Its finally happening. 76 years after her first appearance in All Star Comics #8 in October 1941, the most famous female superhero in comic book history is finally getting her first solo live-action film. This is certainly a big deal for fanboys (and girls) who’ve waited a long time for this- but there is something more important at stake here. The Wonder Woman movie must be a critical and commercial success, here are two reasons why…
First off, lets be honest. Since Christopher Nolan said farewell to Batman, responses to DC films have been mixed at best. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Suicide Squad were bloated, expensive, overhyped, predictable and an utter waste of so much talent. Out of the three films currently released in the DC Extended Universe, the best would likely be Man of Steel– and even fans and critics agreed that it was too sad with a muted color scheme not symbolic of Superman’s commanding sense of hope and optimism.
Four years and three films in and DC has yet to release their version of Marvel’s 2008 Iron Man or 2012’s Avengers or 2014’s Captain America: Winter Soldier or 2014’s Guardians of the Galaxy or 2016’s Captain America: Civil War or 2016’s Doctor Strange…. you see where I’m going with this. Marvel has released hit after hit after hit and though they’re bloated, expensive, maybe overhyped, arguably predictable and sometimes even a waste of talent- people actually like them. Critics and fans agree that Marvel movies are fun and at certain times even thought-provoking, but most importantly they are getting people of all ages excited to actually go to the movies. And they’re not only dominating the ever expanding superhero genre but the entire movie industry. With 15 films produced in the last 9 years (and 11 more in various stages of production), Marvel Studios has collectively grossed over $11.7 billion at the global box office, making it the highest-grossing film franchise of all-time. Thats right, bigger than Harry Potter, bigger than James Bond, bigger than Lord of the Rings, and even bigger than Star Wars! At this point, Marvel could probably start hosting their own annual convention.
My point is, with Marvel getting bigger with every release, can DC survive a fourth consecutive film with a lackluster response? The good news is that many critics around the world have already seen Wonder Woman prior to its June 2nd release and the responses are pouring in; the word is that its good- VERY good. But I hate to rain on their parade, but that isn’t enough.
Which leads me to my second point. Wonder Woman can’t just please critics and comic book fans, it needs to translate to big numbers at the box office- like REALLY big.
1984’s Supergirl was the first superhero film ever to feature a female in the lead role. Since then I can count on one hand how many films have done the same (Tank Girl, Catwoman, Elektra) and every single one of them bored critics, angered fans, and ultimately bombed at the box office. Those films are excuses that studio executives use when they debate whether to have a female front and center in a superhero film. Wonder Woman is clearly a more popular character riding a wave of superhero excitement on the big screen, so its chances of success are far greater than that of its predecessors, but it also means that if it fails to meet financial expectations it will sting harder and have a greater negative impact.
Lets not forget there’s not only a female leading the cast, but there’s also a female leading the crew. Director Patty Jenkins is only the second female director in history to be given a budget over $100 million; and with over a hundred plus superhero films ever made, she’s one of only a couple women who’ve ever been given the opportunity to make one.
Women are already struggling for opportunities on-screen and behind the camera and Wonder Woman is a bold risk for the doubting patriarchal leaders in Hollywood. The only thing that will calm their doubts is commercial success. Wonder Woman’s iconic status and good reviews must translate to lots of money so that those studio executives in Hollywood think twice about ever questioning whether female(s) could make a big budget superhero movie.
Nerd Nite is an evening of entertaining yet thought-provoking presentations– all while the audience drinks along in a casual atmosphere. Speakers present for 15-20 minutes each on a fascinating subject, often in an uncanny and unconventional way. Following each presentation is a brief Q&A with the audience. Nerd Nite currently operates in over 106 cities around the world.
**We’ll be giving away a few free passes to RESIDENT EVIL: VENDETTA and we’ll also have giveaways for TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST KNIGHT.**
Guest speakers: Adam Heath Avitable, Ashley Mason-Burns, & Sterling Scott
Hosted by Ricardo Williams
For any questions, contact Ricardo at
WHERE: The Geek Easy, 114 S Semoran Blvd #6, Winter Park, FL 32792
WHEN: Thursday, June 8, 2017 @ 7pm
PRESENTATION #1: “Cornelius and me: Overcoming my self sabotaging ego and finding freedom.” By Sterling Scott
Sterling Scott’s primary passion is helping people get out of their comfort zones. His goal is to help people tame their noisy inner critic and achieve greater levels of freedom and effectiveness in their lives.
His training is in the areas of social dynamics, mindfulness , human sexuality, and psychology. He has done counseling for couples and individuals seeking to expand their social and sexual horizons. He is currently working on a one man show about sexuality,rejection and all things awkward . This talk will touch on these subjects and much more.
PRESENTATION #2: “ALL OF MY COWORKERS ARE DEAD” by Ashley Mason-Burns
ALL OF MY COWORKERS ARE DEAD: A presentation on how SKELETONS: Museum of Osteology processes dead animals to create beautifully-articulated skeletons for the museum. Includes a time-lapse of flesh-eating beetles at work.
Ashley Mason-Burns, M.S., is the Education Director at SKELETONS: Museum of Osteology, America’s largest skeleton museum. Ashley began self-teaching skeletal processing and articulation in 2012 and today she maintains and breeds colonies of flesh eating beetles for processing ethically-sourced specimens.
PRESENTATION #3: “Being Naked on the Internet: Shamelessness and the Art of Going Viral” by Adam Heath Avitable
He’s hairy, crude, and shameless, but you’ll be as surprised why comedian Adam Heath Avitable went viral as he was.
An internationally touring comedian who became a viral sensation across the globe, Adam Heath Avitable demonstrates to audiences everywhere why The Chive calls him one of the Top 25 Comics to Watch, and why he was called “Perhaps the Funniest Man in Orlando” by the Orlando Business Journal. From George Takei to Ashton Kutcher, everyone’s talking about Avitable. The author of the best selling humor book “Interviews with Dead Celebrities”, he has earned a reputation as a “wickedly sharp writer, dark and funny, twisted in all the right ways.”
Nerd Nite is an evening of entertaining yet thought-provoking presentations– all while the audience drinks along in a casual atmosphere. Speakers present for 15-20 minutes each on a fascinating subject, often in an uncanny and unconventional way. Following each presentation is a brief Q&A with the audience. Nerd Nite currently operates in over 106 cities around the world.
Guest speakers: Jeff Endriss, Nick Teague, and Cassandra Wilcox
Hosted by Ricardo Williams
For any questions, contact Ricardo at
WHERE: The Geek Easy, 114 S Semoran Blvd #6, Winter Park, FL 32792
WHEN: Thursday, May 11, 2017. 7pm.
PRESENTATION #1: “Macroinvertebrate Biology: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bug” by Jeff Endriss
DESCRIPTION: Aquatic Macroinvertebrate monitoring is a very important but lesser known field of biology and it’s happening right under Disney goer’s noses. After properly introducing the science, Jeff will assist the audience in identifying a bug that most Florida residents have encountered (and probably killed).
SPEAKER BIO: Jeff Endriss is an Orlando native and UCF graduate. He currently works as a biologist for Disney’s government, Reedy Creek Improvement District. No, he can’t get you Disney tickets, and yes, he still thinks bugs are gross.
PRESENTATION #2: “Feminism & Functional Programming: Facts, Opinions, and Controversies” by Cassandra Wilcox
DESCRIPTION: The word “Feminism” means different things to different people. And although you’d expect Computers Science to be rigid and exact, there are quite a lot of opinions responsible for how we build software today. In this talk Cassandra will explore the overlap between these two seemingly-unrelated topics, and explain why it is so important that women be involved in the advancement of technology.
SPEAKER BIO: Cassandra Wilcox is a Web Application Developer and founder of Orlando-based web development company, Code Hangar Inc. She shares her passion for building software as a Girls Who Code Instructor, Organizer of the Orlando Lady Developers Group, and JavaScript Instructor at Skillcrush. When she’s not making or teaching tech, she likes to write songs and collaborate on various musical projects with friends.
PRESENTATION #3: “The Quantum Computer Revolution” by Nick Teague
DESCRIPTION: Moore’s law has taken us quite far over the last 50 years, but the limits of nanoscale fabrication are within view. Quantum computers are a new paradigm of computing utilizing the strange properties of quantum dynamics that when realized will take us outside of Moore’s Law for at least some specific applications. This talk will serve as a firehose introduction to the burgeoning field using the “Feynman technique” for learning e.g. explaining in clear language as could be understood by a toddler – including foundational topics such as what exactly we mean by “qubits” and their superposition, architectures, algorithms, and applications. Because learning is fun!
SPEAKER BIO: Nick Teague is an amateur blogger for fun, a mechanical engineer by training, and a marketer by profession. He has a professional background in renewable energy and HVAC; extracurricular interests in quantum computing, machine learning, and complexity theory; and occasionally bangs out a few notes on the keyboard. He is currently seeking work so if you enjoy the talk let him know he would be happy to share a resume. He can also be found on twitter at @_NicT_.
The smart-yet-fun folks of Nerd Nite are bringing back Speed Dating with a special Star Wars-themed edition for May the 4th.
Register here for one of our 15 three-minute date sessions so you’ll no longer have to look for love in a galaxy far far away. Choose from our hetero session at 7pm or the LGBT session at 8:15. If the Rebels can blow up the Death Star in 11 minutes, let’s see if you can make a love connection in only three.
Advanced online registration is required (walk-ups will be based on availability). Costumes welcome. Must be 18 years of age or older.
Limit one per person.
WHEN: Thursday, May 4, 2017. 7pm
WHERE: the Geek Easy, 114 S Semoran Blvd #6, Winter Park, FL 32792
Hetero session is at 7:00pm
LGBT session is at 8:15pm
At Nerd Nite on April 13, 2017, we discussed human waste in space, stereotypes in black men, and reptiles in science fiction– but during the introduction we had to address all the terrible news in the media. In order to balance the bad news we’re overwhelmed with everyday, we decided to list some nerdy things in the news in our all-new segment: Top 7 Nerdy Things in the News.
Here are they below as presented at Nerd Nite:
7.) As if we needed another reason to bitch about Jurassic World, new research reveals that early dinosaur relatives may have walked on all fours like crocodiles.
6.) Jude Law successfully squashed all those gay rumors by getting cast to play young Dumbledore.
5.) MARVEL refused to make another lame Thor movie, so they added the Hulk, Jeff Goldblum, Cate Blanchett’s cheek bones, and almost everything we loved about Guardians of the Galaxy.
4.) While studying their excrement, scientists discover incredible history of a penguin colony on a small Antarctic island said to be a “Penguin Pompeii”. Puns and memes about penguins being “Romans” said to follow.
3.) DC got tired of screwing up the Superman character on the big screen so they released a trailer to the Justice League movie without him. Yet plans are still underway for him to be in the movie- and this is why we can’t have nice things.
2.) Following Daredevil, Jessica Jones, and Luke Cage, MARVEL’s television division got tired of winning, so they made Iron Fist.
1.) Star Wars Celebration comes to Orlando and will be showing footage from its first clickbait-titled movie: The Last Jedi.
I know what you’re thinking “everything Marvel does is great, they can do no wrong”– well, except for Agents of SHIELD. And Iron Fist. Those shows are dumb but they’re on TV, so they don’t really count and they clearly haven’t (and won’t) hurt Marvel’s movie domination. With 14 films released and 12 more in various stages of production, the Marvel Studios series has collectively grossed over $10.9 billion at the global box office, making it the highest-grossing film franchise of all-time. That’s right, a film franchise based off comic book characters (many of whom previously unknown to the general public) has done to almost everyone what they’ve been doing to me and my friends our entire lives: normalizing fringe fandom and mainstreaming superhero obsession.
And they have been overwhelming successful with what few have dared to consider, try, or fail and that is… the shared movie universe. A set of smaller film franchises and universes that are deeply interconnected and weave into a larger ensemble. These movies act more as necessary companion films to each other, rather than traditional sequels… or even spin-offs. Now everyone wants to do it- I’m looking at you DC Extended Universe. (somehow that just doesn’t have the same ring to it)
They’ve completely changed the industry and inspired so many current standards that all of this seems familiar, like its always been done this way- but it hasn’t. It may feel like a long time ago but remember, their first film only came out in 2008. That’s right, just 9 years ago the world fell in love with Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, reminding us that despite his rocky past he is truly one of the greatest actors of our time.
Since then, its been pretty much good reviews and bags of money for Marvel. Even at their worst, they are somehow still more entertaining and more successful than all other franchises. Though some would argue that is because the universe is filled with so many Easter eggs and connected plot points that fans are encouraged to see even the weaker films just so they understand the bigger picture. While others would say the deeply connected movie universe hinders the creativity and freedom of some of the filmmakers and has led to creating those weaker films. Which brings us to Thor… and its slightly more exciting sequel. Although the Thor franchise has given us the beautiful Chris Hemsworth, the legendary Anthony Hopkins, and easily Marvel’s best on-screen villain (Loki, not Malekith), it hasn’t really quite delivered in the masterpiece department like the first Iron Man or Captain America: Winter Solider or Guardians of the Galaxy— but I think that’s about to change.
Today, Marvel dropped the teaser trailer for the third entry in the franchise: Thor: Ragnarok. Dare I say it, but the trailer itself has more suspense, excitement, and humor in 2-minutes than the previous films combined. I’ve said this for years and I truly mean it: THOR SHOULD BE ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING ELEMENTS OF THE MARVEL CINEMATIC UNIVERSE… but it hasn’t been. They have all the ingredients of a great movie experience, but somehow have fallen short. They’ve got space, aliens, Gods (who are really just aliens), warriors, inter-dimensional travel, Anthony Hopkins’ voice, a badass theme by Brian Tyler, and a handsome lead actor. From the looks of the Ragnarok trailer, most of the ingredients are still in play- so what’s different now?
1.) The incredibly versatile (and now gothic) Cate Blanchett
2.) The destruction of Mjolnir and Asgard
3.) The quirkiness of Jeff Goldblum
4.) Some GOTG inspiration aka retro graphics and a retro song (LED ZEPPELIN!!!!)
and lastly….
5.) THE INCREDIBLE HULK
Watch the trailer below. I honestly think this is the Thor movie that we’ve all been waiting for- third time’s a charm, right?
[youtube]https://youtu.be/v7MGUNV8MxU[/youtube]
When I heard the news that the Justice League trailer was finally released, all I could think to myself was: “Please God don’t let them screw this up.” And although fans like me have fallen for this trap countless times before- dare I say it, the trailer actually looks very promising.
Here are a few of my reactions to the footage.
1.) Batman and Wonder Woman Are In Charge, Rightfully So.
When you look at the long history of the League and their very popular and powerful roster, the Last Son of Krypton is clearly at the top of the list and would by most guesses be the leader of the team. But the first live action outing of DC’s mightiest heroes presents a different scenario. It is not Superman, but Batman leading the team and taking on the very large responsibility of assembling everyone and by his side- the team’s most famous female member and (arguably) second most powerful, Wonder Woman. This makes perfect sense. Batman and Wonder Woman are trained fighters with actual experience in combat and strategy, Superman is not.
2.) Marvel’s Cinematic Formula is Front and Center
Marvel’s The Avengers in 2012 featured Nick Fury and SHIELD assembling Iron Man, Captain America, and other heroes in their cinematic universe to stop an unknown threat that “no single hero could handle alone”. The film’s huge box office return made all the other studios in the world hungry for their own billion dollar comic book movie team-up and its looking like DC and Warner Brothers are using the exact same story formula (aka we need to assemble a team of the most powerful people to stop a mysterious threat and they all just happen to have conflicting personalities and don’t necessary want to work together or even like each other but eventually realize they need to work together to stop this… threat- or whatever it is).
With that said, the first Avengers was the ultimate nerdgasm, some of the best comic book characters done right and brought together in a fun movie-going experience, but I don’t think its a good idea that Justice League is going that same route. One of my favorite comics ever is Geoff Johns’ “Justice League, Vol. 1: Origin (The New 52)”. Released a few years ago, it was a modern retelling of the formation of the Justice League. A fun and exciting character-driven issue with the famously skeptical Batman at the center struggling to trust these 6 super-powered people. There was no master plan of assembling a team, but rather a group of powerful people who met as the threat was happening and had to do some serious on-the-job training on working together. Johns is one of the best comic writers of all time and I’m hoping that through his involvement in the DC Extended Universe, some of his genius reaches the big screen.
3.) Aquaman Won’t Be Lame
One of the truly great achievements of the Justice League trailer is that Snyder and Co. have successfully made Aquaman not suck. The character in the comics is cool. He’s tough, powerful, and has a vast diverse universe (under the water)– but that hasn’t always translated into the public perception of him (aka non-fanboy world). When people think Aquaman, the first thing that comes to mind is a blonde, blue-eyed white guy in an orange and green suit, riding a whale and talking to fish… which is actually accurate. Casting Jason Momoa literally erases all the things that make him lame and judging by the trailer he’s heavy drinking and adventurous; and will most likely have a very fun relationship with Batman.
4.) Justice League is Just as Dark as Dawn of Justice… But More Fun.
Man of Steel, the Superman origin story that kicked off the DC Extended Universe, received mixed reviews. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, although making over 800 million bucks, received generally negative reviews. And Suicide Squad… that movie was just dumb- be honest. The first 3 films of DC’s movie world have had a rocky start but one thing is consistent among their critiques: the movies are just so dark– not just in tone, but literally dark. Its like the sun never comes out. Its like no one is happy. And its like no one tells a joke- or at least a joke that’s actually funny. Enter Ezra Miller’s portrayal of the Flash. A character that has thrived on television with its campy, yet very entertaining tone. This is a character that was made to be fun (and funny) and it looks like he plans to deliver on screen. One of the highlights of the trailer is Miller’s character sitting beside Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne and he condescendingly asks “What are your superpowers again?” to which Affleck responds: “I’m rich”. And with that one exchange the humor Gods have parted the clouds and allowed some light to peak its way into this dark world.
5.) The Justice League Doesn’t Need The Most Famous Character in Comic Book History.
If you’ve seen the trailer for the Justice League, you noticed that a certain someone doesn’t seem to be around- and if you saw Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, you understand why. Now obviously Henry Cavill is confirmed to be in the film and they are most certainly saving any footage of him for a later release as part of some marketing roll out– but lets be honest, its a really fucking bold move to introduce the first ever live action version of the Justice League WITHOUT the most famous character in comic book history.
With that said, something very strange occurs when you watch this trailer. After digesting the 2-minute spectacle of Wonder Woman kicking ass, Batman being a grumpy old man, the Flash being cute, Cyborg being a… cyborg (thats all I’ve got for now), and Aquaman making your girlfriend swoon (and your boyfriend jealous), you realize something… the Justice League doesn’t really need Superman- at least they don’t need him to make the movie look awesome. Superman may be the most famous character in comic book history, but he hasn’t always been the most popular on the big screen– and as the fans always say, “the books are better”
Nerd Nite is an evening of entertaining yet thought-provoking presentations– all while the audience drinks along in a casual atmosphere.
Speakers present for 15-20 minutes each on a fascinating subject, often in an uncanny and unconventional way. Following each presentation is a brief Q&A with the audience. Nerd Nite currently operates in over 106 cities around the world.
Guest speakers include: Brendan Byrne, Jason Reynolds, and Clayton Ferrara
Hosted by Ricardo Williams
For any questions, contact Ricardo at
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PRESENTATION #1: “Poop, Pee & Puke: Dealing with the Gross Stuff When Exploring Space” By Brendan Byrne
DESCRIPTION: As humans start to travel farther and spend more time in space, there’s going to be a lot of crap we have to deal with. From recycling pee to wiping away space-poo, scientists are trying to figure out what to do with waste in space.
BIO: Brendan Byrne is WMFE’s Space Reporter. He regularly produces radio stories looking at the developments from Florida’s Space Coast and contributes to NPR’s nationally broadcasted shows. He host the podcast ‘Are We There Yet?’ which explores human space exploration.
PRESENTATION #2: “Yes, I’m Black: Debunking Stereotypes About Black Men” by Jason Reynolds
DESCRIPTION: Jason is on a mission to debunk the stereotypes associated with black men. He will engage the audience in a discussion about being a black man, their stereotypes of black men, how to adjust their stereotypes, and why this is important to him.
BIO: Jason is an urban planner focused on engaging and redeveloping communities. He enjoys playing and watching soccer, living a downtown lifestyle, and reinvesting in the community through volunteering and serving on advisory boards.
PRESENTATION #3: “Do You Think He Saurus Rex?: The Scaly Truth Behind Sci-Fi Reptiles” by Clayton Louis Ferrara
DESCRIPTION: Reptiles are all over pop-culture – from Jurassic dinosaurs, to radioactive teenage mutant ninja turtles, or reptilian politicians – but what’s the real deal on our scale brothers and sisters? Join biologist Clayton Louis Ferrara and find out!
BIO: Clayton Louis Ferrara is a biologist, a Darwin Fellow, and Executive Director of IDEAS For Us.
On Saturday, March 11, 2017, Ricardo Williams hosted a special version of Nerd Nite at SXSW in Austin, Texas with National Geographic Channel. Speakers included MIT researcher Adam Haar Horowitz, science and tech journalist Seth Porges, and submarine pilot Erika Bergman.
Its finally happening. 76 years after her first appearance in All Star Comics #8 in October 1941, the most famous female superhero in comic book history is finally getting her first solo live-action film. This is certainly a big deal for fanboys (and girls) who’ve waited a long time for this- but there is something more important at stake here. The Wonder Woman movie must be a critical and commercial success, here are two reasons why…
My point is, with Marvel getting bigger with every release, can DC survive a fourth consecutive film with a lackluster response? The good news is that many critics around the world have already seen Wonder Woman prior to its June 2nd release and the responses are pouring in; the word is that its good- VERY good. But I hate to rain on their parade, but that isn’t enough.
