Geek Chic

Halloween 2016 is officially in our rearview mirror, but that doesn't mean that dressing up is out of vogue -- not for us, anyway! And that's something we can all be thankful for -- apropos, as November is the month we officially give thanks!

Our November Bombshell, Jamie Krakover, hails from the Midwest, and draws upon film and television for her cosplay inspirations. Whether she's battling the forces of a galactic empire or fighting crime in the streets (that's her Speedy to the left -- an archer at the Gateway Arch!), Jamie combines imagination and intellect to call forth positive female role models in her cosplay.

The mega-marketing campaign for DC Super Hero Girls continues to explode with exciting new products! 

They've already lined the shelves with clothing and toys to compliment the popular web-series. More recently they released an original movie and a music video! Now, this weekend at the New York Comic-Con, DC will be announcing some additional products that are sure to find their way into your home!

It's October, and as much as the summer months bring us conventions all over the world for cosplayers to strut their stuff in front of fans and foes alike, this is the month that it's really all about. Because with October comes the original cosplay event, Halloween!

So while you're preparing all the final tricks for this year's costumes, Critical Blast is happy to be bringing you a treat with the cosplay art of Desi-Rae Pense, an Arkansan transplant to California, who draws upon anime and online role-playing games as a source of inspiration for her outfits and props.

While it's more or less playing the song "That's My Girl" by Fifth Harmony while showing clips of DC's Super Hero Girls, it's still a nice partnership to attract attention to the successful property.

The lyrics to the song aren't nearly as empowering as Jordyn Kane's original theme "Get Your Cape On", which was written for the show, but it's got a very catchy beat. Hopefully it will have young girls singing, dancing and associating the girl powered heroes with it. This is just the latest marketing campaign being used to promote DC's Super Hero Girls. A partnership with McDonald's is currently in full swing, as they offer headbands and action figures in their Happy Meals alongside toys for the upcoming cartoon Justice League: Action!

Is there anything so personal and so conveying of one's personal story than the t-shirt? We use to them to support our favorite sports teams and musicians. We project our politics to the world on them. We let them say what we're thinking and because it's on a t-shirt it's okay. We basically allow ourselves to be billboards for brands and ideas, and we pay for the opportunity to be used as such.

So since we're paying for that, we obviously feel pretty strongly about the message, whether that message is "Save the Whales" or "I was at this concert when it happened" or "I like superheroes." So why should we part with these favored items just because they've gotten too small (a misnomer, to be sure -- it's always because we've gotten too large), or because you have to make some drawer space for the newer t-shirts expressing more newly acquired ideas?

Video rental stores are nothing new, and as we have seen over the years they have all been dying out one by one due to the market and the sudden boom in video streaming apps we use today such as Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime and more. But there was always that small store that stood around longer than the others and wasn't afraid to try something new and exciting.

Now, it's now it's no shock knowing this was eventually bound to happen, and I believe those of us who were fortunate enough to have had a local Hastings near us knew it was coming but hoped the day never did because we'd grown to love this store and all the entertaining content it provided for us. Hastings started off as a video and game rental company. As I child I spent many of my days in Hastings looking over the latest games that had arrived on the shelf, or to check back and see if anyone had returned a game I had been waiting to rent.

At Critical Blast, we get it. We get that people are going to see the term "Bombshell" and expect busty babes in barely-there costumes. If you really want that, there's this thing called The Internet where you can find more than you can handle of that sort of thing.

But we're looking for a different kind of bombshell. We're looking for cosplayers who make an impact, who are bursting onto the scene, breaking down barriers of stereotype and expectations in new, explosive ways.

(Think we made enough "Blast" and "Bombshell" allusions there?)

That's why we're glad to introduce our September Critical Blast Bombshell, Kirk Disla. That's right, this month's Bombshell...is a dude!

Kirk comes to us from the Philadelphia Avengers, and personifies the pure joy of costuming and roleplaying, with a development that is taking him from conventions to other applications for his passion.

Our August 2016 Critical Blast Bombshell is relatively new to the art of Cosplay -- but it's apparently a natural talent for her. Sky Song is the second cosplayer to be featured as our Critical Blast Bombshell, and we're sure you'll be seeing more of her at conventions and across the Internet!

Sky exhibits all the qualities we look for in a Bombshell -- talent, commitment to the role, and the application of cosplay to community work, putting cosplay in a positive light to the rest of the world. If you're looking for a positive role model in cosplay -- look to the Sky.

Starting today, Critical Blast is proud to introduce a new feature showcasing the art of cosplay: The Critical Blast Bombshell! Every month we will spotlight a cosplayer doing his or her best to bring our favorite heroes (or villains) to life.

This month, and inaugurating our new feature, we are privileged to present to you a cosplayer from Philadelphia, Lady J, who embodies the essence of cosplay both in imagination as well as in her career path and charity work.

St. Louis has more than enough comic, anime, cosplay, sci-fi and fantasy geeks within its general market area to support a substantial pop culture convention or “comicon.” Yet we don’t have one, or at least we don’t really have one in the traditional sense. The Wizard Worlds conventions have run downtown for a few years now and some comic creators have said they’ve done okay there, but they are grossly overpriced for admission which grants you the privilege to hand over an even bigger wad of cash to the likes of T.J. Hooker, some random cannon fodder Jedi gal from one of the what-should-be-non-canon STAR WARS prequels, or some dude who got ate by one of THE WALKING DEAD three seasons ago.

Let me introduce you to a concept called every day carry. Commonly referred to as EDC, it is a term that is familiar to the survivalist communities, and frankly isn’t really deliberately considered by most other people, despite the fact that they practice it on a daily basis. Confused? Let me clear it up.

When you wake up in the morning, you take a shower, brush your teeth, and drink your coffee. You then grab the items that you need to propel yourself head long into your day. For most guys, it’s a simple as your keys, wallet, and phone. For the ladies, I have no idea. A purse similar to Mary Poppins bag that holds a delightful and terrifying assortment of crap.

Critical Blast will be launching a new series that shines the spotlight on talented and creative individuals that are dedicated to cosplay.

For years, cosplay has been a big part of conventions. From the young to the elderly, people of all ages and skill levels dress up as their favorite characters in entertainment and pop-culture. Some costumes are thrown together, others take months of planning and preparation to create something that would make Hollywood costume designers swoon.

On Saturday, May 14, Geek Time Entertainment, Critical Blast and The Iron Room presented the First Annual Costume Party in Atlantic City!  The party served as a thrilling capstone for the day's events at ACBC Con.  Seriously, is there anything better than a cool party after an exhilarating day on the convention floor?

The winners always go home with an extra special smile, but just about everyone in attendance seemed to have a great time.  Here is a rundown of the winners:

On Saturday, May 14 from 9 PM - Midnight, Critical Blast and Iron Room will present the First Annual Post-Con Costume Party in Atlantic City!  So, enjoy the day at ACBC then head over to the Iron Room!  

First off, let's talk money.  And we're talking a lot of money.  There are $1,100 in total cash prizes!  The event kicks off at 9 but judging begins at 10pm in a wide variety of categories.  

Want a breakdown, well check this out:

I've regularly attended comic and sci-fi conventions, or whatever you want to call them these days, since the '80s.  Let me tell you, the experience has changed quite a bit in those decades.  In the past, cons were mostly a place to shop for merchandise, dress in costume, meet like-minded people, or schmooze comic creators.  Today, it's more about celebrity signings, video games, or movie and television panels.  Geeks have seemingly overwhelmed the Earth and every niche wants in on the con action.  Including more than comics and sci-fi means larger attendance for the shows, which is great in many ways.  Unfortunately, it also caused overcrowded convention floors, admission costs have skyrocketed, and worst of all, it's increasingly difficult to get tickets for huge shows like San Diego Comic Con or New York Comic Con.

LOS ANGELES, April 26, 2016 – Wizard World, Inc. today announced the appointment of John D. Maatta as its President and Chief Executive Officer. Wizard World is the leading producer in North America of events and comic conventions that celebrate the very best of pop culture, celebrity, movies, TV shows, gaming, technology and live music.

“John brings Wizard World his solid entertainment industry experience and proven success in creating innovative content and distribution strategies. Wizard World is poised to expand its already significant footprint, and John will work with us to guide the company to its next phase of growth and beyond,” said Paul Kessler, Chairman of the Wizard World Board of Directors.

This past weekend, Wizard World descended upon Saint Louis in an epic blaze of glory that had this nerd and the throngs of nerd-dom far and wide in 7th Heaven.

DC's Super Hero Girls. A property fashioned by DC in partnership with Mattel toys. On the surface, it appears like nothing more than a way to market toys to young girls. But, when you start digging, you unearth so much more when you reach the foundation.

The theme, 'Get Your Cape On', has a music video on both YouTube and DC’s Super Hero Girls website. Accompanying the video are inspiring lyrics, written and performed by singer/songwriter, Jordyn Kane.

DC Super Hero Girls has released the second mini-sode of their offering to girls of all ages to enjoy. In the episode titled, "All About Super Hero High", Bumblebee gives Wonder Woman a tour around campus. And there are a LOT of wonderful surprises for long-time fans of DC...

Not only do we get a comedic response to Hal Jordan's introduction to Wonder Woman, but we get a quick preview of what she thinks of 'boys', stemming from her warrior culture from back home.

Several months ago we covered the launch of the website for the girl-focused: DC Super Hero Girls. Now, USA Today has provided us with a 'First Look' at what to expect. It appears as though Amanda Waller will be the school's headmaster as she introduces viewers to the goals of the school. During the introduction, we see some of our favorite boy heroes flying and running about as well.

Despite the title, this show could appeal to all children.

Here's the introductory clip, now available on dcsuperherogirls.com: