In this corner...

Today I'm going to tell a tale that only a handful of people that know me are aware of. It's a part of my past that seems almost forgotten at times, but it's a fun part of who I am...

I once was an independent professional wrestler known as "Downtown" Dave Dynasty.

For about five years (2000-2005) I competed in the squared circle throughout Indiana (with an occasional gig in Chicago). My home promotion was Hoosier Pro Wrestling based in Columbus, Indiana (http://hoosierprowrestling.bravehost.com) but I competed in any group that would have me, often wrestling 3-4 times a week during my busiest period.

I began as a manager with HPW. My debut match was managing a wrestler named "Psycho" Sam Cody as he wrestled "The King" Roy Presley. I will never forget how nervous I was as Sam and I stood behind the curtain waiting to go out. As his music played, "Psycho" looked at me and said "Lead me out kid, but don't get too far ahead of me. If I can't see you, I'll never be able to find my way to the ring". Sam had horrible vision. My wrestler lost that night, and I took a guitar over the head from Mr. Presley. I would spend most of time managing "Outlaw" Jesse Houston, who's in the picture to the left with a very young me.

Eventually I worked my way into actually wrestling. I almost always played the heel, or bad guy. It's a weird gig to go out each night and try to make people dislike you. One night I must have been particularly wicked, as I remember a fan telling me he was carrying a knife and he would "get me after the show". Needless to say, I made sure to walk out in a group that night. The world of wrestling was very exciting, and being in front of a crowd always gave me a rush. It was very much like being a part of a live comic book, with heroes and villains battling for control.

I eventually won the HPW Heavyweight Championship, and although some people say there's little value to holding a title, I was very proud that for a time I was the top man in the promotion. My time as a competitor was cut short however, as to many blows and falls caused discs in my neck to compress. A doctor warned me if I continued to wrestle, I could begin to lose use of my arms and suffer more severe back and neck problems. To this day, I sometimes feel numbness and tingling in my arms that is a result of some of the damage done.

So I dropped the title in my final match, hung up the boots, put my villain days behind me, and Dave Dynasty was no more.

Writing comics

Most people who know me are aware that I'm a writer. I'll write anything... I freelance for the local newspaper and am always jotting down something. My passion as a writer lies firmly in writing comics.

I've self published a comic, Jedidiah Starr #1, that I co-created with artist Louie Hernandez. It's a labor of love, as we both have worked hard producing a very old-school superhero comic that harkens back to books we read as children. Nothing ground breaking, but very fun for us. We've decided to continue our work on and publish Jedidiah Starr #2 as an ongoing webcomic, two pages released every Monday on our publishing website www.ViewComics.com. I'm very excited as we dive back into the world of our fallen space hero.

I also write an ongoing short series for Pronto Comics (www.ProntoComics.com) titled Nerdtastic. I produce these shorts with artist L.Jay Patterson. These are fun bits in which I draw from many of my personal experiences and observations in the world of geekdom. It's very tongue-in-cheek and often used to poke fun at myself and my past, all in the name of good humor.

I have other projects is various stages, and am always looking for new genres to write in an attempt to continually grow and expand as a writer.

I'd love to hear from fellow writers... what are you working on? Give me a comment, or drop me an email at dave@indianageek.com.

Batfleck

Ben Affleck is the new Batman.

There I said it. How could today's post be about anything else?

I've had emails, messages, and tweets wanting to know my opinion of the casting. I gave it a night to sink in, and I came to a distinct conclusion...

I hate it.

Now, this is not an anti-Ben Affleck rant. I've enjoyed many of Affleck's movies. I think he's a sufficient actor when need be, and have been impressed with his directing. 

However, he shouldn't be Batman.

If there's one thing that experience has shown it's that it is very difficult to accept actors in iconic roles once they've been typecast. Whether it's fair or not is an entirely different discussion. Affleck will never be accepted as Batman, no matter how good his performance. He will always be "the guy from Gigli" or "the actor who ruined Daredevil". Those are his labels, and they will haunt him forever.

The jokes have already begun. People wondering if Matt Damon will show up as Robin. People wondering if Jennifer Garner will take over the role of Catwoman. People wondering if Kevin Smith will be cast as Lex Luthor (alright, I made that last one up to make a point). 

Ben Affleck is destined to fail as Batman, and while it's not fair to him as an actor, it's the reality of the situation. People will not accept him in the role in the same way they didn't accept Ryan Reynolds as Green Lantern. They can't get past their preconceived biases to give him a chance.

Do I think Affleck can be a spectacular Batman/Bruce Wayne? No. I don't think it's a role that plays to his strengths. I think it's an attempt by the studio to bring some name value into the film (as if BATMAN isn't name value enough!). I believe a talented, relatively unknown actor should have been cast in the role, much as Henry Cavill was for Superman. 

I also question the long term status of the move: I've not heard that Affleck has any interest in continuing the role into future Batman films, or the upcoming Justice League movie. Wouldn't it have been wiser to cast someone who could've been locked down for multiple films?

I will go into the film with an open mind, hoping to salvage some enjoyment from it. Surely I can find SOMETHING to like with it...

Unless they put nipples on Batman again!

Chicago TARDIS... allons-y!

There's one last convention stop for "Indiana Geek" for 2013, and what a finale it is! This is a convention that I am personally excited to be attending, and one of the most anticipated events on my 2013 geek calendar (and I went to San Diego Comic-Con this year!).

I am talking about a mecca for Whovians- Chicago TARDIS (www.chicagotardis.com) held November 29 through December 1.

Hailing from Indiana, I'm fortunate there are plenty of Who social opportunities in the area. We have Who North America (www.whona.com) in Indianapolis, the largest online retailer of Doctor Who merchandise stateside. They also do monthly open house where you can visit their facility and they are very active in area conventions such as Gen-Con. Also, on the last Saturday of each month at Tilt Studios in Indy (tiltstudio.com/indianapolis-in/) they do screenings of classic Doctor Who episodes. Imagine that... being able to see classic Who on the big screen!

Chicago TARDIS is the cream of the crop for midwest-Whovians. It's a three day all-Doctor Who convention located just outside Chicago that is now in it's 13th year. It features a strong list of guests, but none perhaps as exciting as this year's, which will feature THREE former Doctors: Peter Davison (Five), Colin Baker (Six), and Paul McGann (Eight). If you are a fan of Doctor Who, you do NOT want to miss this convention. Coming off the rush of the 50th anniversary episode should make this convention even more fantastic and memorable.

I will be in attendance, and will be posting pictures and reviews. Join me in Chicago in November to celebrate Doctor Who!

One chapter ends, a new one begins...

Today, I closed our storefront for Sidekick Comics. Locking that door for the last time was one of the hardest things I've ever done, and it capped a week of reflecting and remembering. It was an emotional moment, one with tears, laughs, and smiles.

Many people are saddened by the store closing. Others have been upset. A few were even angry. The hardest part of this decision is that the store was successful. A personal family situation caused us to have to close the doors. I'm choosing to look at the positives of the situation, particularly all the wonderful things I've taken from this experience. Things such as:

FRIENDS- Many of the relationships I've forged through the store have grown beyond customer level. There were friendships made, and those friendships will last a lifetime.

MEMORIES- I have so many wonderful stories, experiences, and opportunities that I wouldn't have had had the shop not existed.

ACHIEVEMENT- For fifteen months I got to live a dream I've had my entire life: I owned a comic shop. I built it from scratch, ran it according to my own standards, and it was successful. I feel our shop was a positive in the community, and we have no regrets. I feel we did a good job running our shop, and I'm very proud of what we achieved.

Sidekick Comics is not disappearing. We're simply adapting to our situation. We will continue to sell vintage comics and geek collectibles online and through eBay. We will making appearances at local comic shows and conventions.

I'm using my newfound time to recommit myself to my other passions. Ventures that I hope our customers will support through our various social media sites. I'm going to begin a weekly podcast. I am reinventing and revitalizing our YouTube channel to feature weekly geek programming. I'm going to begin writing again... both my comics and my blog.

I want to thank all of our wonderful customers. Without them, the store could not have existed. You made this an amazing fifteen months that I will never forget. You have given me the opportunity to continue to peddle picture books, and to explore my other geek passions.

I would like to thank my family. Their hard work, commitment, and sacrifices made my dream a reality. They worked hard and have made me so proud of the way the represented our store and our family. I'm extremely blessed, and they've proven that many times to me.

This is isn't a goodbye... it's simply a transition. Stick with me folks, it's going to be fun.