So the internet has been pretty up in arms that a Gizmodo writer went on a couple of dates with former Magic: The Gathering World Champion Jon Finkel, and then dissed him on Gizmodo for not revealing in his online profile that he was a former Magic World Champion.

Just like you’re obligated to mention you’re divorced or have a kid in your online profile, shouldn’t someone also be required to disclose any indisputably geeky world championship titles? she wrote.

(The article has since been edited to remove some of the more scathing criticisms.)

Finkel has responded via twitter.

“For the record I wanted to state that not mentioning magic in my profile has nothing to do with wanting to hide it or being ashamed of it,” he writes. “In fact my accomplishments in magic are one of the things I’m most proud of in life. There just doesn’t seem to be a graceful way to say: ’10 years ago I was the best in the world at this game you’re only 50% to have heard of’ – plus it ensures every conversation goes that way.”

In the aftermath of the article, Finkel conducted a Q&A on Reddit, where he talked about Magic, poker, dating, hedge fund managing (his current job) and more.

I enjoyed what he said at Reddit about the skills needed to be a big-time Magic player, and something that’s pretty applicable to life:

“I think the biggest thing is the deep (seated) emotional understanding that the right play is the right play regardless of outcomes. The ability to make a decision 5 straight times, lose 5 times because of it, and still make it the 6th time if it’s the right play. Magic players have been developing that since their teens, and its just so applicable to poker, gambling, and life in general,” he writes.

So, I think overall, Jon Finkel is going to be all right.

- Matt Price

The 2000 film "X-Men," co-starring James Marsden, was among the inspirations for Matt Price's Word Balloons column in the pages of The Oklahoman

WORD BALLOONS

Every Friday for the past 10 years, readers have been able to find out about the world of comic books in the pages of The Oklahoman.

After starting at The Oklahoman in November 2000, my column about comic books, “Word Balloons,” was approved by Entertainment Editor Gene Triplett and began Feb. 2, 2001 — my birthday. While a lot has changed in newspapers over the past decade, one thing that’s remained constant is this weekly dose of comic book news and commentary.

Comic book sales were starting to come out of the slump they’d been in through the late 1990s, and graphic novels were becoming more a part of the accepted parlance. Perhaps most notably for this column, the “X-Men” movie had been a hit. Bryan Singer’s adaptation of Marvel’s mutant comic book had become the ninth highest-grossing film of 2000. “Spider-Man,” to be directed by Sam Raimi, had started filming just a few weeks before, with few suspecting it would go on to make more than $800 million dollars worldwide in 2002. This success opened the floodgates for comic-book films, with dozens more hitting the silver screen throughout the decade.

Changes happened not only in the multiplexes, but in the bookstores, too. Graphic novels were one of the fastest-growing categories in bookstores throughout the decade, and sales to comic shops trended upward from 2001 through 2009. According to Comichron.com, yearly sales of the top 300 comics and top trade paperbacks to comic shops went up from $207.49 million in 2001 to $335.47 million in 2009. The graphic novel growth in comic shops was even more pronounced, from $20.51 million in 2001 to $77.65 million in 2009, again according to Comichron.com.

Comic book and graphic novel creators such as Craig Thompson, Matt Fraction, Jonathan Hickman and even Oklahoma’s own Sterling Gates went from little-known to highly regarded over the course of the decade. Mike Mignola, Bryan Lee O’Malley, Mark Millar and others saw creations that sprang from their imaginations become multimedia bonanzas.

This explosive growth of the comics field led to a comics podcast on NewsOK — now a video, co-hosted by Kyle Roberts. Alan Herzberger, now our digital managing editor, worked on the initiative to create my blog, Nerdage, in 2007. It’s now among NewsOK’s most popular.

And although trends can by cyclical, it doesn’t look like there will be any shortage of comics-related stories to come in the years ahead. Comics continue to create rich source material for motion pictures, of course, but more importantly, innovative and trailblazing stories continue to be created with the synthesis of writing and art.

- By Matthew Price
From Friday’s The Oklahoman

As I recently posted, the Nerdage blog recently hit 3000 posts.  My wife Annette, a fine cakemaker, made the above Mystery Science Theater 3000 cake to celebrate.   There’s even more to celebrate today.  It’s my birthday, for one, and on this date 10 years ago – Feb. 2, 2001 – my first “Word Balloons” column about comic books ran in The Oklahoman

I will have a very self-congratulatory column running in Weekend Look this Friday, looking back at the past 10 years.  But I also wanted to mark the date today, and say thanks to everyone who has been with me — as a friend or a colleague; as a source or a reader — for all or for any of that time.   Thank you. I appreciate you all.

- Matt Price

For this week, I fell behind the pace needed to hit the total for the first time, reading only 30 comics.  Fortunately, the pace of the first 3 weeks keeps me ahead overall.

After the fourth week of the comic-book challenge, I have 1820 comic books remaining to read, or about 90.5 percent of the total.    The good news is, I still have 92.6 percent of the year left to get there.

I added two new publishers to the mix this week, Archie Comics and the defunct NOW Comics.  Totals this week by publisher:

Archie Comics – 3
Marvel – 12
Dark Horse – 1
IDW – 1
NOW – 12
Valiant – 1
Total – 30

And totals this week by decade:

1980s -  20
1990s – 1
2010s – 9
Total – 30

Marvel remains way out in front in the publisher breakdown to date:
Marvel Comics: 84
Image Comics: 56
NOW Comics: 12
DC Comics: 11
Valiant Comics: 11
Eclipse Comics: 9
Archie: 3
Dark Horse: 2
IDW: 2
Triumphant: 1

And the recent decade of the 2000s remains far out in front by decade, trailed by the current decade, then the 1980s and 1990s.
1970-1979: 7
1980-1989: 30
1990-1999: 25
2000-2009: 101
2010-present: 28

This marks the 3000th post on Nerdage since its inception on Dec. 5, 2007.    Thanks to everybody who has read, contributed, or spread the word over the past 3-plus years!

Feel free to celebrate with the “Mystery Science Theater 3000″ episode “The Rebel Set,” embedded below.

New Mutants #91

On a mission today with limited internet connectivity.  With any luck, I won’t run into Sabretooth.  I am, however, working on a project on 1990s comics that should see the light of day on the blog in the near future!

- Matt Price

Like Tony Stark’s armor, the Nerdage blog will be getting an upgrade today, so posting will be light.  Happy and safe Tuesday to everyone!

If you’re a regular reader of Nerdage, you probably should be celebrating Geek/Nerd Pride Day.   May 25 marks the annual celebration of the day, which is the date the first “Star Wars” film was released.

According to the Facebook page:

Apparently, it originated in Spain. You go Spanish nerds. In addition, it falls on the anniversary of the original Star Wars film.

In 2008, Geek Pride Day came to America and in 2009, Canada.

And if your particular brand of geekery is Douglas Adams-related, it’s apparently also Towel Day.

“Towel Day is celebrated every May 25 as a tribute by fans of the late author Douglas Adams. The commemoration was first held in 2001, two weeks after his death on May 11, and since then has been extended to an annual event. On this day, fans carry a towel with them throughout the day. The towel is a reference to Adams’s popular science fiction comedy series The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.”

I won’t be rocking a towel, but I am planning to read some comic books and watch some “Star Wars” today.  Hope you can similarly enjoy your own particular brand of nerdage today.  If you’d like, share what you’re doing in the comments!

- Matt Price

Tom Welling

Tom Welling, who plays Clark Kent on “Smallville,” was named Nerdage’s #1 actor with geek appeal, based on pageviews and searches at the site.  But now, share your thoughts!  Cast your vote for who you think should have been Nerdage’s No. 1 actor with  geek appeal, and feel free to share your reasons in the comments.

Scarlett Johansson (AP)

Everyone has seen lists that share one magazine’s particular take on who are the hottest stars of the moment.

Zachary Quinto (AP)

But what we at Nerdage are doing is turning that power over to you.  Starting Monday, and for the five weeks following that, we’ll count down the top 25 actors and actresses of the nerd universe, as selected by your pageviews and searches here at the site.

As we head into the summer movie season, you’ll see which actors and actresses drove geeks into a frenzy over the past 12 months.

After all 50 are revealed, we’ll let you have your say again via a poll featuring all 25 actors and all 25 actresses.  Who will win?  Feel free to make your predictions for future bragging rights in the comments.

- Matt Price

Sandra Bullock at the Academy Awards.

Here at Nerdage, we don’t often comment on celebrity gossip, but the following column from Tony Panaccio fit in with our title theme of “Nerdage,” so, read on for some romantic advice to recent Oscar winning actress Sandra Bullock.

Advice to Sandra Bullock: Date a Nerd

By Tony Panaccio

First of all, can anyone say they were that darn surprised?

Sandra Bullock, America’s sweetheart, Oscar© winner, Razzie winner and still the best darn bus driver that the movies has ever seen (anyone remember Speed?) marries a biker. Who makes Bikes. In a bike shop. Stars in a TV show with other bikers making bikes for rich bikers. Is named Jesse James, one of history’s most notorious outlaws. This guy was the poster child for bad boys. OF COURSE he was going to cheat on her. His cheating on her was better odds than Bill Clinton having a heart attack on intern orientation day.

And Sandra, come on. Did you REALLY think the biker bad boy with the outlaw name was going to stay home, read comic books, play video games and eat French Bread Pizzas for months at a time while you were filming movies? That’s like expecting Donald Trump to forego the combover and shave his head (which might not be a bad look for him, really… okay, not so much).

But don’t feel bad. You’re not alone. Smart, beautiful, successful women from all over the world love the bad boys, and invariably wind up getting screwed over by them. I’m sure there’s a Facebook group for them. I think they made T-shirts. But the truth is, you have GOT to break the cycle. It’s time for you, and frankly all the other successful women nursing shattered dignity and wounded pride at the hands of a rock star or reality TV star, to see the light and change your life for the better.

It’s time for you to date a nerd.

Nerds, by and large, are rich, stable, loving and would be so knocked out to date a smart, beautiful, successful hottie, that they’d be utterly and irrevocably devoted to you. They’d cook, clean and do laundry for you. They’re good with electronics and computers, so you’d never have to worry about your computer crashing. Chances are they’d hack you free Internet service, anyway.

They’d pledge their lives, bank accounts and comic book collections to you. And the fact is, many of them aren’t just rich, they’re famous. Renown and unrepentant comic book and video game geeks include Keanu Reeves (Remember him? Tall guy, had the sense not to be in Speed 2?), Will Smith, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Hamill, Star Trek director J.J. Abrams, Jon Favreau, Saturday Night Live’s Bill Hader, Jerry Seinfeld and Nicolas Cage (who sold his comic book collection to satisfy Lisa Marie Presley when he was married to her!).

Now, you may have to put up with a pantry full of Twinkies and Doritos, comic books on the floor, and every so often in bed they might cry out “It’s Clobberin’ Time!” or “Flame on!” or “Excelsior!”

I figure it’s a small price to pay for a guy who isn’t going to cheat on you with the nearest tattooed circus freak the second you go off to win an Oscar.

(Tony Panaccio, Senior Campaign Strategist for EMSI Public Relations, is a 25-year veteran writer, marketer and producer in the entertainment industry, having worked with luminaries such as William Shatner, Stan Lee and Michael Uslan. He has been a journalist and a senior executive with several of the world’s largest PR firms.)

- Matt Price

Check out the improvised “Star Trek” rap by the Twinprov rappers, Buck and Clint Vrazel. This is precisely the sort of nerdity I like to point out with the Nerdage blog. Add to this that the “Star Trek” rap was inspired by NewsOK’s own BAM, and it’s something I have to give a plug.
Find out more here.

- Matt Price

I’m out trying to avoid my shadow today, so more posts tomorrow.  Thanks to everyone who has sent birthday wishes!  Enjoy your Groundhog Day, and if you wake up tomorrow to “I’ve Got You, Babe,” be as nice to Andie MacDowell as you can.

– Matt Price

I have some things I want to share with my much-appreciated Nerdage readers, but the ice storm has put a damper on several possible posts that I’ve been working on. I’ll still try to come up with some interesting things to share tomorrow, as I’m sure lots of folks will be stuck in their houses then.
Be safe everybody!

– Matt Price

Like the Uncanny X-Men in the 1970s, we’ve undergone a bit of a revamp here at Nerdage HQ.  But rather than adding a boisterous, six-clawed Canadian to our ranks (though we are looking for one), we’ve redesigned the site to be more informative and easier to use.   Feel free to share your comments on the new look!

– Matt Price

• The Nerdage Blog is about “Comic Books, Video Games, Action Figures, and Geek Culture.”  Come on, was adding “Geek Culture” really necessary?  This site even has something called the “Hobbit Blog” in its blogroll.  This site makes Clark Matthews look as cool as the high school quarterback.

Well, let’s attack this point by point.  1. The Hobbit movie will make a gazillion dollars 2. Being a geek is now JUST AS COOL as being the high school quarterback (if not more so).

Anyway, thanks for stopping in, Lost Ogle!   Keep checking back if you want to stay up on the latest on genre entertainment.  Unless you’re too cool.  (What high schools did you quarterback, again?)

– Matt Price

It was a year ago today when Nerdage began here at NewsOK. It’s been a good year for comics and video game fans, with “Iron Man,” “The Dark Knight,” “Grand Theft Auto IV,” the Brainiac arc of “Action Comics,” and much much more.   I was glad to be here reporting and commenting on it as it happened.  At times, Nerdage was even the most popular blog on NewsOK, which was a shock to me, and we’ve been continually one of the highly ranked reads around here, for which I am grateful.  

My thanks to Nerdage contributors during its first year of existence:
Greg Elwell
Christopher Price
Chris Borthick
Kyle Roberts
Annette Price (who also made the pictured cake)

And many many thanks to all of you who read and comment.  Here’s hoping for even more success in the coming year!

– Matt Price

“As I sometimes allude to during my late night digressions here, I think I liked it better when being a fan involved some kind of revelatory, transgressive or rebellious element and not Wikipedia and the IMDb. But then everything is more fun when you’re a rebel.”

What do you think? Was it better to be a fan when it required a little more fanatacism?  I was watching “Lois & Clark” over the weekend, with my DVD sets, and I was remembering a time when I had obsessively taped and labeled the shows as they came on. Now, none of that is necessary.  Does that change the experience?

– Matt Price

I’m on vacation this week, but I’ll try to get a shipping list up for you loyal Nerdage readers today, anyway!  How’s that for service?

 – Matt Price

I try to bring a mix of current news, reviews, interviews and interesting tidbits into the mix, with a focus on what I am personally interested in. (Hey, it is my blog.)

But I do want to please you, friendly readership.  So, here are a few of the things that I work on at the blog.  Feel free to e-mail me
or let me know in the comments what you’d like to see more of: 

* Current comic-book reviews
* Classic comic-book reviews
* Graphic novel reviews
* DVD reviews
* Current video game reviews
* Classic video game reviews
* Current action figure reviews
* Classic action figure reviews
* Interviews with media personalities
* Interviews with comic-book personalities
* Interviews with video game personalities
* Role-playing games coverage
* comic book news
* video game news
* action figure news

Or anything else you’d really like to see! Thanks, everyone, for reading.

– Matt Price

NEW LINE CINEMA JOIN WITH MGM

TO PRODUCE “THE HOBBIT,”

EAGERLY-ANTICIPATED FANTASY ADVENTURE EPIC

NEW LINE CINEMA AND MGM TO CO-PRODUCE AND

SHARE WORLDWIDE DISTRIBUTION RIGHTS

PETER JACKSON AND FRAN WALSH TO EXECUTIVE PRODUCE TWO FILMS BASED ON “THE HOBBIT”

Los Angeles, CA (Tuesday, December 18, 2007)  Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson; Harry Sloan, Chairman and CEO, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc. (MGM); Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne, Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs of New Line Cinema have jointly announced today that they have entered into the following series of agreements:

*       MGM and New Line will co-finance and co-distribute two films, “The Hobbit” and a sequel to “The Hobbit.”  New Line will distribute in North America and MGM will distribute internationally.

*       Peter Jackson and Fran Walsh will serve as Executive Producers of two films based on “The Hobbit.”  New Line will manage the production of the films, which will be shot simultaneously.

*       Peter Jackson and New Line have settled all litigation relating to the “Lord of the Rings” (LOTR) Trilogy.
 
Said Peter Jackson, “I’m very pleased that we’ve been able to put our differences behind us, so that we may begin a new chapter with our old friends at New Line.  ‘The Lord of the Rings’ is a legacy we proudly share with Bob and Michael, and together, we share that legacy with millions of loyal fans all over the world.  We are delighted to continue our journey through Middle Earth.  I also want to thank Harry Sloan and our new friends at MGM for helping us find the common ground necessary to continue that journey.”
“Peter Jackson has proven himself as the filmmaker who can bring the extraordinary imagination of Tolkien to life and we full heartedly agree with the fans worldwide who know he should be making ‘The Hobbit,’” said Sloan, MGM’s Chairman and CEO.  “Now that we are all in agreement on ‘The Hobbit,’ we can focus on assembling the production team that will capture this phenomenal tale on film.”
Bob Shaye, New Line Co-Chairman and Co-CEO comments, “We are very pleased we have been able to resolve our differences, and that Peter and Fran will be actively and creatively involved with ‘The Hobbit’ movies.  We know they will bring the same passion, care and talent to these films that they so ably accomplished with ‘The Lord of the Rings’ Trilogy.”
“Peter is a visionary filmmaker, and he broke new ground with ‘The Lord of the Rings,’” notes Michael Lynne, New Line Co-Chairman and Co-CEO.  “We’re delighted he’s back for ‘The Hobbit’ films and that the Tolkien saga will continue with his imprint.   We greatly appreciate the efforts of Harry Sloan, who has been instrumental in helping us reach our new accord.”
The two “Hobbit” films – “The Hobbit” and its sequel – are scheduled to be shot simultaneously, with pre-production beginning as soon as possible.  Principal photography is tentatively set for a 2009 start, with the intention of “The Hobbit” release slated for 2010 and its sequel the following year, in 2011.
The Oscar-winning, critically-acclaimed LOTR Trilogy grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide at the box-office.  In 2003, “Return of the King” swept the Academy Awards, winning all of the eleven categories in which it was nominated, including Best Picture – the first ever Best Picture win for a fantasy film.  The Trilogy’s production was also unprecedented at the time.

For more information about “The Hobbit” films, please visit www.TheHobbitBlog.com.