Motor City Super Nerds!
Nerds Assemble!
Come join us for some superhero shenanigans as we’ve got Scott vertical Superman, David Moan talking Batman, and Ben Criger talking Robocop. The Michigan Science Center will be bringing some super toys for you to harness your powers with, too. And there may also be paint. Also, we’re having our first ever costume contest! Dress up as your favorite superbeing (or create your own!) and there will be prizes.
NERD ON!
When: Thursday, June 27. Doors at 6. Event at 7.
Where: The Old Miami, 3930 Cass Ave. Detroit
Tickets: $5 either in advance or at the door.
Scott Vertical – Krypton: Superman’s Forgotten Past
Prior to 1986, DC Comics told many stories about Superman’s home planet, Krypton. Those stories have since been abandoned, replaced by a more “realistic” version of an alien planet. Krypton used to be a fun place to live. Find out why.
Scott Vertical is a former Detroit radio DJ (WDVD, 89X). He owns every Superman comic book published from 1984-2012, including such titles as Action, Supergirl, Superboy and The Legion of Superheroes. Scott also owns many reprints and collections from Superman’s past, having read a couple of thousand stories starring the Man of Steel and his friends. He was a nerd way before being a nerd was cool. He is also an avid movie buff and lapsed Star Wars aficionado (thanks for nothing, prequels). Mr. Vertical currently runs a website which has won multiple awards for “Least Frequently Updated” and “Most Unfinished Ideas”. He lives in Royal Oak with his daughter, who is a Doctor Who fan and future nerd.
David Moan, Not the Hero We Need: Chronology of the Caped Crusader and Philosophical Musings on a Masked Vigilante
Would our real world problems be solved by a Dark Knight or should Bruce leave his cape and cowl in the Batcave? This talk begins with a survey of the evolution of Batman mythology as a reflection of an ever-changing American culture throughout the 20th and 21st century. It then moves to examine the repercussions of recent adaptations of the World’s Greatest Detective that attempt to reconcile The Batman and our modern society.
David Moan has been obsessed with Batman since he was a child. Having accepted the fact that he cannot actually become Batman, Moan instead devotes himself to studying the evolving Batman mythology with the goal of developing a college-level lecture series. (It also serves as justification for purchasing so many comics, movies, and video games.) Originally from Pittsburgh, Moan earned a BA in Music: Vocal Performance with studies in history and theatre from Manchester University in Indiana. He sings for the Michigan Opera Theatre, teaches diction courses for his alma mater, and works as a lead presenter at the Michigan Science Center. He currently lives with his wife and two bats cats in Detroit.
Ben Criger, RoboCop: Why You Should Like It, and Why You Don’t
In this talk, Ben will address the subtle genius behind the 80s schlock film RoboCop. The talk begins with a brief summary of the main plot of RoboCop, for those that don’t know, and continues with an analysis of RoboCop’s influences, and why RoboCop is a hero for our era.
Ben is from Canada, and has talked about RoboCop several times at Nerd Nite Kitchener Waterloo. He wouldn’t say that he’s an expert on RoboCop, he’s more of an enthusiast. The word ‘expert’ would imply that he has some useful knowledge, but really, he just likes RoboCop a lot. He has has probably seen RoboCop over 100 times, though. You can go down a bit of a rabbit hole when it comes to RoboCop, too, since there have been so many sequels and spin-offs. Some of it’s pretty good (Frank Miller’s RoboCop, based on the original script for RoboCop 2), but it can get really bad.
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