavors of the Dexter action figure the first being the regular every day Dexter dressed in his “work clothes”. The accessories for this version are knife, body bag, ID badge, and even his very own blood slide! Sadly he does not come with a little Macbook pro or his ever present Nikon DSLR. The second version is a San Diego Comic Con Exclusive and it is of Dexter as The Dark Defender which you might remember from season 2. This version comes with a knife, real cloth cloak and a blood slide as well. These sculpts are personally approved by actor Michael C. Hall and Showtime and you can pre-order both here, they are both due out July 2009. They also have bobble heads, hey who doesn’t want a Vincent Masuka Bobble Head?