Fanboys Anonymous

LGBTQ themes have been historically omitted in mainstream media, particularly within comics, though representation has been steadily increasing since the 1990s. However, several steadfast tropes have often left members of the marginalized community lacking proper portrayal.

Green Lantern, Earth 2

As Pride History Month fills June with rainbows and glitter from parades and LGBT-centric events, comic writers are at work writing stories that both universally inspires and entertains readers with the extra goal of reaching at least one that says, "This is me."

Sexuality and gender identity has had an upwards battle throughout the years, and it wasn't until 1989 were lesbian, gay, bisexual, or trans* characters even allowed in print. The comic book industry began in the 1930s, though between the early 1950s to the end of the '80s, mainstream American comic book publishers established rules against portraying LGBT characters, enforced by the Comics Code Authority. As a private company overlooking from within, it doesn't necessarily fringe on the First Amendment and publishers weren't required to follow the rules, though you wouldn't have seen a same-sex superhero kiss yet.

During the LGBT Voices In Comics panel at Orlando's MegaCon, panelists and audience members held a creative open discussion on how to write LGBT characters into storylines. With representation of queer characters almost invisible and LGBT people of color even further marginalized, a common undertone remains. Too often, gay and lesbian characters are featured as supporting figures in stories, with transgender and non-binary people having far less inclusivity.

You may have seen several not-so-subtle tropes throughout mainstream media—from the "gay best friend" that appears to only be useful for fashion advice, to sexualizing primarily lesbian couples—but other common themes feature dominant, gay, caucasian men with a submissive minority husband and using the death of an LGBT character to progress the story plot without the significant need for it.

LGBT Voices in Comics panelist, Tana Ford (Silk), interjected that queer characters are often used as fodder to the story, quickly being killed off as means of plot progression. "Stop killing us!" she said exasperated.

Sadly, it is a story arch that is painfully not far from reality and not isolated to media. Last year, 49 LGBT partygoers were fatally shot and 53 more were injured in a mass shooting at the popular Pulse Nightclub in Orlando. Following the shooting, a group of over 300 comic writers and artists came together in a unique comic anthology co-published by DC and IDW. Love is Love contains a heartfelt message while both honoring the victims, supporting the survivors, and celebrating the LGBTQ community. Over $165,000 in sales were donated to Equality Florida, a non-profit organization dedicated to the social justice and equality of the LGBT community in Florida, according to the Washington Post.

MegaCon Orlando paid tribute throughout the weekend, hosting a gallery space featuring art from the project and a Love is Love fundraising event in honor of the victims. The cocktail reception and book signing included comic talent Tom King, Scott Snyder, Phil Jimenez, and others.

While Ford actively breaks ground by focusing on tearing down barriers and the stigma of mental health, showing Cindy Moon in several therapy sessions, it also features two of Cindy's co-workers in a romantic relationship.

"I am a person that writes and draws authentic queer lesbian characters for fun and pleasure, and I also get to do representation inside the pages of Silk, and I think that there's value there," Ford said.

Possibly one of the most well-known queer characters, Batwoman drew widespread attention after the redheaded Kate Kane was outed in 2006 when it was revealed that she was the former lover of Gotham detective, Renee Montoya. Although the New52 erased many narratives and the wedding between Kane and her longterm girlfriend, Maggie Sawyer, was cancelled, the pair can be seen together in DC's Bombshells comic.

DC Comics continues to uphold its stance on representation with the inclusion of bisexual villains such as Poison Ivy and Harley Quinn, and Aqualad coming out as gay, though the far less representation of trans characters remain. A single issue of Batgirl changed the dynamic, featuring best friend Alysia Yeoh marrying her longtime girlfriend, Jo. Alysia came out as trans in 2013 and has remained a strong supporting character for Barbara Gordon.

Last year DC delivered another new narrative, delivering critical acclaim with Wonder Woman: Earth One. Aside from her BDSM undertones, much has been argued on the Amazon Princess' sexuality, and comic creator Greg Rucka confirmed that she is in fact bisexual. Inspired from the legalization of same-sex marriage, Australian writer, Jason Badower, presented Wonder Woman as an officiator of gay marriage in Sensation Comics #48. Her big-screen debut last week doesn't dive into her sexuality, but we can assume that DC's continuity of representation is not far from gone.

Although lacking in comparison, Marvel Comics doesn't stray from its diversity, most recently seen in the 2015 reboot of Fantastic Four. X-men has essentially been a metaphor for accepting who you are, regardless of how others view you, so with Iceman portrayed as gay and the lesser-known mutant, Karma, a lesbian, representation is everything.

As more queer characters are being written, Ford exclaims, "I am so excited about gay Iceman. For me, he's always going to be gay Iceman, and not just like, Bobby Drake just so happens to be gay. It is important to me that one of the foundational members of the X-Men comes out as gay."

Where representation in comics still has much room to grow, it seems as though DC is at the forefront of the LGBT movement off the page. In 2015, the MCU portrayed a queer character on Jessica Jones, a few years behind DCTV establishing Sara Lance as bisexual. Known as the Black Canary (Arrow) and later the White Canary (Legends of Tomorrow), she initially formed a romantic relationship with Nyssa al Ghul during the second season episode "Heir to the Demon" on Arrow. Legends of Tomorrow showrunners further explored her sexuality in "Night of the Hawk" and "River of Time."

As the longest-running LGBT character in DCTV, Sara is not alone. The Flash and Supergirl both feature gay and lesbian characters respectively, with Supergirl introducing detective Maggie Sawyer in Season 2.

LGBT narratives in comics, film, and television are extremely important, especially for queer youth who are at the most vulnerable stages and require a sense of validation. Stemming from comics, television, and film, cosplay has often been a way to immerse oneself in fandoms, allowing many to cross-play in a free and accepting community.

One transgender cosplayer at MegaCon that goes by Cinder Venus, has found solace within the cosplay community, though coming out was a tough experience.

"A year and a half ago I went to the Center, I was in boy-mode, and I was kind of researching and finding resources for me to come out, and I was basically insulted by saying I was 'not gay enough, I wasn't 'trans enough," she said.

According to Cinder, she was not recommended a counselor and was forced to go through nine different therapists, paying a high cost for lack of insurance and unknowingly going under conversion therapy for two months.

"I've always loved superheroes," she said. "I love the difference of heroes, especially when I saw female heroes such as Batgirl or Super Woman, I just admired them so much."

Starting as a photographer at conventions, she slowly began to gender-bend cosplay favorite anime characters such as the tomboyish character from Revolutionary Girl Utena. Becoming more comfortable with herself, she began to cosplay primarily female characters, crediting cosplay for being a huge support in her transition.

Tabletop gamers have had a number of ways to roll for initiative during a campaign, from straight rolling dice to using a dice tower, but there's now one new way to shake up your weekend Dungeons and Dragons campaign, and it doesn't include dice. Prepare to embark on an epic drinking adventure.

Orlando's MegaCon had a plethora of booths selling unique and geeky products throughout the weekend, but none was more intriguing than a pastel blue table lined with a collection of eye-catching drink-ware in varying sizes, towered by a monstrous jug called "The Growlin' D100" that was as intimidating as it was exciting.

From far away, it looked like yet another table selling etched glasses from every fandom until you were greeted by John "Hex" Carter, the brainchild behind Loaded Dice—a fun new way of playing tabletop games. With a giant grin and a rehearsed sales pitch, his voice was very telling of his excitement by his own product. This isn't your average goblet.

"Loaded Dice is a way to augment games, as a way to inject drinking into games," Hex stated. "For example, D&D, that's why it's styled around D&D, but we also joke that you can make any game a drinking game. Could you imagine Monopoly with a D6 drinking glass?"

Created by Hex and Mat Nicholson of Screech Dragon Studios, the concept is simultaneously genius and straightforward: each glass represents a different die from a D4 shot glass to a D20 pint glass and features markings on the back for each ounce, simulating a roll. Fill the glass up with your beverage of choice and start drinking. The more you gulp down in one shot, the higher your roll.

The glasses come in seven sizes, each representing a dice denomination at a reasonable price:

• Four-sided shot glass: $7
• Six-sided double shot glass: $9
• Eight-sized beer sampler: $10
• Ten-sided tumbler: $12
• Twelve-sized old fashioned: $12
• Twenty-sided pint glass: $15
• D100 mega jug: $30

At face value, these glasses do what any average 20-something does: create another drinking game. However, an alcoholic beverage is not required to enjoy this set, nor do they fully replace the usage of dice in a campaign. The intention is to compliment the game in a fun new way, and players are encouraged to find ways to incorporate that into the story.

"For those that already combine drinking and gaming, think of Loaded Dice as a tool to enhance that experience," Screech Dragon Studios said on their Kickstarter, suggesting that the possibilities of its usage are endless.

What Loaded Dice does immensely well is change the mechanics of rolling dice to be more skill-based instead of chance. Rolling a 20 doesn't require much effort, which is where this concept forces you to earn your roll. Take a sip and you can increase your attack by up to six damage with a D6 double-shot glass, but choose your potion wisely, for even the strongest adventurer may succumb to a twisted fate.

The company successfully funded their project through Kickstarter in 2016 with 266 backers pledging $20,191, doubling its $10,000 goal. Its popularity has since grown, completely selling out of the D12 glass halfway through MegaCon. "I didn't expect this much popularity!" Hex said with a humble smile.

The popularity of Stranger Things bringing back all the greatest staples of the 80's with their inclusion of Dungeons and Dragons, tabletop games have been making their way out of dark basements and into the light of Pop-culture. What was once a gathering of often bullied geeks and nerds, RPGs have more often been featured in television and film, changing the way society views them.

"I think there's this major table top renaissance that's going on and that's definitely putting more light on RPG gaming such as Dungeons and Dragons itself, and it's really exciting," Hex said. "It's becoming cooler and there's less of a stigma tethered to it as it used to be."

Hex is also hard at work preparing for his summer launch of another new game, ROBiTS, in partnership with Quick Simple Fun Games. The quick drafting card game lets you build a robot in bits and pieces, hence "Ro-bits," by drafting arms, legs, body, head, and so on.

Sarah Michelle Gellar, Taylor Gray, Ashley Eckstein, and Dave Filoni held a press conference at New York Comic Con 2015 to shed some light on season 2 of Star Wars Rebels, the Seventh Sister, the future of the franchise, and more.

Video shot by Mike Paden & Frank Ward.
Edited by Mike Paden.

When I set out to find my next favorite musician, there are three places I look: Spotify, the opening acts for my favorite bands, and recommendations from friends. Earlier this year, I had the pleasure of seeing a social media post about an indie musician out of Boston. Always up for hearing new talent, and yes, I am partial to the male voice, I began listening to and fell quickly in love with Troy's voice. His upcoming EP When The Lights Came has a raw sound of inspirational emotion. From the pop sound of the title track "When the Lights Came" to the slower piano arrangement of "The Lucky Ones," there's a wide arrangement on the EP. "Song Man" has to be my absolute favorite; it begins with a slow beat, but before you know it, it quickly moves into a catchy trance that has you not only singing along but also trying to decipher the meaning of the lyrics.

Troy was kind enough to answer a few questions for Fanboys Anonymous and give me a sneak peek of his EP, which I know you guys will absolutely love!

FA: Your newest single, "Coward," is written in conjunction with Restless Waters by Jessica Park. Can you tell me how that process worked?

Troy: Yes! Very exciting to be a part of Jessica's new book. She is a brilliant author and a wonderful person to work with. Jess and I had been talking for a couple of years about working on a project together, and when she decided to write Restless Waters she knew that it was the right project. The process for writing "Coward" was really great in many ways. It challenged me in a way that no other song that I've written has. All my songs are very personal and pulled out of life experiences. So attempting to write a song about a fictional character was a bit frightening. But Jess really gave me a great understanding of who Sabin was and what he was dealing with. It turned out that I felt a strong connection to his character, and that gave me a good idea as to how the song should go. Working with Jess was a pleasure; she really gave me complete freedom to dive in and attempt to portray Sabin through this song. So with her guidance I tried to vaguely encompass all of the things he is dealing with in the book so people that know the character could relate to it and it would be authentic to him, but also so that people that aren't familiar might be able to connect as well.

FA: It looks like you have an EP coming out soon. Can you tell me more about when to expect it? From what I've heard it's been "coming" since early this year, yet I only see a single from it. Unless it is out and can't find it?

Troy: You're right, my EP When The Lights Came has been on standby for quite a while now. I've really been waiting for the right time to release it. It looks like that time might be very soon! I released the single "Rosary" last summer along with a gorgeous music video, and it has been doing quite well, but I really wanted to release the EP in a unique way. The collaboration of "Coward" with Jessica led to her using many of my songs on the EP in the book as well, so as it turns out, I'm happy that we waited to release it. It feels a bit more special now that it will begin its life within the book.

FA: What types of music should we expect from the EP? Is it similar to your other singles or a new sound?

Troy: My goal for the EP and all of my music has been to maintain simplicity but still achieve a big and impactful sound. So the EP is definitely in line with "Coward" and "Rosary." I've been working with Dante Lattanzi of Caelum Music Production on all of the tunes, and he has completely captured everything I was looking for. The songs are very personal and emotional, so I wanted to allow them to convey that with little distraction.

FA: Do you feel any special connection to any of your songs, more so than the others? I know this is like picking a favorite child, you can hate me. Ha, ha.

Troy: I do feel a special connection to all of my songs actually, I don't know if I could pick a favorite. If I had to I might say "Rosary" and "Restless Lady" are my two favorites because they came out of very painful memories of losing my father. "Rosary" was inspired by a conversation that I never got to finish with my dad, and "Restless Lady" is kind of a tribute to my mom for being so strong after my dad passed away. I also feel a special connection to "Restless Lady" because I named the song after a song that he wrote many years ago. I opened his old Gibson Acoustic guitar case and I found a musty handwritten lyric sheet of his song "Restless Lady," and about 30 minutes later I had completed the song. I've never written a song that fast before or after, so this one is a special one for sure.

FA: Do you prefer working in a band or as a solo act? Do you like having more creative control over the work without the risk of disagreement from band members?

Troy: There are definitely pros and cons to both. At the moment, I am loving what I am doing as a solo act. I do enjoy the freedom to do whatever I think is right and to explore whatever type of direction a song leads. That being said I think it is really important for me to have other opinions, so I have other people that I respect and trust that I'll share ideas with and make sure I'm not crazy most of the time. Having Dante as a partner also makes life easy for me as a solo act. As an incredible multi-instrumentalist, he can really bring anything to life and makes it easy to explore so many different avenues.

FA: Where did your interest in music begin? Were there any people in your life who encouraged and helped your creative talents along the way?

Troy: My father was a musician. He met my mom while he was playing gigs. Music was always in my house growing up, so I loved music at a young age. Although I didn't start pursuing it until I was in college, I always loved to sing. My family has encouraged me ever since I began to write songs; it feels great knowing that they love what I'm doing. Every musician that I've played with over the years has also helped me in some way. I like to learn from everyone, and just having the fortune to know and have played with some incredible people has really helped me grow as a musician.

FA: For people out there who haven't yet had the pleasure of listening to your music, how would you classify your sound?

Troy: This is a tough one. And I should probably have this answer ready because people ask me all the time, but I've had a hard time putting my own label on it. I guess I can just quote from a blog called Jamsphere that summed it up pretty good in my opinion: "It's like Eddie Vedder meets Otis Redding over at Daryl Hall's house on a Sunday afternoon."

FA: Are there any comparisons out there that you absolutely hate? Or for that matter love?

Troy: I don't think I've ever been put off by a comparison. I guess I look at any comparison as a compliment. I do love when I hear an Amos Lee or Kings of Leon comparison though. Two of my all-time favorites.

FA: What (or Who) are you a fanboy of?

Troy: I was/am obsessed with the movie Avatar! I thought it was the most incredibly moving piece of art I've ever seen. I've gotten a lot of shit from my friends for this, but I don't care. I saw it in the theater about 10 times and probably watched it at home about 20 times more. I still feel moved every single time.

FA: Light saber or magic wand?

Troy: Well when I was a young boy I was a very amateur magician, so I'd have to say magic wand.

FA: Favorite book?

Troy: Restless Waters by Jessica Park

FA: Favorite band?

Troy: Kings of Leon

FA: Favorite TV show?

Troy: Friends

Listen to "Coward" below and let me know your thoughts in a comment!

Newcomers on the indie music scene, Betsy, have an eclectic sound that reminds me of the early '90s era. From the slow ballad of "It Breaks My Heart" to the 311 type arrangements of "Rocky Road," the band has definitely shown its vast talent in its debut four-track EP.

In a music industry that constantly changes, a new band needs to show something spectacular in order to stand out. Betsy has done all this and more. Members of this band include Joe Rattanavong, Spencer Armada, Billiejoe Jones, Zack Field. In an exclusive interview with lead singer and guitar player Joe Rattanavong, I learned about the inspiration behind the music and how this band came together.

Fanboys Anonymous: First off, tell me about the members of your band.

Joe: I guess I'll start with our bass player, Spencer Armada. He's a big nerd with a sweet heart,
a grad student, and killer bass player. He's been with Betsy since the beginning. One of my best friends, Billie Jo Jones, is our guitar player. I like to think of him as a man of steel who plays guitar exceptionally well! No, but things changed a lot once he joined the band. Our sound became much fuller. There was a point when we first started the band where I was trying to do a lot of rhythm and lead stuff on my own. I got the job done, but it was just a much different sound. It was a little too raw for our liking. Zack Field is our drummer. He's been the most recent addition to the band; perhaps the most important. Not just because he's an amazing drummer but because we were stranded without one for a small while. He was a blessing. These guys are all amazing, and I'm super stoked to be playing with them.

FA: Your debut self-titled EP, Betsy, just released this month. What's your favorite song off the album and why?

Joe: I don't really have a favorite. I guess if I had to choose, it would be "Rocky Road," just because it's come such a long way from when I wrote it. Also, I feel like we all contributed something crucial to the song. Everyone wrote great parts. The drum and bass at the beginning really start the groove, and once Billie and I come in, it really comes full circle. There's also a trumpet section that Spencer and I wrote. It really added a lot of color to the song.

FA: What influences your music?

Joe: I guess the obvious answer is other people's music. I try and see a show at least once a month and really hone in the experience. You can always walk away being inspired after a great performance. Also, living in San Francisco has been a huge influence in my writing. Traveling and seeing people is always a great way for me to write music. Even traveling a short distance. I take the train every day and can write for an hour in my notebook just by sitting and thinking.

FA: Do you find that the San Francisco area responds well to indie artists? Are there any local venues or festivals you hope to play in?

Joe: Well, San Francisco is a really accepting town so, yes. However, the music scene here is sort of dragging right now. Bands and musicians are starting to relocate to other parts of the bay or California. Venues are shutting down. A lot of bands are moving to Oakland because it's just cheaper. San Francisco is so expensive, musicians can't afford to live here. I've noticed bigger names are moving to L.A. I don't know. I think most people just want new scenery. Yeah, now that this EP is out, we're going to start playing everywhere in town. We're a fresh band, so we'll have to start from the bottom. We're ready and excited.

FA: Tell me about the recording and mixing process.

Joe: We recorded at Hyde street studios here in San Francisco. It's a legendary studio. A lot of great bands have recorded here—Janis Joplin; Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young; Green day recorded Insomniac there! Sun Kill Moon did Benji there! So, we felt really fortunate to be able to work in such a nice studio. We recorded all the tracks in one day with the help of our good friend and engineer Dan Shalev, who also produced and mixed the record at his house. It took us about 2 months, but that's because Dan's work is so tedious. We really took our time on it though, listening to different versions of the song every day until we knew which one was right. He did such a great job on this project. Without him, these songs wouldn't sound as good as they do.

FA: In your opinion, what sets you apart from other artists? What makes your music unique?

Joe: I don't know. I try not to think about that. Once I start thinking about it, I start questioning myself and my music. I've had this problem in the past. so I just do what I do. Luckily, the band is able to come up with good ideas that keep things interesting.

FA: What's your band's story? How did you come together and decide "Hey, let's start a band?"

Joe: It kind of just happened. I lived in a house full of musicians. My old roommate/best friend Nate White, who I played music with in Tennessee, started playing drums a lot, so I would find myself playing guitar with him all the time. Spencer is a close friend of ours, and he would come over and jam. I guess one thing led to another, and we started Betsy. Nate eventually started playing in a band called The Persons but was a big part of Betsy in the beginning.

FA: What's next for this year? Anything special?

Joe: Just playing shows and finishing our full length. We'll probably do a small tour soon but mainly just continue to write and play out.

FA: My favorite bands include Lydia and Copeland, which have been around for at least a decade. In ten years, do you hope to be together still or expanding into other projects to keep things fresh?

Joe: Keeping a band together for ten years would be a dream come true. I'll definitely be doing other projects though. Starting new things are always fun.

FA: My favorite song (that I've heard so far) is "Summer's Over," which seems to fit well with the fact that summer is ending. Can you tell me about how that song came about?

Joe: I actually wrote it at the end of last summer just noodling around on guitar in my room. I just had words flowing through my head, but the words are quite literal in reference to what I was doing at the moment, ha, I was just drinking by myself and thinking about everything. We had partied a lot that summer. It was ending. My friends were in the next room being loud and annoying. I don't know. It's a cheesy, simple song that I didn't think we would actually use, but it's a lot of fun.

FA: Lightsaber or a magic wand?

Joe: Ha, light saber. No question.

FA: DC or Marvel?

Joe: DC wins.

FA: Favorite movie?

Joe: I'm a huge fan of Quentin Tarantino. I love all the Kill Bills. I can't wait for the next one.

FA: Favorite TV show?

Joe: I'm watching Alpha House right now with John Goodman. I like a lot of older stuff though. Seinfeld is a go-to classic.

If you are a fan of musicians such as Green Day, 311, or Sublime, check out the songs below and leave a comment and let me know what you think.

Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation! Check out Episode 76 of The Dace Man Show with hosts Dace, Gibby, Nicholas Andrew, and Tricia Bell, and special guest Miss Abigail Rich.

::SPORTS NEWS::

• NHL things
• NFL week 13 is in the books!
• Plus more

::WEIRD NEWS WITH GIBBY::

• Short but fun…like a gherkin.

::FRANK'S CORNER::

• Frank's gone again, and Fun bags is back in charge.

::CELEB NEWS::

• YouTube Crashes
• Flash/Arrow Crossover
• Plus more…

::Who Said It::


Plus Gibby Sings and The Douchebag of The Week! All that and more, only on The Dace Man Show.



As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a comfy seat in front of your computer—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!





Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | Nerd Court | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime

Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation! Check out Episode 74 of The Dace Man Show with hosts Dace, Gibby, and Tricia Bell, and special guest Xander Demos!

::SPORTS NEWS::

• NHL stuff
• NFL week 11 is in the books!
• Plus more

::WEIRD NEWS WITH GIBBY::

• Short but fun...like a gherkin.

::FRANK'S CORNER::

• Still no sign of Frank. But hey, we got a theme.

::CELEB NEWS::

• Bill Cosby in hot water.
• The wedding of Charles Manson. He got married and you're not...tsk, tsk.
• Plus more…

::Who Said It::


Plus Gibby Sings and The Douchebag of The Week! All that and more, only on The Dace Man Show.



As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a comfy seat in front of your computer—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!


Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | Nerd Court | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime

Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation! Check out Episode 73 of The Dace Man Show with hosts Dace, Gibby, and Tricia Bell, and special guest Hicks!

::SPORTS NEWS::

• NHL stuff
• NFL week 10 is in the books!
• Daniel Tosh rips into ESPN.
• Blake Griffin bitch slaps a dude. 
• Plus more…

::WEIRD NEWS WITH GIBBY::

• He's back and stronger than ever.

::FRANK'S CORNER::

• He disappeared the night we debuted his new theme.

::CELEB NEWS::

• Hocus Pocus sequel
• Who the hell is Chelsea Handler?
• Plus more…

::Who Said It::



Plus Gibby Sings and The Douchebag of The Week! All that and more, only on The Dace Man Show.



As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a comfy seat in front of your computer—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!


Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | Nerd Court | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime

Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation! Check out Episode 72 of The Dace Man Show with hosts Dace, Gibby, Frank Ward, Tricia Bell, and special guest Jiggley Jones!

::SPORTS NEWS::

• San Francisco took the World Series.
• NHL is a thing right?
• NFL week 9 is in the books!
• Plus more…

::WEIRD NEWS WITH GIBBY::

• "He's got the 'bola."

::FRANK'S CORNER::

• We pissed him off.

::CELEB NEWS::

• Ex-NFL cheerleader accused of rape
• Artie Lang in hot water
• Plus more…

::Fantasy Celeb. Warfare::


Plus Gibby Sings! All that and more, only on The Dace Man Show.



As always, check back regularly to see what Chris "The Dace Man" Dace is looking at (and no, not just porn), as well as all of the other bloggers here at Fanboys Anonymous. Remember, keyboard warriors: leave your feedback! Until the next time, for the few, the proud, and, of course, the Dacetacular, grab a beer—and in this case a TV remote—and check out what's going on here in the Dace-Sphere. See ya next time!


Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | Nerd Court | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime

Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation! Check out Episode 64 of The Dace Man Show with hosts Dace, Gibby, and Frank Ward. This week they are joined by very special guests from the game Semag Studio.

::SPORTS NEWS::

• Current MLB standings
• NFL week 1 is in the books!

::WEIRD NEWS WITH GIBBY:: 

• Weird stuff going down.

::FRANK'S CORNER::

• What do rock stars request before shows?

::CELEB NEWS::

• Celeb birthdays from August 21st to August 27th
• The Stache' is back on Jeopardy!
• Celeb Death :(
• And much, much more!

All that and more, only on The Dace Man Show.





Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | Nerd Court | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime

Jason David Frank (Credit: Wizard World)

Over the years, and dozens of Power Rangers later, Tommy has appeared in more episodes than any other character. Frank's professional career doesn't end with the Power Rangers. He is a highly accomplished martial artist and owner of Rising Sun Karate and MMA. He also has his own line of Christian-based MMA clothing and fighting gear. I recently interviewed Frank, who will be a special guest at this month's Wizard World Nashville Comic Con, and found out more about his upcoming projects.

FA: What do you love most about attending conventions?

Frank: There is nothing I love more than getting to meet all of my fans. I have a motto that I go by and that's "no fan left behind" and I want to meet as many of my fans as I can. I get the most satisfaction from seeing how my fans turn into kids again when they see me. Some bring their children or little brothers and sisters to meet me too which is just great to me because I get to see how I have a new generation of fans that are inspired by me and the character I portrayed.

FA: What can you tell us about the new Power Rangers movie?

Frank: There's not much to say at the moment. There are so many things that need to be planned first before the movie is even shot. All I know is that there is a huge fan base that want to see myself and the originals in the movie. I'm just as excited as everyone else is to see what Saban and Lionsgate come up with.

Frank as the Green Ranger (Credit: Wizard World)

FA: Throughout the years, which color ranger has been your favorite to play?

Frank: The Green Ranger has a special place in my heart because he was the first ranger I played. He has become an icon for the Power Rangers. He's like the Wolverine of the X-Men; however, the White ranger is coming in close second.

FA: I've spoken to a few people that have taken some of your martial arts classes in Tennessee. Is that something you offer often, and how would a fan find out about these classes?

Frank: At Wizard World, I always do a martial arts class where I teach everyone some basic moves. Martial arts is so important to my life that I want to reach out and teach all the people I can. I'm actually in the process of launching a new online training program trainmejdf.com where I will be able to teach anyone through the internet. It will be a great supplemental program to help current martial artist or who are just starting to learn reach martial arts excellence.

FA: Besides Power Rangers, Are you a Fanboy of anything? (Pop culture or not)

Frank: With going to all these conventions, I am learning more and more about pop culture. Although I'm not really a Fanboy of anything at the moment, when I was young I used to collect comic books, especially Marvel comic books. I sold my collection of comic books to buy my first martial arts school at 18.

FA: Lightsaber or Magic Wand?

Frank: Definitely a lightsaber. I love training with those things.

FA: You will be attending the Nashville Comic Con later this month. Anything you love about the city or must-sees in Nashville?

Frank: Nashville is so full of life. Last year, I remember walking down the streets and there were so many people, lights, and music playing. It just seems like a very exciting place to be in.

FA: What other projects do you have going on right now?

Frank: Right now, I'm working on a web series project with Bat in the Sun called Taz Kayden Operation Black Unicorn, which is a black ops web series that will be released this winter. I also just finished the second season of my reality show, My Morphin' Life. You can see the first season on powerrangers.com 

Jason David Frank (Credit: Wizard World)

FA: What would you say has influenced your career the most?

Frank: Martial arts has been such a great influence in my life and my career. Martial arts brought me to the role of Tommy Oliver and it has shaped how I live my life. Martial arts presses on living in positive way and I put out positive vibes into the universe so that great things happen. I have so many people that look up to me as their hero so I want to make sure I keep the values they can be inspired by.

The Wizard World Nashville Comic Con will take place on September 26-28th. Don't forget to buy your tickets HERE before they sell out. If you aren't in the Nashville area, visit the Wizard World website to find a convention near you. What is your most memorable Power Ranger moment? Please leave us a comment and tell us your thoughts.

Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation! Check out Episode 63 of The Dace Man Show with hosts Dace, Gibby, and Frank Ward.

::SPORTS NEWS::

• Current MLB standings
• NFL preseason week 4 is in the books!
• Plus more

::WEIRD NEWS WITH GIBBY:: 

• What's weird this week?

::FRANK'S CORNER::

• Can you tell me how to get, how to get to Frank's Street?

::CELEB NEWS::

• Celeb birthdays from August 28th to September 3rd!
• #TheFappening
• Joan Rivers' health status
• And much, much more!

Plus Fantasy Celeb. Warfare, The DoucheBag Of the Week is back, and Gibby Sings! All that and more, only on The Dace Man Show.





Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | Nerd Court | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime

Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation! Check out Episode 62 of The Dace Man Show with hosts Dace, Gibby, and Frank Ward. This week they are joined by very special guests from the game Galactose: Pastries in Space!

::SPORTS NEWS::

• Current MLB standings
• NFL preseason week 1 is in the books!
• Plus more

::WEIRD NEWS WITH GIBBY:: 

• What's weird around the world?
  

::FRANK'S CORNER::

• Two-pher

::CELEB NEWS::

• Celeb birthdays from August 21st to August 27th
• Emmy results
• Full House revival?
• And much, much more!

Plus Fantasy Celeb. Warfare and Gibby Sings! All that and more, only on The Dace Man Show.




Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | Nerd Court | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime

Hey, hey, hey, Dacetacular nation! Check out Episode 60 of The Dace Man Show with hosts Dace, Gibby, and Frank Ward. This week they are joined by very special guest Britt Briscoe from the game Default Dan!

Join the Dace Man and crew this week as they break down the following:

::SPORTS NEWS::

• Current MLB standings
• NFL Pre-season Week 1 is in the books!
• Plus More

::WEIRD NEWS WITH GIBBY:: 

• What's weird around the world?
  

::FRANK'S CORNER::

• Name! This! Race!

::CELEB NEWS::

• Celeb birthdays from August 7th to August 13th
• Robin Williams Passed Away form suicide. 
• Jason Momoa is AquaMan
• Norman Reedus to star in the upcoming Silent Hill Game

Plus two songs up on Gibby Sings! All that and more, only on The Dace Man Show.




Follow on Facebook: Mega Powers Radio | Fanboys Anonymous | The Dace Man Show | Nerd Court | Sports Talk Weekly | Addicted to Anime

Last year, I set out in search of inspiration. I needed something, anything to help me overcome this huge case of writer's block. I was sick of listening to music that felt, for lack of a better word, industrialized. Everything on my playlist sounded the same—all engineered in the same pretty package.

Left to Right: Keller, Antelman, Camacho. (Credit: Dirk Mai)

After a random search online, I came across "Back to Bed," a song off of Lydia's latest album entitled Devil. It was love at first note; each song has its own style with soulful lyrics and influential music. It's safe to say that my writer's block became non-existent after that album.

Indie rock band Lydia consists of members Leighton Antelman, Matt Keller, and Justin Camacho. Though the members have been shaken up a bit over the years, the band has actually been around since 2003. Each one of their releases is uniquely diverse. Which I love because it shows that the group can explore their creativity without complying to certain molds. I recently had the pleasure of interviewing their front man, Antelman, with some pretty off-the-wall Fangirl questions as well as finding out what the band has planned for the upcoming year.

Fanboys Anonymous: You're going to be on tour in the UK later this year. Excited? In the movie, The World's End, the characters go on this pub crawl called "The Golden Mile." Any plans on creating your own golden mile while visiting?

Antelman: Sure, I'd love to. I've never seen that movie but how can you go wrong with a pub crawl?

FA: Would you rather have a wand or light saber?

Antelman: Never was much of a Star Wars fan and haven't seen any of the Harry Potter movies. I guess I'm a horrible person.
(No, not horrible, but the Trekkies may be looking to recruit you now.)

FA: It's been over a year since Devil came out, and I heard you were working on a new album. What can fans expect? Anything different—a new sound perhaps?

Antelman: Si, we are in fact writing a new album at the moment. To be honest, I'm not sure what to expect. Turns out better that way. You shouldn't go in trying to write a certain sound or song.

FA: Do you consider yourself a Fanboy of anything?

Antelman: I'm a pretty big fan of Black Jack + Whiskey.

FA: What is the most interesting thing you have learned while touring other countries?

Antelman: Australians are nuts! In a good way.

FA: Do you have any other projects outside of Lydia right now?

Antelman: I am releasing my second album with the project I sing on called The Cinema this summer. We have been working on it for almost 2 years now off-and-on, and I'm really excited to finally get it out.

FA: What is your favorite TV show of all time?

Antelman: I think it's got to either be Breaking Bad or It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia.

FA: Do you play any video games? If so, what are you playing right now?

Antelman: I've just recently got into playing online with a a friend of mine on the other side of the US. You can go through levels and blow shit up with someone 3,000 miles away, it's remarkable. I've never been much of a gamer but it's quite fun. We been playing Army of Two as of late.

FA: If you could sum up your entire music career with just one song, what song would you pick?

Antelman: I'm not sure if you mean a song of my own or just a song in general…but let's go with in general. I'd say off the top my head "Tiny Dancer" by Elton John.

FA: On a perfect day, you would like to be found…

Antelman: Being happy somewhere. The method doesn't matter.

I was super excited to get to ask him my questions, and I can't wait until their new album! I hope you all will check out Lydia's music, and if you are in the United Kingdom be sure to check out a show. Be looking out for my next interview with a cast member Studio C. Please take a moment to share your thoughts with Fanboys Anonymous in the comments section.What do you think of their music?

Anyone who has ever picked up a pencil and set of dice and rolled a character for a tabletop role-playing game knows how hard it is to create a player character that will survive the upcoming quest. It's even rarer for those characters to transcend the genre and pop up in other forms across a variety of platforms. Jim Zubkavich, the writer behind titles as Samurai Jack, Figment, the upcoming Wayward series, and too many Pathfinder issues to count, has been given the opportunity to put his own spin on a couple of characters near and dear to our hearts.

Minsc and Boo. Holy crap.

Zubkavich has been tapped to write an upcoming comic book miniseries for Wizards of the Coast that's set to tie in with the Forgotten Realms Neverwinter comic. It's set in Baldur's Gate and features the beloved Minsc and Boo.

I know. Just breathe with me.

I had an opportunity to ask Zubkavich a couple of questions about the upcoming project. While he couldn't give me any spoilers (really though, would you want them? I don't.), he was able to speak about the process and his excitement about being able to work on such an amazing project.

October Young: You're an avid D&D player, having played for many years. Tell me what went through your mind when you found out that you would be writing the Baldur's Gate miniseries, complete with Minsc and Boo.

Jim Zubkavich: The idea of using Minsc and Boo came up during a larger conference call about the comic, and I think Mike Mearls or Greg Bilsland might have suggested it first, but it really energized the whole conversation. Based on everything I've seen so far, D&D Fifth Edition is balancing the past and the present to be a streamlined modern game that doesn't lose its crucial and beloved legacy. Bringing back fan favorite characters like Minsc and Boo works well with that mission. That said, it was exciting and intimidating to realize I was being entrusted with Baldur's Gate, a vision of D&D that millions of people have played over the years.

Cover Art for Baldur's Gate

OY: There have been many examples of the kind of impact Minsc and Boo have had on the role-playing community, whether it be tabletop, in story form, or in other video games. Have you personally come across any homages to the duo, and what are they? Or just comment on their popularity, because I like them and want to know.

JZ: Before I start any new project, I always dig in and do research, even when I know the subject matter. I want to familiarize myself and get to the core of what makes the whole thing tick, so I can be sure I'm building on the proper foundation that's been set up. Researching Misc and Boo was a bit of a shock. These secondary characters from a 16-year-old video game are still near and dear to the hearts of so many people. Fan art, fan fiction, fan sites, lists of quotes, and articles about the impact they made on players. It kind of blew me away, actually. It really shows the quality that Bioware put into that game series.

OY: One could assume that anyone reading your work would have some familiarity with the genre; you wrote many issues of Pathfinder, also based on an RPG. Is there any concern for first-time readers? How will they find the storyline if they have no experience with the Forgotten Realms?

JZ: That's a totally valid concern, and something I wanted to make sure was clear right from the get-go when we got this started. Having Minsc and Boo in this story is a real treat for fans of Baldur's Gate, but I wanted to make sure our overall comic story was new reader-friendly. Minsc's courageous confusion works well without much backstory explanation, and the new threats he and his friends face are laid out clearly for readers. It's a sword and sorcery story that both longtime fans and new players alike can pick up and enjoy without any prior knowledge of Baldur's Gate, the Forgotten Realms, or even D&D.

OY: Will the Baldur's Gate miniseries rely on established characters and situations from the video game, or have you decided on a new direction that will match up with the next Neverwinter installment to be released in August?

Sketch of Baldur's Gate.

JZ: Our story takes place after the "Murder in Baldur's Gate" community adventure released last year, and in the midst of the "Tyranny of Dragons" events that coincide with the launch of D&D Fifth Edition. But, again, you don't need prior knowledge to dig in to this comic story. Over 100 years have passed since the events of the Baldur's Gate video game, so Minsc is going to be even more confused than usual, but there will be some fun nods to his past adventures. All of it is "in play" in some form or another.

OY: Realizing that she is part of the Neverwinter storyline, any chance we will see TIAMAT anywhere in the series? Please say yes, even if it's only a flick of her tail.

JZ: She keeps showing up in all that game promo art, doesn't she? I can't really say more than that at this early stage, sorry.

OY: Can you give us a hint as to who else might show up during the series?

JZ: There will be a couple long-lived familiar faces from the Baldur's Gate game series, and some of their progeny as well. Character creation is such a crucial part of D&D, and I didn't want to miss out on introducing some new characters that I hope readers will grow attached to as the story progresses. Getting a chance to be a part of Dungeons & Dragon's 40th anniversary and the rollout of a new edition is an absolute honor. I hope readers jump on board the story that artist Max Dunbar and I are putting together.

With the possibility of a Tiamat sighting and the inclusion of two of the most beloved characters ever to come out of a tabletop RPG, I cannot wait for this to be released.

What do you think? Will you pick this book up once it's out?