Tag: Star Trek

Emerald City Comicon:This Geek’s Odyssey Day Three

  The final day of Emerald City Comicon started with my moment with a sci-fi icon. When the doors opened I started feeling nostalgic and rushed down to the media guest level to meet George Takei. I chose a photo of Hikaru Sulu from Star Trek The Undiscovered Country in which the U.S.S. Enterprise helmsman was now Captain of the U.S.S. Excelsior.

  I thanked him for being a trailblazer in his career and in his personal life. It’s amazing to think how he could be a cultural breakthrough decades ago as the first Asian American on a network television series and now being a champion for equality as an openly gay and married man. Sulu is just cool – then, now and forever.

 

I'm Mutant and Proud with Emma Frost at ECCC, ComicsBlend.com

Back up to the show floor in search for rare comic book finds I was sporting my “Mutant and Proud” t-shirt starring the X-Man Beast and it really attracted the X fans in costume including Emma Frost and Gambit.

Gambit at ECCC, ComicsBlend.com

I went in search of autographs from some of my favorite writers and artists including Chris Yost, Dustin Weaver, Georges Jeanty and I got a sketchbook from DC Comics star Phillip Tan.

I had the opportunity to meet up and coming writer Sam Humphries. I bought a copy of his Fanboys Vs. Zombies (about a zombie outbreak at the San Diego Comic-Con) and talked about his new work for Marvel. Humphries will be co-writing with Jonathan Hickman then taking over the Ultimates.

Writers of the Marvel Next Big Thing Panel at ECCC, ComicsBlend.com

  I was surprised to see him again on the Marvel: Next Big Thing panel with other favorite writers (of Punisher, Hulk, Spider-Man, X-Force, Secret Avengers) in a no holds barred question and answer session. I think these panels are the real pulse of a con. It’s the real interaction between fan and creator that leads to praise, pans and always passion about comics.

As the final hour approached I was almost ready to head home when a friend invited me to see Star Trek: Phoenix.  This is a fan film written, produced and starring Seattle fans that takes place 42 years after the Star Trek: Nemesis. I went in to the screening on a whim but was really impressed. I left wanting more of the crew of the U.S.S. Phoenix and hope the voyage of these local fans continues. I didn’t plan it but my final day began and ended with Trek.

The ECCC Crusader and Crusaderette, ComicsBlend.com

Emerald City Comicon was beyond my expectations. When it comes to cons, always have a game plan but be ready for the unexpected: a moment with a new friend as you bond over the fate of the X-Men, discover a new comic book you want to try or experience the joy of seeing fanboys and girls express their love in costumes and cheers.

 

 

Star Trek Set Photo – Update

  My geek heart soared at warp speed to the Delta Quadrant and back when I saw this photo! Filming on the Star Trek sequel is underway.The first set photo of the cast and crew on the bridge of the U.S.S. Enterprise by Robert Orci. Thanks to Comic Book Movie and they’re sharp-eyed team for spotting it on Twitter. Now just please give us a hint on the villain!!! Klingons please.

 Now excitment is fizzling – some friends tell me this is actually a photo from 2009 before the first film – I’ll check more. Sigh – I still hold my plea for Klingons in ST2!

Star Trek: The Next Generation 25th Anniversary Reunion

 

The cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation 1987 photo by Gene Trindl courtesy mptvimages.com

 

  Star Trek: The Next Generation fans engage to the Calgary Comic and Entertainment Expo. Event organizers scored a major geek coup: the first ever reunion of the principal cast. This stellar event will mark the 25th Anniversary of the series.

 Sir Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Levar Burton, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, Michael Dorn, Brent Spiner, Will Wheaton, Denise Crosby will appear at Star Trek TNG EXPOsed, a special ticketed event on April 28 at the Stampede Corral.

 “A lot of guys in the entertainment industry are looking at (the Calgary Comic Expo) now and thinking ‘How the hell did they pull that off?’ It’s like the little engine that could, right?” said founder Kandrix Foong.

 Thanks to the Calgary Herald for the story.

 Congratulations to the Calgary Comic Expo team for this huge gift for Star Trek fans! It is cool and weird that southern Alberta would be the location for this reunion. Although I admit I once visited beautiful Calgary in December when it was 20 below zero and it felt like I was breathing on an ice planet.

 William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, Will Wheaton, Jonathan Frakes and Brent Spiner have been at my hometown’s excellent event and Emerald City Comicon welcomes George Takei this year.

 

 

The Wrath of Khan’s Ride – Lego Style!

 

courtesy Brick Brothers

  I’ve met some devoted Star Trek fans but this guy is takes devotion warp speed to the farthest edge of the quadrant! Christer Nyberg has replicated the U.S.S. Reliant with Lego bricks! The Reliant was the Federation starship stolen by Khan in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (or as Kirk said, “KKKKKHAAAAAAAANNNNNNNN!!!”)

“In late 2010 I decided to combine my two geek loves, LEGO and Star Trek. There is not a lot of good Star Trek MOCs on the net, there’s some really cool micro-scale stuff but not much in the large category. I realised quickly that it would be impossible to contruct a large scale USS Enterprise using pure LEGO, so I had to look for another ship. The USS Reliant from Wrath of Khan is much more compact and less spindly, so it seemed a suitable candidate. Many bricklink orders and bricks later (and over a year of prototyping and building) here she is! I have not counted the pieces (my sanity is grateful!) but I would estimate somewhere in the 10-15k range.” the creator told Eurobricks.

courtesy The Brothers Brick

 

Mister Nyberg, I salute you!

Thanks to Comics Alliance for the story via The Brothers Brick.

Dancing With the Star Trek Star!

courtesy MarinaSirtis.tv

  Star Trek fans hope to give a new meaning to Dancing With the Stars! You can help the Marina Sirtis boldly go where no Star Trek actor has gone before?

  The stunning Marina Sirtis played Counselor Deanna Troi on Star Trek: The Next Generation and in 3 motions pictures (Generations, First Contact, Insurrection, and Nemesis.)

  If you want to use your geek for good, join the crusade to have producers cast Sirtis for Season 13. Here’s the Facebook link. And here’s DWTS on Twitter. For everything about Marina here’s her website.

J.J. Abrams on Star Trek 2- 3D and Casting

 

Star Trek #4 cover courtesy IDW

  J.J. Abrams talks Star Trek 2. The four-month shoot starts this Thursday. It will be shot and converted to 3D Abrams tells Collider.

  “We’re shooting on film, and the reason for that is I wanted to shoot with anamorphic, and you can’t shoot 3D in anamorphic.”

  When asked about why Abrams cast Benedict Cumberbatch as the villain, the director replied “who says he’s our villain?”

  “He’s a genius. Honestly, he’s just an incredible actor. If you’ve seen his work in Sherlock, he’s just got incredible skills. He’s an amazing stage actor. He did amazing work (on stage) in Frankenstein. He’s brilliant. You try to cast people who are great. We got lucky.” Abrams added.

  Still no word on the villain or plot but in an earlier post I shared how the current comic book series may reveal plot points for the movie sequel.

Star Trek 2 Villain Cast Again?

  Producers of Star Trek 2 have added a new actor in a lead role but will be hero or villain?

  Deadline is reporting that producers have hired Benedict Cumberbatch. The British actor is currently on the big screen in Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and War Horse. He will playing the dragon Smaug (via motion capture) and the voice of the Necromancer in The Hobbit. He was Sherlock Holmes in Sherlock on BBC.

  Benicio Del Toro turned down the villain role. Edgar Ramirez and Jordi Molla was under consideration. Del Toro’s casting immediately generated rumors he would be playing Khan Noonien Singh. I was hoping for a return of the Klingons in the sequel.

  I agree with Collider that this casting is a curveball – especially if it is for the main villain role. When I see Cumberbatch – I think Romulan or Andorian.

Star Trek Star Wars Truce from Sulu

  The man who played Sulu is acting like Ambassador Sarek with a hilarious twist. The “war” between William Shater and Carrie Fisher over Star Trek Versus Star Wars could be over. Takei urges all sci-fi fans unite to hate “Twilight.” 

George Takei attempts to offer “Star Peace” by sacrificing vamps and werewolves saying “the new ominous threat to science fiction” is “Twilight” he told MSN.  Click to see Ambassador Takei’s plea for “Star Peace!”

 

 And don’t forget: George Takei is coming to Emerald City Comicon in 2012!

 

 

 

 

 

George Takei is scheduled to appear in Seattle at Emerald City Comicon in 2012.