Posted in: Recent Updates | Tagged: Alan Moore, bbc, doctor who, john romita jr, Kick Ass, Mark Millar, nbc, superman homepage, team comicana

New NBC Show, Team Comicana Speak!

Published Fri, 19 Mar 2010 05:32:03 -0500

by Rich Johnston

Last updated Fri, 26 Mar 2010 18:30:14 -0500

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Yesterday, Bleeding Cool ran an exclusive story on an NBC pilot that begins filming this week, Team Comicana, following geek culture around the world. The first shoot takes place tomorrow night on Shaftesbury Avenue, London, outside Forbidden Planet, following a number of people queuing for the Kick Ass signing by Mark Millar and John Romita Jr the following day.

But who are the geeks in question? And just what are their qualifications? Another Bleeding Cool exclusive here…

Neal Bailey

Assistant Editor for the Superman Homepage, the most popular unofficial site for all things Superman on the net. (www.supermanhomepage.com)
Star Wars nerd of the highest order.
Wrote for the official Smallville Magazine
Wrote a number of indie comics for small presses
Plays guitar, badly
Built a house to support writing
Camped out in line for all three Star Wars movies — yeah, the new ones
Still has a massive collection of action figures
Ten comic longboxes
Owns every colour Green Lantern shirts

Greg Squire

A highlighted tour of the habits, quirks and eccentricities of this rare specimen.

Lover, fighter, gentleman-adventurer, and consummate geek.

Early geek development: grew up with Transformers. Still get choked up watching the movie. Okay it makes me cry. Like a baby girl.
May have forced others to participate in Transfomers Generation 1 marathons. Am unwilling to discuss this matter further without counsel present to advise on 'unnecessary cruelty'. Those early 'animation errors' are my treasured childhood memories.
Discovered fantasy and sci-fi at an early age and devoured everything I could find. Tolkein, Donaldson, Herbert, Heinlein; less authors, more a pantheon.
Have been known to embarrass friends with water-ritual and brotherhood when drunk. I blame that corrupting martian; never trust a Stranger in a Strange Land.
Always keep a close eye on female friends for use of Voice. Do not be beguiled by their Bene-Gesserit witchery! (Lukes edit: This is a Dune reference, I had to ask Steve as even I was like WTF?)
Firmly believe that I am an incarnation of the Eternal Champion. My time will come, as it does to all of us who are touched by destiny, as the scribe Moorcock foretold.
Been playing role-playing games since school. Old friends still have fond memories of the sleepy little town of Salford. Well presumably it was sleepy, before the goblin uprising. And plague of undead. And Orc legions. And assorted spawn from the depths of Baator.
Have often had to clarify that yes, I am talking about 'that character from that game' and not a 'real' person after mentioning Jarik, Drinn or Linu. They're real to ME, damnit!
If I have to go and get it, and it might take some time, it's a Quest. 'Juice Quest', 'Dice Quest' and of course 'Lunch Quest' are all classics, full of heroics and derring-do (and ending with a well-earned lunch, as all good stories should).
Ongoing search for odd-sided dice has met with some success. Have yet to track down all the elusive polygons to their natural habitat in person. One day, D13, one day.
Play Magic: the Gathering pretty seriously (and I like to think pretty well, too). Finished in top 8 of Great British nationals and played at world championships in Rome last year.
Was contributing editor at sadly now defunct site www.cardsuneed.com, ran games nights for tragically closed local store Miniature Merchants. Further proof that there is no justice in the world.
Rabid Karen Traviss and Mandalorian fan. Enjoy confusing the auretyc with a little mando'a on briikasak with my vode. (Luke Edit: This is Star Wars Mandalorian speak. Again, I was like WTF?)
The Force is one, Empire is clearly the best movie, and the 501^st would BUTCHER any goddamn teddybears that tried to oppose their imperial might. Not like it's rocket science, people. 'An entire legion of my finest troops' against fluffy savages with rocks and sticks. It's not going to take long, or be pretty.
Despite total lack of feasibility, often discuss possible filming the New Jedi Order novels, probably as a combination of miniseries and feature films. To the point of producing a cast list, which was comically unrealistic.
Pilgrimage to mecca (ComiCon San Diego) across the briny deep with fellow journeymen an annual tradition.
Have spent far too much time deciding exactly what kind of powers I would like to have to ever actually be able to pick just one. Current favourite is invasive telepathy (the power of suggestion). Stop hitting yourself!
No-so-super power I do actually have is a slightly warmer body temperature than average. And so was born the Human Match! Able to warm cold things with the power of touch!
Current custodian of the League's copy of Marvel's complete Civil War. Serious concerns over capacity of comic shelves will arise if it's not passed along to another member of the Justice League of Berkshire soon.
Have developed worrying devotion to Ed Brubaker's current Captain America run. It now feels odd to read other writer's work on one of my favourite characters.
Have done my best to live up to my island's history of gentleman-adventurers. Travelled to America for comics, to Italy for card games, to Australia to scuba dive and to Singapore for F1.
Can't hear the phrase "collector's edition" without experiencing worrying tingles.
I have a thing for unnecessarily long words. Personal predilections for polysyllables aside, the mellifluous passage of this personage's prose shall endeavour to circumnavigate bootless verbosity.
Have a taste for comically awful movies, especially inflicting them on others. Nu Image are heroes, Mega Shark vs. Giant Octopus a masterpiece, and Hercules in New York a classic.
Keep trying to make favourite lists but it's like choosing a favourite limb. The already debated-and-settled top 5 superhero movies according to me runs watchmen-dark knight-X2-iron man-… uh… I'm sure it was settled yesterday damnit. Guess I'll have to re-watch some films to settle that last spot. Well, settle it for now.
X2 really beats out Iron Man? Am I not being biased by how awesome God Loves, Man Kills was? Might have to back-to-back them, just to be safe. To ensure proper scientific rigour.
Incurable completionist. Optional extras, expanded canon, sidequests. It's an addiction.
Currently play multiplayer double-reverse rock-paper-scissors-gun-claw to settle disputes (fewer deaths than traditional duelling, thus far). The Claw? It decides who stays, and who goes.
Despite a lack of disembodied, deceased fathers or buckets of crystals everywhere, my home is the Fortress of Solitude. I like to think it's because I'm such a hero, not because it's so frakking cold.
When I heard about this project, I had to pinch myself. Then get slapped in the face. Then punched in the gut (I'm thorough). If it takes our very hearts and souls, so be it. You won't have to scour the countryside for us like errant gelflings to fuel your Dark Crystal, master.

Steve Holmes

I own 100 Star Wars books and counting
As a consequence of the above noone plays me at Star Wars trivia anymore. I have to trick people into it. How annoying is that?
I attended the Spider-Man 3 premiere and was collared by national radio to be interviewed about how excited I was for that film.
I did not attend the premiere for Superman Returns because I was in Spain on holiday. Causing the film's director Bryan Singer to reportedly call me silly.
I am the co-host of the geek reviews on Youtube. Which includes the epic 9 part Spider-Man 3 rant (watch at your peril)
I own every DVD boxed set of Smallville.
As a consequence of the above my friend Greg and I invented the rules to the Smallville drinking game. We will teach you if you like.
My friends and I have invented our own geek phrases and terms to be used at appropriate occasions these include:- "Amazing! Astonishing! Spectacular" used to refer to anything positive or good. Why is it geeky? Simple, it refers to the three common titles of Spider-Man comics.
"Nuke the fridge" a phrase similar in meaning to "jump the shark" first coined when Indiana Jones survived a nuclear explosion by hiding in a fridge. It refers to the moment when a film franchise goes off the rails.
"The Baum" used to refer to actor Michael Rosenbaum who played Lex Luthor on Smallville. Yes he is so awesome he deserves his own nickname.
"Mecca" refers to either the local comic book store or Comic-Con depending on the context.
"Flat/House of L" the place where Luke lives his geeky pseudonym being Luke Luthor.
"The Kent Farm" the place where I live being considered the most like Clark Kent and also in the countryside.
"Fortress of Squire" the place Greg lives (noticing a pattern?)
"Lana Lang syndrome" Rather unfairly named for Superman's first girlfriend. This syndrome refers to a comic book heroine acting very out of character or in a galactically stupid way. Thus making the heroes life a living hell. Named due to Lana Lang's occasionally wonky decision making in the Smallville TV series.
"This is too important for my baldness to remain on the sidelines" a not so subtly altered quote from Star Trek First Contact as uttered by the great Sir Patrick Stewart. A phrase used to suggest the importance of something or to make sure you are included in something. Be it in an interstellar fleet battle or a swift half down the pub.
I own in trade every Daredevil comic published in the last twelve years. Which is the same length as half my life. To quote Comic Book Guy from The Simpsons "Time well spent"
I own all of Crisis on Infinite Earths,Infinite Crisis,Final Crisis and I'll probably own Kettle of Fish Crisis when DC finally gets clearance for that in twenty years time.
I own the entirety of the Spider-Man Clone Saga despite the fact it has never been released in trade and controversially I like it.
I own the classic Superman storyline Death and Return of Superman. This means I can remember when Lex Luthor had long red hair and spoke with an Australian accent. Unfortunately I can't remember Lex in this guise ever speaking the name Bruce. Shocking I know you would have thought Lex would have seen Monty Python.
I can also remember word for word the final text boxes that describe Superman's death. They broke my heart.
I own the classic Batman story Knightfall. Yes I remember when Batman had his back broken. That was also heartbreaking and occurred mere months after Superman's death I was sent through the wringer in the 90's I tell you.
I own Jeph Loeb's brilliant Batman stories Batman: The Long Halloween, Batman: Dark Victory and the simply astounding Batman Hush in Absolute format. What does Absolute format mean? Simple put it on a coffee table and you will have no room for your coffee.
I own Alan Moore's Batman The Killing Joke which Heath Ledger cited as inspiration for his portrayal of the Joker in The Dark Knight.
Speaking of Alan Moore I own Watchmen, but then who doesn't?
I own the frankly amazing Kingdom Come in Absolute format (coffee tables beware!)
I own all of Joss Whedon's Astonishing X-Men saga. He killed Kitty Pryde. I cried manly tears.
Speaking of Joss Whedon I own all of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 8 and Angel After the Fall. As well as a multitude of tie ins. Joss Whedon is my master.
Also Serenity comics (stupid Fox for cancelling Firefly. Yay Universal for the Serenity movie)
I own every issue of Supergirl from issue one right up till the recently released issue 50. Though I have to say is that a skirt she is wearing or a belt? I wish the artists would settle on a definitive length. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be whilst flying.
Speaking of silly costumes, have you seen what the X-Men Psylocke or Poison Ivy wears. A thong really? Boy if they fight anywhere with a cold climate I can see their combat abilities being seriously impaired.
I have been to San Diego Comic Con twice. Both times it was amazing and there is never enough time to see everything. I must go again.
I own every Batman film on DVD including the amazing 1960's one "Some days you just can't get rid of a bomb" Ah Batman so wise in so many ways.
I have read the entirety of Civil War and Secret Invasion. They killed Captain America. It made national news headlines. Recently they brought him back. Ah the revolving door that is comic book death.
I read the Spider-Man stories One More Day where they did the unthinkable and split Spider-Man and Mary Jane up. Using the old deal with a devil plot device.
I am now currently reading the Brand New Day stuff and it is alright. Though nothing justifies splitting up Mary Jane and Peter Parker's marriage. What stories are they telling now that they couldn't have told with Peter married? None that's how many. Yes I realise it has been over two years but I can still be bitter.
Upon visiting Elstree Studios Prop department many moons ago I was so impressed with the lightsaber that throughout the three hour tour I didn't put it down. I mean there were face huggers, crystals from the original Superman movie and much more. Also an issue of the Daily Planet that great metropolitan newspaper.
I now own a lightsaber. It is awesome. I keep it near the dinner table makes for interesting conversations over port and cheese for example "Could you pass the butter? Also I hesitate to ask but is that a lightsaber?"
I can speak and read portions of the greatest sci-fi language ever Mandalorian.
I once had an eight hour debate with a friend of mine about who would win a fight between Batman and Superman. This took place on a crowded train. Then the train station, then the car and didn't end till we got to the party in question. The debate remains unresolved.
I liked the Daredevil movie with Ben Affleck (I think I may be the only one *sob*)
When giving advice I occasionally slip into Pa Kent's speeches from Superman the Movie and Smallville.
I have worked as a voice artist on the serial radio play Star Wars Blue Harvest. I played Admiral Ozzel. As we all know the English are the true villains in the Star Wars universe.
In May I am going to a fancy dress birthday in Harvey Birdman costume. The first words out of my lips will probably be "My client is a bear betrayed. By his government, by his country. Yesterday in a bow tie, today in chains" Ha! Ha! Dream costume (anyone who wants to play Phil Ken Sebben I am having an open audition you have to provide your own eye patch though)
I believe that Robot Chicken does better Star Wars specials than Family Guy. Dr. Ball alone made me laugh until I was crying.
Speaking of Star Wars I believe the Ewoks were the biggest problem the franchise has ever faced. Jar Jar Binks doesn't even cut it. The Emperor sends his finest troops to defend an outpost and they get defeated by a bunch of teddy bears. What did they do nibble the stormtrooper's kneecaps off?
I am a regular winner of the SuperSecretSoundbyte competition on the Superman Homepage podcast. Usually one of a group of six that consistently identify which episode of Smallville the quote comes from.
When I am about to win any kind of competition or contest of any kind in any endeavour. I always quote this classic line from The Princess Bride "You fell victim to one of the classic blunders. The most famous of which is never get involved in a land war in Asia but the only slightly less well known is this never go against a Sicilian when death is on the line!"
I once had an entire conversation with a friend using only the word "Wibble". Eccentric absolutely but also brilliant. It is amazing how much meaning and subtlety you can get across using one word.
I believe the best song from any musical is "Rest in Peace" from the Buffy musical. James Marsters on lyrics, bit of rock and roll flavour can't be bad.
I have co-directed a prize winning production of Monty Python and the Holy Grail on stage. This also means I am an expert at slicing coconuts. So that coconuts can become horses. In my mind.
When I am dissatisfied with an establishment, institution or event I use this classic Blackadder quote "Personally I blame democracy, I mean look at Manchester"
When I get excited I talk loudly and very fast. This means that friends of mine have been able to find me in a busy shopping centre (when they were at the other end of it from me) purely by listening for my voice.
Due to the fact that my college lecturer thought I would know all the answers to some film questions he was about to put to the class he made me stay silent throughout. This has been referred to as "the lesson of great oppression" by me or "the lesson Steve turned purple" by my friends given the adverse effect staying quiet had on me whilst listening to my classmates give all the wrong answers.
Big Bang Theory is an amazing show that is so well written it is like they listened in on mine and my friends conversations.
I have carefully cultivated my sister into a fine geek. She loves the first two Spider-Man movies. Her favourite Star Trek movie is Star Trek VI (the last movie with the original cast) she regularly quotes lines from a multitude of fine movies. Whilst attending a screening of Shrek 2 she was the only one in the cinema who laughed at and understood the Indiana Jones reference when Puss in Boots reclaims his hat.
When attempting the Death Star 2 run on the computer game Star Wars Rogue Leader. I use the Chesney Hawkes track "I am the one and only" as backing music. Why? Because it is damn awesome that is why.
Controversially I believe Sisko is the best Star Trek Captain. Yes even better than Kirk.
Speaking of Kirk who doesn't love William Shatner's music. Has Been is an awesome album.
I believe Sky High to be one of the most underrated Superhero movies of all time. It has an amazing cast Bruce Campbell,Linda Carter,Kurt Russell, Kelly Preston and Mary Elizabeth Winstead. It introduced one of the great comic book heroine names of all time "Grayson,Gwen Grayson" Thus causing a massive geekgasm. Yes when Luke and I saw it in the cinema we may have been half the audience in that screen. However our combined laughter and merriment more than made up for the lack of an audience.
The meaning of life is 42.
If robots ever become truly self aware they have to conform to Isacc Asimov's Laws of Robotics. Otherwise chaos will reign and we all end up as their slaves. Never trust artificial intelligence that is what the Terminator films taught me.
If I could have one superpower it would be flight. As ever since I read Peter Pan I have always wondered how that would feel.

Luke Barnard

Under the blues skies, and hospital roof, of Luton back in the mid 80's a boy was born. The debate for whether the world was ready for his birth is one that rages on today. His destiny is clear and his path was set many moons ago. So with a tattoo on his arm, a comic book in his backpack and a fedora on his head he walks the road of THE GEEK. Not a passing interest, not a hobby, but a way of life. He shall not stray, he shall not falter for wherever there is geekiness he will be there! He is: Luke Barnard.

Am getting my middle name changed from 'Christian' to 'Luthor' because Luke Luthor sounds a lot like Lex Luthor and is far more interesting than the name 'Christian' for me.
I'm Batman! Well, I like to think I am, meaning whenever I do something awesome I always tell people "I'm Batman!".
My girlfriend likes Joss Whedon shows and bought Batman: Arkham Asylum on the PS3 – why? Because my geek infects her!
I have more comic books than I have geeky tee's, and I have A LOT of geeky tees.
I own no more than three plain t-shirts, the rest are all comic book/TV/film geek based.
I have 6 of the loudest Spider-Man shirts ever created, and Avi Arad himself once told me he wanted my shirt. He runs Marvel movie studios btw.
Have stood outside for 8 hours in all kinds of weather to meet Sam Raimi, Bryan Singer, and Kevin Smith – amongst others – just to shake their hand cause they're awesome.
Wherever I live I call 'The House Of L' because Superman comes from The House of El on Krypton as his family's name is El. Steve lives at the Kent Farm and Greg at the Fortress of Solitude. There's a Superman theme going on here methinks…
Steve and I had a year long discussion on which of us was Superman and which of us was Batman. He's Supes, I'm Batman. That's the shortest version of that story ever.
I am one of 'Six Uk Superfans' chosen by Warner Bro's to help with press for Superman Returns which meant asking the actors/crew questions, attending the press screening and got to meet them at the Premiere.
At the Superman Returns and Spider-Man 3 premieres on ITV's coverage (along with almost every other channel there) I've been interviewed being a huge geek. A screaming fanboy, the likes of which Twilight fans could learn a thing or two from.
My girlfriend is willing to go on camera to give a testimonial as to how geeky I am s'long as an actors voice is used and her face is pixeld out so she can't be recognised – such is her shame of my geek.
4 hours spent ranting purely on how bad Terminator 3 was because Terminator 2: Judgement Day is (in my opinion) the GREATEST movie ever made.
If I ever became bound to a wheelchair, I would totally pimp it out to look like Professor X's wheelchair from X-Men comics and movies.
I have a Spider-Man tattoo on my upper right arm. I show it everyone just so they know what I'm about. When I have enough money I have at least 3 more VERY geeky tattoos planned.
If I ever didn't get to see a new episode of Doctor Who live when it airs, I might well have a full blown tantrum because unless it's life or death, what's more important than a new episode of Doctor Who?
My 6 year old cousin and my 8 year old brother are now official geeks, they love superheroes, Star Wars and Doctor Who amongst others. My mother and aunt have caved in to this fact. I'm very proud of my influence on those boys. Especially when my brother punched someone at school for saying Batman was better than Spider-Man. I couldn't tell him I was proud, but inside I was beaming because that's true devotion to a character.
I once had a go at someone wearing a fancy dress Superman costume because they didn't know enough about the character of Superman to warrant being worthy enough of wearing the costume.
Words cannot describe how excited I am for both the Kick Ass and Iron Man 2 movies. There was defiantly some moistness in my pants when I saw the new trailers.
Steve and I are best friends and argue hardly ever – however he fails miserably to concede that the Ben Affleck Daredevil film is a pile of shite. Sometimes I worry about that man…
I once ignored someone at work for 3 weeks until he recanted the statement "Superman is a boring character". Even after he recanted, my estimations of him went down severely and I never put sugar in his coffee ever again.
I have always dreamed of having a car where a cape is deployed when the sunroof opens so it can billow in the wind as I race down the highway.
Whenever something amazing happens, Steve and I have been known to erupt in the phrase "AMAZING! ASTONISHING! SPECTACULAR!" because it's a Spider-Man reference and therefore, cool.
William Shatner is a God. Anyone saying anything else will have the dogs set upon them.
I love Star Wars. I love Star Trek. Yes I love both. Deal.
I wish I was better at science. To aid humanity? To solve lifes mysteries? No. Mainly so I can hang with the dudes from Big Bang Theory.
When I have children (and should they be boys) the eldest will be called Alexander Xavier after both Alexander the Great and Charles Xavier (aka Proffesor X from X-Men) and Peter Julius after Peter Parker (aka Spider-Man) and Julius Ceasar. If I have a girl she'll be named Harley Quinn after the Batman character. After that I may let my partner pick names if we have any more kids. This is not negotiable.
If I ever build a house, it is mandatory that the basement is called 'The Luke Cave' and the only way to get in to it is by fire poles hidden behind a bookshelf. The activation button to reveal the poles behind the bookshelf will be in the head of a bust.
If you tell me you haven't heard Jeff Wayne's version of War of the Worlds, be prepared to be sello-taped to chair and made to listen to it. You can thank me later.
Look up 'The Geek Review' on YouTube to see Steve and I reviewing some movies. The Amazing Spider-Rant is an hour and a half because that film is SHOCKINGLY bad and it angered us a die-hard Spidey fans. Watch from a comfy chair.
My girlfiend is quoting Terminator movies without realising it. I do the dance of joy when this happens.
My girlfriend bought stuff from Forbidden Planet, all on her own. I know I keep harping on about stuff that my girlfriend does, but she REFUSES to admit the geek that she's slowly becoming. I take all the credit and like to tell as many people as possible about it. She's watching me write this. She's not happy. She may get violent….Yep, she just hit me with a spoon. Save me. Please. She's still refuting she's a geek. She wants me to erase this entry. I won't. I just hope she doesn't beat me with a spoon…. No, she's beating me. Owie!
Greg, Steve and I all have a pact – we won't watch a new episode of Supernatural unless we all watch it together because Supernatural is one of the best TV shows of all time, ever!
Since the age of six, if anyone mentions fancy dress to me it has to be something geeky. Infact the next fancy dress party is in May and I'll be going as The Flash. I'm fat, I can't run, but I'm still doing it.
For the new Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull flick, I went to the midnight screening dressed as Indiana Jones. If I knew how crap the movie was going to be I wouldn't have bothered. But humming the theme tune whilst you walk in an overly dramatic way is fun no matter what you're dressed as.
James Cameron is my God. 110% fact!
Just incase you forgot: I'm Batman!
My dream cars are not Lamborghinis, Ferraris and Bugattis (although they are awesome). They're the Batmobile, Ecto-1, and the DeLoreon.
My cousin went out as Wolverine for Halloween. Instead of Trick or Treat he said 'Snikt! Snkit! Bub!". Pride is not the word for the feeling that swept over me.
When Kelly informed me of the idea for Team Comicana/American Hero I had what's known as a Geekasm. A Geekasm is when a geek has an overload of geekery-induced excitement and any more excitement would give them a brain aneurism. I come perilously close a lot of the time.
Whilst all my friends at school were into football, I was reading comics. Yeah, I got picked on a lot, but now they're not getting the chance to be in a kick-ass TV show. HA HA! Showed them!
Anything by Joss Whedon has my undivided attention. Absolutely. Joss Whedon is my master.
If I weren't a fat man, I would make my own Spider-Man costume from Spandex. I can't sow, or knit, or use a needle, but if I was slim, I'd learn, make it and then wear it under my clothes ALL THE TIME.
Story time: I once bought a shirt that had poppers on the front instead of buttons. I then called Steve and another friend, Lucy, to the pub telling them I had urgent news. After keeping them waiting for half an hour and telling them that my news was life changing, important, and getting them all manner of concerned I stood up, took off my glasses, and pulled my shirt open vigorously popping all the buttons open to reveal a Superman t-shirt underneath and told them of my secret identity. The entire pub saw. It was so worth the price of the shirt which I've never worn since. They saw the funny side, but only after I got called many names under the sun for making them worry. Best practical joke EVER!
If anyone asks me what super power I'd personally ever have, I could answer in 0.01 seconds, without hesitation.
I envy children because there's way more superhero items of clothing in their sizes.
I hand write in block capitals so it looks like comic book writing.
I went around Six Flags in Texas wearing a child's Superman cape. In the same day I got Lex Luthor to have a go at my sister. Oh and did I mention their Justice League theme shop is one of the coolest in the world? I have pictures to back all this up.
Final time: I'm Batman!
For my 20^th birthday my dad organised a visit to Elstre Studios prop department. They have original lightsabres, Christopher Reeve's Superman costume, Alien face huggers – Steve and I were in heaven. Never has 3 hours flown by so quickly. Although all Steve saw was a lightsabre.
I once cried because my passport was stolen 24hrs before I was due to go to ComiCon and I couldn't get a replacement in time. ComiCon is geek Mecca! Alright, I had a full blown temper tantrum, I'm not proud, but I feel it was justified.
If you wear a long coat and run, it's totally cool to pretend it's a cape and you're a superhero.
All my underwear is either comic book or cartoon based. Today I'm wearing my Justice League boxers.
Cried like a baby. An emotional, hurt, distressed baby when I read Spider-Man Blue. After all these years they aren't just characters, to me, they're people.
Apart, it's Luke, Greg and Steve, but together it's THE JUSTICE LEAGUE OF BERKSHIRE!
It's 110% A-OK to request Ghostbusters at a night club and then do the step dance from the music video. NAY! It's mandatory!
In college I made a trailer for a superhero called FATMAN! This was me in a cape, and a mask, running around my college fighting evil bran muffins called Evilus Branus Muffinus. I still have a copy on good ol' VHS (remember those?).
Robot Chicken do the funniest Star Wars spoofs in existence. Steve and I laughed until we cried, and then had difficulty breathing. DR BALL MD!
Mundane things are imagined as superpowers by my good self. Using a leaf blower? NO! I command the powers of the weather and these leaves will yield to my power!
I once bought Steve a lightsabre for Christmas – obviously I had to give it a thorough testing before I gave it to him. Yes, I had an impulse to keep it (it's SO cool) but in the end I did right and now it's in his dining room proving for interesting dinner conversation.
I once got married. Yeah, it went sour. However one of my few demands was that when I'm waiting at the alter that the 20^th Century Fox theme plays, and then my ex-wife walked down the isle to the Indiana Jones theme. She wouldn't go for Star Wars with an arc of lightsabres no matter how much Steve and I protested and fought for it.
I'll constantly invade kids face painting tents at events to get Spider-Man, Yoda or a Green Lantern mask marked upon me. Do I care I'm 23? No. Fun is fun.

I asked Luke Barnard how this whole team-up came about.

So… how'd the band come together? Well it all happened (from my point of view) when I was in a Film Studies class in college and a man with Jeremy Clarksons hair-do walked in and after not half an hour, I asked him to turn his volume down. From then on Steve and I became best of friends. Through him I met Greg, then having briefly met him, forgot him and moved to London for a bit. There Steve introduced to me supermanhomepage.com where some dude called Neal Bailey was writing reviews of the Smallville TV show episodes I was barreling through on DVD. They were mighty good reviews. Then I moved back to Berkshire, kept seeing Greg more often, Steve and I e-mailed Neal, read more of his stuff and got a few of his very fine books, and struck up a friendship with him. Still kept on seeing Greg more often and Steve, Greg and I started hanging out at Greg's place, watching TV shows, awful movies, playing Rock Band and now we hang out quite a bit and all watch new Supernatural together at Gregs (cause that show is awesome, dontchathink?) Now Greg's going out with one of my closest friends which mean's we'll all probably hang together more. Dagnabbit! :P

Then Kelly got in touch with me about this awesome new show she was coming up with, and asked if I had any input and anyone I thought was suitable for the job. This decision shall henceforth be known as the 'No Brainer' and thus after phone calls, Skype calls, MSN convos, e-mails and the words 'hell yes', 'I'm clearing my schedule' and *insert near pornographic noise just here* Team Comicana was formed. I know it's e-mail, but I just struck a heroic pose. Hands on hips and everything.

Geekiest claim to fame? Well I was one of 'Six UK Superfans' who did some press stuff for Warner Brothers for the (then) upcoming Superman Returns premiere. Got to ask questions of the cast and crew for that, and then at the Premiere (where I stood as a total fanboy, doing vox pops and singing the Superman theme loudly) I outsmarted Colin Murray on his Superman knowledge on both the big screen set up in Leicester Square and later on ITV. That was a good day. Scratch that, it's a great day when you get to have a 'Kneel Before Zod!' shouting match with Mike Dougherty, Brandon Routh shakes your hand and says he liked your question and when Bryan Singer comes out of the premiere just to have a chat. Steve was in Spain, I told Bryan Singer this, he called him silly.

My geekiest goal… well, that changes on a day to day basis. But one I've been harbouring for ages is to cameo in a Marvel superhero flick, but in my cameo I save Stan Lee from danger whilst he's doing his cameo. IE – Rhino knocks part of a building down, Stan Lee is so busy trying to save the other civilians (ala the first Spider-Man movie) that he's not looking out for himself. NEVER FEAR STAN! That's when I come in, save Stan Lee and wipe building debris dust off of me and walk off knowing today I saved a life. Otherwise it's to see my name on the front of a comic book and be able to go 'I had a part in that'. Especially if it were Spider-Man. Despite Mephisto, I still love the web head.

If the show is picked up the things I'm hoping for it to cover is for it to show that the term 'geek' doesn't need to apply to some social recluse teenager in their basement, never seeing the light of day. More that it encompasses a whole range of passionate, enthusiastic, creative people who love entertainment and to entertain. Also if the show gets picked up something I've never really seen before is the creative process and how a comic book is put together, and I think this show is going to be able to show it, a bit like a how-to-guide for aspiring artists and writers, which is essentially what we (minus Neal who's got some fantastic writing under his belt) are. However I think the most important thing to achieve with this show is some form of vehicle with a cape. I've fantasied about a vehicle with a cape for about a decade now, and I think if it's going to happen, this is the time to make it happen.

What do we really want to go and do? Personally I'd like to meet and pick the brains/ chit chat with some of the industries elite because I'm sure there's ALOT I can learn from them. Sure they'll be travel, and hopefully a caped vehicle, but it's the people I'm interested in. I have a wishlist in my head of those I'd love to meet.

Are we planning a trip to Northampton? Funny you should mention that, because I think a tricks being missed with a show called "Where In Northampton Is Alan Moore?" where a team of people go to Northampton to search out this elusive legend. Whoever finds him first should also give him a hug and utter the sentence "We understand your pain, we all saw LXG.".

You can follow the filming on twitter with @TeamComicana and Luke at @directing_dude.

I'll be popping by sometime on Sunday morning with McBreakfasts for the boys and some Bleeding Cool T-shirts. Why not join me?

And feel for Kelly Campbell of Momestar Productions who has to cope with the boys above…

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