Nerd Girl MagazineThe magazine for geeky women Issue 2: Creativity

OZ COMICON BRISBANE

TOSCHE STATION PERTH

COSPLAY COLLECTIVE BRISBANE

NAOMI GROSSMAN &TERRY FARRELLInterviewed bySally Clair Evans

FASHION

ART

POETRY

RECIPES

REVIEWS:

Games

Books

Music

Mighty Boushh

Trudie Murrell& LOTS of Cosplay!

BETTIE BUTCHERAlt Model with a difference

Major Sam CosplayQld's International Cosplay Queen

ContributorsEditor

Liz Redboots

Contact Nerd Girl Magazine www.nerdgirlmagazine.com.au

nerdgirlmag@gmail.com facebook.com/nerdgirlmagazine

instagram.com/nerdgirlmag twitter.com/nerdgirlmag

From the Editor

Issue 2: Creativity is finally here!

Without the support and contributionsof some amazing people, I wouldn't have beenable to put together such an interesting andexciting array of articles, reviews, and editorials.

We've got coverage of Oz Comicon's BrisbaneExpo from a number of great photographers,as well as features on the Tosche StationCollector Fair in Perth, and the CosplayCollective markets in Brisbane. There are moreamazing Cosplayers, including AustralianChampion of Cosplay, Major Sam. Add a fewfashion spreads, some reviews on books, e-

comics, games, and music, a few recipes, andlots more excitement!

My goal for Issue 1 was just to get started. Imade some mistakes, learnt a lot, and metsome amazing people. With Issue 2, my goalhas been to attract more writers, artists andreviewers, and I'm pretty pleased with theresults! Getting to know some of the amazinggeeky women in my home town of Brisbanehas been a highlight of Issue 2. Some amazingthings are happening in Australia, and I'veheard more stories than I could fit into thisIssue, so I've got more than a few filed away forIssue 3!

FEEDBACK IS WELCOME! And please forgiveme if I made a mistake on your submission. I'llgive the mag a week before I launch on Blurb,

so please get back to me ASAP with any errorsyou spot in the digital version, and I'll update itbefore it goes to print! Hooray for the internet!

Writers: Sally Clair Evans, Jus'traana, Miss Mayhem, Harley Quinn, Miss Harlem Tale, Matthew Stoff, Trudie Murrell, Kayla Ezell, Ultra Girls Cosplay

Cover Photo:James Niland

Layouts: Ivy Dynamite & Liz Redboots

Photographers:Cosplay Australia, Greg Flynn, Red Boots Photographic, B-Rock Industries, Lorenzo So,Julia Thomas Photography,Offbeat Imagery,Tenacious Photography,Midas Photography,Put A Smile In It,Jaci D Photography,RHD Photography,Moments by Sacha,Imperial Scum Photography,Cassas Cosplay Photos,It's Her Man Photography, JasonMatz Photograpy, Boogie BopDames.

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Feed an ArtistI have a lot of crazy, impractical ideas and goals for this mag. One

of these is to make the magazine ad free. Another of these is topay people for their hard work. And yet another is to have themagazine available to everyone, regardless of budget, on the

internet, with print options being available if you want to buy themagazine in print.

So with Issue 2 I’m trialing a new approach.

I’m removing ads after this issue, and adding a Paypal button to the website instead. The magazine will be available at cost price for you to purchase in print on Blurb, but the PDF version will be

free to download, available for anyone to grab from our Facebook page.

If you like a particular artist, writer, photographer or model’s work,and it resonates with you, you can ‘Feed the Artist’ through our

paypal button. If you like how the magazine is going, you can alsodonate to me, the editor that through the same button.

At the end of every month, I’ll make the Paypal statement publicon Facebook as a note, and send the content providers any

money you have donated to them, less any paypal fees.

Artists don't have to starve, feed one today!www.nerdgirlmagazine.com.au

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How did your costume of CharlotteLabouff come about?There were so many different Disneycharacters, and all the main ones weretaken, so I thought... what aboutsomething fun, like Charlotte Laboufffrom The Princess and the Frog? Ithought putting that character inapocalyptic environment would beinteresting.

So, how long have you beencosplaying?

I have been cosplaying since I ws about9 years old, my first was a Lucky Starcosplay, like a lot of young cosplayers!I have also done a Misa fromDeathnote, and Chi from Chobits.

COSPLAY

"For thisshoot

I choseto beAnna...who

doesn’tlike a

decapitatedHanz?"

During a zombie apocalypse one might expect tofeel fear, paranoia, maybe a cardiac arrest butwould associate the impending doom of mankindwith Disney? I know I normally wouldn’t, but I wasproven wrong when I had the pleasure of going

behind the scenes at a Disney Apocalypse themedphoto shoot at a park in Springwood, Qld.

Hosted by Ana Swan, an array of Disney characterssprang from the lovable stories into real life... readyto battle zombies! While I was behind the scenes, Ilearnt a lot about how these shoots come together.With a full team of around 20 cosplayers and 8photographers, some Disney magic with adifference came alive in the park.

The rough and rugged terrain of the Springwood

Conservation Park made a great backgroundfor the apocalypse.

I wanted to chat to a few of the cosplayers abouttheir characters, so I grabbed a few people withcreative cosplays and asked them some questions.

SHARNEY , MIN I AL ICECOSPLAY , CHARLOTTELABOUFF

TARA FROM CAT WOMANCOSPLAY , ESMERELDA

KATT FROM KATIKIST ASTHE QUEEN OF HEARTS

Where is your trusty side kick, Djalithe goat?He would die in an apocalypse so itwas better not to bring him.

How did you find out about cosplayand how long have you beenpursuing it?I have been doing cosplay since thestart of this year, I found out abouttoday from the Brisbane cosplayersfacebook page and just went fromthere!

BY MISS HARLEM TALE

If this really was a Disney Apocalypsewould you stick with the Queen ofHearts?For now I think yes, her short temperwould benefit her in this situation aginstcrazy people and zombies. I think shewould be pretty badass in a apocalypse!

For weapon I would still have my axeand gun but add more knives.

DISNEYAPOCALYPSE

B Ro

ck P

hoto

grap

hy

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Do you feel this will be continuing idea,

and what will be looking for in thefuture?

Yes definitely, I think what we are goingto do is keep trying t come up withdifferent theme ideas, but still revolve itall around Disney. We'll be trying toplan a shoot around once a month oronce every 2 months.

How did you get into cosplay?I was about 16 years old when I got intocosplay, I watched a girl on Youtubecalled Tracie Hines, who has become abig hit in the United States and Iwanted to do that. I Googled her andhad a look at what she does, kepthearing the word cosplay, looked it up,

and got hooked from there. I love todress up, and it seems more sociallyacceptable for an adult to do this!

When choosing a character to cosplay,do you connect with it emotionally?I have a lot of Disney charaters that Ijust love, so I will always choose theones that I find that most appealing orthat I connect with. For the hipsterDisney photoshoot, I cosplayed PrincessAurora; she's my all time favouriteprincess, and I grew up thinking Ilooked like her, so I wanted to beAurora.

For this shoot I choose to be Anna eventhough she's from Frozen and it’s soover-done, who doesn’t like adecapitated Hanz!

You told us about how you started thegroup shoots, but how did it blow outlike this?Well, a lot of it was done just throughnetworking, starting a small group ideacan turn into something big. Going tothese cosplay shoots is great becauseyou get to meet new people, connecton common grounds and share yourlove for Disney. That’s what the cosplaycommunity is really; a big gathering ofgeeks or nerds that have the samepassion for pop culture, and just shootideas together. Thats how the groupgot bigger really; because all thesepeople were just so keen to do it.

"...myadvice

would be ifyou love acharacterjust do itwhetheryou look

like themor not.

If youhave a

passionthen do it."

After having a chat to the cosplayers, Imanaged to pull Ana aside for some quickquestions on how this all came to be, whatare her thoughts about cosplay and what itmeans to her.

What gave you this idea for a Disney Apocalypse,

and why did you chose this particular theme?

Well we are all huge Disney fans, everyone that’shere, and Rene and Amy of The Winter Sirensdecided to organise a Hipster Disney shoot a whileback. They were taking about what other Disneyshoots we could do, something that’s new, original,and that pushes the boundaries just a little bit.

We all love the walking dead, so we thought. whatabout an Apocalyptic Disney theme? it would be socool, because of the endless possibilities forinvention and imagination.

Disney has such a wide range of characters tochoose from, it gave us all the chance to getbloodied up and have some fun.

Photo by Cosplay Australia

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What would you say to a starting cosplayer?Some wise advice for people just starting out?A lot of people will tell you when you arestarting out, that you can’t cosplay certaincharacters, but I feel people should just ignorethat negativity. There are so many greatcharacters that you can do. and if you love thatcharacter why give yourself boundaries? Likeweight, height or even gender?

So my advice would be if you love a characterjust do it whether you look like them or not. Ifyou have a passion then do it because it’sgoing to show through and its going to besuccessful. There has always been a lot ofbullying around people who enjoy cosplay.

What is your advice to anyone who is bulliedfor being who they are?

I wouldn’t say ignore it, because it never reallysolves the problem. But if you can focus on theamount of people who share the samepassion you do it will help.

I, like so many others, have fallen victim tobullying; last year I had a hard time, but I amso grateful that I had friends that understoodthe passion I have for cosplay.

It gave me the support I needed to push

through, and it just makes those bulliesinvisible. Because you think, "You know what, Idon’t care what you think, and I have all thesegreat people behind me supporting me, so Idon’t need your negativity."Just find people who love what you do andconnect on that level, and forget about thenegativity.

B Rock Photography7

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MAJO

R SAM

COS

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Introducing our covergirl for Issue 2, the incredible Major SamCosplay, as photographed by James Niland at Oz Comicon 2015.

In case you've been hiding under a rock, or like me, are a hermit andrefuse to leave the house, you already know that Major Sam just wonthe title of Crown Champion of Cosplay at the Chicago C2E2convention, one of the most sought after titles the world of cosplayhas to offer. After winning OzComicon's Australian Champion ofCosplay in 2015, Major Sam headed to the US of A to representAustralia at the Chicago Comicon and Entertainment Expo in March,then hopped over to Wondercon before zooming back to Australia toattend Supanova! Even more impressive, she managed to whip up acompletely new costume to judge to Cosplay comp at Supanova GCwhile zooming around the globe.

If you're a bit of a costume fanatic Major Sam's Facebook andInstagram are absorbing...it is inspiring to watch these incredibleworks of art come to life, piece by piece, over the course of a fewmonths. La Carlotta, painstakingly copied from the 2004 filmadaptation of The Phantom of the Opera, is possibly one of the mostelaborate costume I have ever seen.Every part of the cosplay is movie perfect, from the wig she styledand adorned herself, to the elaborate gold leaf makeup that tooksome trial and error to perfect. Over 3,000 hand sewn beads adornlayers and layers of fabric,To save money on fabric, Major Sam screenprinted the patterns tocopy the film version's luscious brocade, without paying top dollar forthe designer cloth. 

I really thought it wouldn't be possible to improve on La Carlotta, butthe photos of her C2E2 show stopper demonstrate that Major Samreally seems to have no limit when it comes to imagination, technicalability and just sheer hard work. Based on Julietta Necromancer, acharacter by Japanese artist Sakizo, it features articulated skeletonhands, illuminated cat skeletons, corsetry for dayyys, and animmense wrought iron and skull standing ruff. The Elizabethan meetsgothic graveyard extravaganza looks immensely heavy to wear, Iwould love to see it in person and am quite jealous of all of you whoattended Supanova and had the chance to do so! 

Follow Major Sam on Instagram & Facebook for more. Photos onthis page taken from her Instagram account.

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Photography & Post Production: Julia Thomas PhotographyAssistant Photographer: Harmony NicholasRobot Sculptures & Ray Guns: Rastra Lyall

Model, Makeup & Hair: Bettie Butcher

space bettie

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Bettie Butcher is one of the most recognisable faces in the Brisbane alternative & rockabillyscene. After starting out in cosplay and modelling as a teenager,Bettie has worked with both Australian and international photographers and clothingdesigners to create inspirational images that have graced magazine covers and editorialsworldwide.Working across a variety of genres, Bettie channels the voluptuous beauty of the classic 50sand 60s screen sirens, like Brigitte Bardot and Jane Fonda, as well as being heavily inspiredby counter culture vixens like Elvira and Bettie Page.

Bettie Butcher still regularly models, featuring in magazines and newspapers to promoteevents and showcase classic cars and clothing designers. She also works with many of themajor Pinup and Tattoo model pageants across Australia, organising the events andmentoring entrants, to promote and encourage new talent.

Bettie is now a much loved member of the teaching staff at the Bombshells Burlesque andBeauty Academy, teaching hair and makeup skills and passing on her extensive knowledgeof modelling in front of the camera to women of all ages. Find her on Facebook to keep upwith her latest shoots and other work. http://www.facebook.com/Bettie.Butcher12

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Artist

SpotlightThalia Camille Art

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Artist

Spotlight

Kareki Art

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Kareki Art

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Kareki Art

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In this stunning editorial we showcase the creative work of a

number of talented women. Model Mary Hecker as captured by

Offbeat Imaging's Elise Walsh. Hair and Makeup by A La Lumiere

Makeup and Beauty. The beautiful clothing and accessories were

provided by Hunting Faith the Label & Flynn the Label.

SONG

SIREN

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Offbeat Imagingoffbeatimaging.blogspot.com.au/

A La Lumiere Makeupwww.facebook.com/alalumiere

Hunting Faith the Labelwww.facebook.com/HuntingFaithTheLabel/

Flynn the Labelhttp://flynnthelabel.com/

Mary Heckerwww.facebook.com/maryhecker.model

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OOHlook

squirrel!Tenacious Photography

OOH look squirrell

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Jenni Girvan, owner and proprietor of OOH Look Squirrel in Perth Australia, has always enjoyed making costumes forher daughters, especially on dress up days at school. As her girls grew, she was always their one stop shop forcostumes.

In 2009 her eldest daughter wanted to go to SUPANOVA dressed as one of her favourite anime characters, and soJenni not only created her daughter's costume, but many of her friend's costumes as well. She loved creating theoutfits for the event and bringing the characters to life.

What was once a hobby has now become a small business, with Jenni taking on commissions. She loves to bringhappiness and magic into peoples lives through cosplay. You're never too old to Cosplay!

Liz had a chat with Jenni about how she started OOH Look Squirrell.

What first got you into making cosplay outfits?

My daughter. She started going to Cons and wanted costumes. They were pretty basic but were a start.Then I was hooked!

Is she in the photos? They are completely amazing...I am in love with the R2 dress!!

Yes both my daughters are there, Ditzy Daydreams and SiiC. Belle/ Sophia the first and Queen of Hearts / Ice Queen

Model: Kira MUAH: Jessica Podolan Makeup Artistry

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So do they choose the characters, or do

you kind of see stuff, and go....wow, let's

do that!

My R2...was my first Cosplay I made for

myself. At the time Tardis Gowns were

doing the rounds, but being the STAR

WARS freak I am I made "the droid you're

looking for".

So a bit of both. Cassie ( Ditzy

Daydreams) has a Disney Princess thing,

so she seems to bend that way.

Sometimes I will see and idea and just

run with it!

I love it so much, I'm a big star wars

nutter too, and have always had a bit of a

crush on R2!

Yeah the little blue and silver guy gets me

everytime!

Those Disney princesses are just

spectacular! Im not normally a fan of

satin...I guess I've seen a few too many

badly gathered skirts, but you've done

amazing things with it....the structure of

the gowns is gorgeous! Do you have a

background in dressmaking at all?

My mum taught me, then I danced for

many years, so had to make my own

costumes. A lot of what I do is self taught

or experimental. I like to work in the

moment, and figure out what works for

that particular costume. I sort of sew by

the seat of my pants so to speak!

It certainly doesn't look like it! But I can

see a huge amount of creativity in the

costumes...they are very unique and they

are beautifully fitted to your daughters!

Which cons have you gone to so far?

I like to work outside the square with my

own little tweaks...I always make to fit the

measurements. Cosplay is so unique, and

I like the girls to feel that that costume

was made just for them...in every way.

The Vivi I made for OTCosplay came from

an artists drawing of the character, and

Jessy asked my to make it for her to wear

to the PANic Ball.

Model: Jesse MUAH: LMT Artistry

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I love what I do, and I would like to think that shows in the finished products.

It really does, I can really see the attention to detail in everything. So, are you taking commissions from other cosplayersor anything yet, or just sticking to doing it for your own enjoyment?

We go to most Cons...Super Nova and Comicon being the majors, and the the girls go to some of the smaller ones ...thefamily that cosplays together stays together! I do a bit of commission work and love it, but I am keeping it small to startwith, as I like to be hands on on in all I do. so I pace myself. I can usually pump out a gown over 2 weekends.

That is brilliant, I love that you all cosplay together! What are you working on at the moment?

I have a Sylveon gown, another for the Panic Ball, but I am looking at creating my own design of a STAR WARS gown forComicon, using the opening scrawl up the skirt.

That sounds incredible, you'll have to send us a photo when it's done....I would LOVE to see that!

I will. I hope to maybe get with Tenacious again for another collection. When I started this I never thought it would bethat good. I'd like to say a big thank you to all the girls, with out them mu costumes would just be on a hanger.

Vivi's skull dress is based on a character created by the song artist Mystery Skulls, aka Mystery Ben, in an animatedvideo clip for his song Ghost [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlEb3L1PIco].The artist Busket, Kiana McMillian, did a piece of art that featured this dress linkhttp://busket.tumblr.com/post/103602342138/commission-for-gooberfeesh].

Jess from OTCosplay commissioned her to draw a complete version of this dress which she plans to wear to the ball.

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Jes

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Mak

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Arti

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Model: Cassie MUAH: LMT ArtistryModel: Jesse MUAH: LMT Artistry

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My name is Alexis, I am 25 years old form Michigan. I normally do pinup modelling but I have felt the need to branch out and get more creative lately. I really loved Elizabeth Olsen’s rendition of the Scarlet Witch so I had to do a cosplay shoot of it it!

Model: Lexi LooPhotography: Put A Smile In It Photography

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I stand frozen in the shadows, sweat buildingbeneath my pores. Eerie silence fills the airdespite the gathering of people who sitbefore me, shrouded in darkness. The scentof beer and champagne lingers as the crowdbegin to murmur in quiet conversation. I feelmy hands dampen regardless of the drypowder I had applied to them. All I thinkabout is keeping still, as if keeping still forlong enough will render me invisible.Suddenly I hear a booming voice overheadannounce my name. The music kicks in andreverberates across the stage. I feel the floorpulse rhythmically beneath me. This is mycue. Suddenly I come to life, my body is setinto motion, swaying, stepping, lunging andpivoting.

The crop top covering my chest is smotheredin silver studs and spikes which shine under

the bright lights that now follow my movementalong the stage. The music builds increasingly

until suddenly the instruments and vocalsburst with enthusiasm and I simultaneously

propel myself vertically up a thin chrome polethat stretches all the way from floor to ceiling.

My abdominals tighten as I invert, hangingmyself upside-down by one leg. I launch mybody around the pole. Every limb tense to

ensure I don't plummet to the ground. I try tofocus on locked knees and arched feet. My

mind blurs as the music continues to throb andbefore I know it, the song ends and I'm left

frozen again as the lights dim.

The Art of Pole Dancing

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Hi, I am Tamika, AKA Miss Mayhem,

and when I am not busy being a nerd

girl, I enjoy other artistic tasks such as

pole dancing!

You may not know it but pole dancing is

becoming an increasingly popular

activity, along with other aerial sports

such as silks and lyra. All of these

involve spinning, swinging, twisting  and

climbing  on and around a specific

apparatus, whether it be a pole, fabric

(aerial silks) or a hoop (lyra).

Pole dancing is a form of art, because it

takes countless hours of choreography

and practise to create a routine that

captivates the audience and keeps them

engaged. It encompasses all the

aspects of dance choreography such as

rhythm, poise, fluidity and energy, but

also demands acrobatic skills such as

flexibility, balance, strength and stamina.

 I am constantly trying to improve myself

physically to keep up with these

demands, however I have also

progressed mentally. I have gained

confidence, rhythm, lots of love from a

great community and an open mind.

Competitions are held in many countries around the world, where both amateur and

professional pole performers can take to the stage. However, most studios that teach

pole dancing will also have a performance night once a year, where students can

showcase their hard work for friends, family, and fellow pole enthusiasts.Although performing is tough at times, I love my art, and have tested my performance

and choreography skills every year in both competitions and showcases.Along with this I have found a passion for designing and creating my own costumes to

perform in. I entice you to venture into the world of pole dancing and see for yourself.

[Will you accept the quest?]

Article by Miss Mayhem, Photos provided by author. 

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Given that this magazine is for geeks and nerds, I hope no-one thought I meant “General Manager”... but we don’t marginalise or make fun of people for not knowing every term in every aspect of the wonderful world of geekness! A GM is a Game Master, someone who runs a roleplaying game for their friends. Usually, a GM runs a game around a table with pen and paper for a small group of people, though this can also be online by text chat, by email, MMORPG or in a LARP (Live Action Roleplay). I’m the ‘’pen and paper around a table’’ kind of GM.

I’ve been involved in roleplaying games for about fifteen years, give or take a few, and have always been a player, one of the bums on seats looking at the outside of the GM screen, waiting to hear what happens next. I’ve participated at every level, from the “I built this character in five minutes to bash monsters” player, to “I’ve spent three weeks constructing this character with a full background the length of a short novel to play in a long and in-depth campaign of discovery”.

GMs were always ‘other’ people and quite frankly, the thought of ever running a game intimidated the socks off me. I don’t think quickly on my feet, unless it’s an emergency situation, but I always admired (most) GMs and their ability to chop and change plot and to tell a story and present challenges without knowing what the players were going to do. Wow! And then you have to know the rules, and the system, and all the nuances of the game world, and keep tabs on everyone’s character, not just your own. No, that’s fine, I’ll remain a player, thanks.

So I didn’t have any aspirations to be a GM, and was happily roleplaying away, when a situation presented itself, and catapulted me into the unknown world of the Game Master. It all started when I started playing the Pathfinder ruleset for Dungeons and Dragons. In all my years of playing, I’d actually played very little of the most widely known RPG around (even people who don’t know what roleplaying is, know about D&D).

Diary of a New GM By Jus’traana

“...in a fit of insan-ity, I said to my friend “I could run a game, I’ll use the beginners’ rules...”

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Diary of a New GMBy Jus’traana

Pathfinder is an alternative ruleset for D&D; I loved the Elf/Dwarf/Human Chaos/Good fantasy setting, and having played so little of it, I was keen to sink my teeth into it. We’d not long started the campaign when a friend at work who’s never played before started talking to me about the character she’s building to play in her boyfriend’s game for a couple weeks.

Well, she played and didn’t have a huge idea what was going on (it’s always more difficult coming into a campaign half way through, especially when you’re new to the system,) and one of the regular players wasn’t comfortable playing with a girl at the table. He had one of those “Is there girls at the tavern? If there’s girls there, I wanna do ‘em” kind of characters. Really? I mean really?! I honestly thought most people grew out of “I want to sleep with everything” in RPGs by the time they were 19 years old. I’m not talking about promiscuous characters but if you’re playing your character in such a way that you can’t deal with having a girl at the table you may want to grow up a bit. But that’s another story.

As a result of this story, in a fit of insanity, I said to my friend “I could run a game, I’ll use the beginners’ rules”.

And thus our all-girls beginners’ Pathfinder game was born. Why all girls? I wanted them to feel comfortable, I wanted the game to be a safe environment where they could make stupid mistakes, ask stupid questions, and not feel in any way intimidated, and almost all my male friends already know how to play. Two more girls from work joined the game, one who had never played before was a last minute ring-in for a player who dropped, the other dabbled a bit at university but swears she never inhaled. The fourth player we have used to play Rogue Trader (sci-fi setting) with but had never played another system.

So the group was set - four girls who’d barely played or never played before, and a beginner GM. I was so nervous! I bought the Pathfinders Beginners Box and was suitably impressed. A Player Guide, a GM Guide that included the first adventure and expla-nation of how to write your own, a game map that was adventure-specific on one side and generic on the other, four pre-generated characters and lots of character and monster models (full colour, cardboard punch out) and a set of dice. The books were more “booklets” making them easy to digest and easy to find information.

I pored over both books, read them twice, and worried about not being able to remember the rules (I have a terrible memory). I bought the Game Master’s Screen, and a set of dice I only use when I’m GMing. The superstitions around a gamer’s dice is a whole other article in itself ! I made sure I had enough pencils and paper and character sheets and dice for everyone. I made lunch so we wouldn’t have to stop part way through (seafood gumbo - yum!) and set the date.

As previously mentioned, we had a brief disaster when one player pulled out that morning and a quick ring-around produced a likely candidate who has since taken to roleplaying like a duck to water (and whom I have to keep reminding that she’s good alignment).

Finally, everyone was there. I took them through character creation and instead of using the pre-generated characters, I made them make their own. I find when using pre-gens, as a new player it doesn’t help you understand the game or how your skills and abilities work, because you haven’t chosen them and read through them and compared them to what else is available. It’s the same with pre-gen career paths that tell you what you need to take at what level to end up with a specific build. I played one D&D cmpaign for two years, without knowing how to level a character because each tool I put together, I was given a build to follow by well-meaning more experienced players.

32

While mostly designed for new players, these pre-gen tools are, in my opinion, much better in the hands of experienced players where they can make things more e�cient for short campaigns, or tournament campaigns with set stories and little time.

I also wanted my players to make mistakes. I didn’t want to sit there and dictate that ‘this class goes with that race’. I wanted them to feel the freedom an RPG can o�er, and also get a sense of ‘If I had been that race instead, then this ability would have stacked with that racial bonus,’ but that they’re not limited to going with the obvious combinations. I really feel that when we’re ready to tackle some more involved adventures after this series, they’ll have a much better understanding about how the game works to make e�cient, but fun and interesting, characters.

So we ended up with an elf  ghter, a rogue human, a dwarf cleric and a dwarf wizard, and only one, lonely male character in the group. Given that this is, for most of the group, their  rst roleplaying game: the elf has a thing for the wizard, the wizard has her eyes on the cleric as the only other dwarf and male, the cleric has no idea what’s going on and the rogue just focuses on trying to steal everyone’s loot while they’re too distracted, and convincing herself it’s ‘liberation’ and not an evil act.

I’m getting ahead of myself. Bellies full of gumbo, characters written up, map on table, cat on map, cat removed from map, drinks  lled, atmospheric sounds playing on laptop, cat removed from map again, I set the scene and make everyone jump a mile with my squealing war cry of a couple of goblins. Cat is removed from the map again and miniatures placed on the board.

And so it begins.

I learnt a secret that day, an amazing and fascinating secret that had never occurred to me about Game Mastering - you wing it. Wing it and hope for the best. If you can tell a story, you can run a game. Rules are there, and rules are important to make sure everyone’s on the same page and people play true to their characters but you can mostly fudge through. You can look up rules, you can mostly remember rules and correct them later (unless it’s game changing). Mostly being a game master is to just about stop thinking about it and do it!

I won’t deny that having some reasonable idea of the game setting’s �u� (the game world’s  ction - laws of the land, social struc-ture, technology, etc) and at least a rudimentary understanding of the rules is more than useful.

“Bellies full of gumbo, charac-ters written up, map on table, cat on map, cat removed from map, drinks  lled, atmospheric sounds playing on laptop, cat removed from map again, I set the scene and make everyone jump...”

And so it begins...

33

Also, the internet is your friend. For tips and hints and ideas, don’t knock the teachings of those who have gone before. It didn’t take me long to source a suggested adventure list for brand, spanking new Pathfinder players from Beginner Box, then a gradual introduction of more rules, and finally conversion to full rules.

I won’t say that GMing a game is outright easy. It can be quite tiring. And not everyone is a good GM, anyone who’s been gaming for a good few years can tell you that - and oh boy have I had some shockers!

For the most part, I have nothing but respect for GMs and an increased appreciation for what they do. I can’t believe it took me so long to put up the GM screen and be the one telling the stories! Most importantly, everyone seems to be enjoying the game - I know I am, and having such a great group of players certainly helps!

Since then, in a further attack of “what the hell did I just agree to?” after the boyfriend had a long, difficult week at work, I asked if he wanted me to run Traveller - a game I will admit I have not played a successful campaign, have only a small knowledge of the world and basic knowledge of the rules. I have one newer player in the group, and two very, very experienced Traveller players. Intimidating much? Luckily, while they know the rules, they’re not rules lawyers. If you have someone experienced in your player base who isn’t a rules lawyer (Rules Lawyer = a player who is pedantic about the rules being played exactly as written and will disrupt a game to argue the rules), they can be your best friend; helping you with the rules, rather than accusing you for not knowing them, and instead of bogging the game down in looking up the exact meaning of the most insignificant mechanic, makes suggestions to allow the game to move forward smoothly. This Traveller game is also quite ambitious, as I’m writing the adventure myself !

So far, both games seem to be going okay. So far! And while I enjoy doing it, and the players enjoy playing with me, I’ll be looking forward to more games as GM. If you’ve been thinking of having a go, I would really encourage you to bite the bullet, find some people you like to play with, and give being Games Master a shot. It’s an excellent way to learn more about the RPGs you love, and create a fantastic experience for your fellow players.

Pathfinder is published by Paizo Publishing and is a classic fantasy setting.The version of Traveller I’m running is published by Mongoose Publishing and is a sci-fi setting.

34

Ingredients:

• Biscuits - any kind! Jatz are awesome, but if you arewatching your abs, stick with the water crackers.

• Cheese - ANY CHEESE IS GOOD CHEESE!!! Sliced cheesecan get expensive depending on the brand (and wedon't all have Bruce Wayne's cash flow *SIGH*) so I havedemonstrated that a block will do just fine.

• Batman cookie cutter. I know, I know. Not everyone isgoing to have one of these lying around. But honestly...why would you NOT want to have one :P

Step 1. SLICE THAT CHEESE GOOD! For crumbly cheese, the thicker the better. Step 2. Batman that cheese up!Step 3. Apply to biscuits.Step 4. Eat cheese and biscuits.Step 5. Feel those detectice juices flowing.Step 6. Go back to your cosplay.and BOOM! Problems instantly solved!

You're welcome <3

When you're sewing machine keeps jumping When you're sewing machine keeps jumping threads randomly or your cosplay just doesn't want to sit right, sometimes all it takes is a little detective work. Why not boost your brain processing with a little help from the world's finest?Recipe by: Harley Quinn (of course!)

35

When I created my Thor

cosplay, I felt it was the

prefect artistic outlet. I was

able to be creative and work

with my favorite materials,

while doing something that

had purpose behind it. Thor is

great, powerful, and mighty.

I wanted to capture all of

that strength and put it on a

woman. This is the end result,

and I am very proud of the

cosplay and the photoshoot.

I felt the photographer

captured exactly the powerful

look that I wanted and he did

the character justice.

Although Thor is my favorite of

all of my cosplays, I have others

I am also very proud of. I have

a female Captain America, a

Freddy Krueger, and a Jason

Voorhees that I put a lot of

work into and love very much. I

always have several cosplays I

work on at any given time and I

look forward to finishing several

in the next few months. I am

very close to finishing my T1000

Terminator look, my Lady Bane,

and Cat Woman cosplays. I'm

excited to see what the future

holds for cosplay!

Model: Kayla Ezell Photographer: Midas HMUA: Sarah MurphyDesigners: Kayla Ezell & Sarah Murphy

36

We are Ultra Girls Cosplay, two best friends

from Wichita, KS who love to play dress up

and get crafty. We've both been cosplaying

individually for years, but pulled together

last December to create Ultra Girls Cosplay.

Years ago we started off purchasing fully

made costumes, from Halloween stores

and what not just to get into the fun of it for

conventions and as time progressed a hobby

turned into a passion and we started building

our props and cosplays from the ground up!

Cosplay is pretty much our lives! Morning,

afternoon and night we are working on a

cosplay, planning a new cosplay or preparing

for an upcoming event. We do both have full

time jobs outside of cosplay, so sleep isn't really

something we get to experience. It's a labor of

love and we wouldn't have it any other way!

We love to have variety in our cosplays comics,

video games, anime and we always choose

characters we love and know.

There have been a few times that we were hired

for events and asked to do specific characters

that we weren't really familiar with, so we

dedicated a lot of preprep to researching the

character, getting to know them and building

a connection.

Technique is super important to us and we love

to try new things to advance ourselves and

our skill set. Armor is crazy fun to make and

we often use craft foam, but we have started

working with instamorph and are planning to

grab some worbla soon!

Cosplay has been one big learning curve for us

we've learned so many lessons the hard way.

Something is almost always going to fall apart

on con day and the glue gun is your best friend.

When you're on the con floor or at your booth

and that shoulder piece you worked crazy hard

on pops right off glue gun. Also, and probably a

lesson we shouldn't have had to learn more than

once you cannot paint on spandex with acrylic

paint. Luckily, the excuse 'battle damage' works

really well for excusing that when it's too

late to fix it.

UGC has turned into more than we ever

expected! We started off doing local events at

Wizard's Asylum, our favorite comic book shop

and cosplaying at the Ichico Comics booth at

conventions and before we knew it, we had our

first cosplay guest booth at Kansas City Comic

Con. That experience was absolutely incredible

and very humbling. When we are asking how to

get into cosplay and our advice never changes

JUST DO IT! Seriously, cosplay is for everyone!

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Models: Ultra Girls Cosplay (Cissa & Sophii) Photographer: Axela Media & Ultra Girls

38

TERRY FARRELL & NAOMI GROSSMAN TALK CAREERS AND CREATIVIT Y WITH SALLY CLAIRE EVANS

...I introduce myself and tell Naomi that I’m interviewing her for

a new magazine called Nerd Girl. “Nerrhd Girrhl,” she drawls, trying to imitate my accent...

In the past decade, the nerd scene in Australia has pushed into the mainstream. Pop culture conventions such as Supanova and Oz Comic‐Con have become the place for nerds to share their passion for �lm, television programs, and computer games, as well as gain the opportunity for a photo op with some of their favourite stars and creators.

But this growth has had an enormous impact on the ability for fans and artists to learn more about the creative processes that run in the background of pop culture, from �lm‐making and publishing to fan creation. �ere is a wealth of industry expertise and �rst‐hand knowledge available at cons for amateurs and professionals alike, both in the artists’ alley where independent creators sell their wares, and in small seminar rooms where celebrity guests talk about their craft.

At this year’s Oz Comic‐Con in Melbourne, I had the opportunity to talk shop with Terry Farrell and Naomi Grossman, two exceptionally talented actors who have become �rm fan favourites for their commitment to complex characters. Neither Farrell nor Grossman were headline stars for Oz Comic‐Con, but nonetheless they both had tightly packed con schedules and, after initially being allocated interview time on the Friday morning, I was �nally able to sit down with each of them brie�y on Saturday afternoon.�e PR team ushered me to Naomi’s line �rst, and after a few minutes, the artists’ liaison escorted me to her table.

Grossman is a rising star, having gained critical and popular acclaim since 2012 for her portrayal of microcephalic asylum inmate Pepper in the American Horror Story series alongside such luminaries as Jessica Lange and James Cromwell.

Her hair is el�n short, growing back in after keeping her head shaved to play Pepper, and she is infectiously enthusiastic along with being a razor‐sharp and highly attentive performer.

I introduce myself and tell Naomi that I’m interviewing her for a new magazine called Nerd Girl. “Nerrhd Girrhl,” she drawls, trying to imi-tate my accent. She tells me she loves accents and loves to practice them, and draws out the nasal Aussie vowels even more. I exaggerate it back.

“Nerrrrrrhhhhhhd Girrrrhhhl.” I’m reminded immediately of the playful competition and camaraderie of my high school drama class. �is speaks volumes of Naomi’s background: she has a theatre degree from Northwestern University and over a decade of experience in solo

PHOTOGRAPHY BY GREG FLYNN

Acting Professional

performance, improv, and sketch comedy. Her role as Pepper, beginning as a minor yet signi�cant part in American Horror Story: Asylum and returning in a more sizeable role in American Horror Story: Freak Show, has been her major breakthrough into television. Pepper is also the only character whose role has been reprised in more than one sea-son; American Horror Story is known for its unusual format, in which the same core ensemble of actors return each season as di�erent characters within di�erent stories.

My �rst question is about Grossman’s transition from live performance to television and from comedy to drama. From the audience perspective, the slow burn of tension in a �lmed dramatic scene is vastly di�erent to the rapier‐quick responses we see onstage in improv comedy. I ask whether this was a steep learning curve for her, given the immediacy of live performance and the comparative tension and slow build‐up of the dramatic scenes in a series like Asylum. Grossman is animated and conscientious in her discussion of her craft, and draws attention to the careful choreography operating behind the scenes in television. Despite the end result seeming �uid and organic, the shooting of the scenes is as precise and rehearsed as any theatrical production, the di�erence being, as Grossman states,

39

“You’re aware of [different] factors, like where is the camera and what kind of shot is it.” She gives an example from an episode of Freak Show, which acts as a prequel to Pepper’s arc in Asylum and sheds long‐awaited light on the murder that led to her incarceration.

“When I was in the cell [and] I am in tears and Sister Mary Eunice finds me in the straightjacket, it was very ... choreo-graphed, timing wise. Because the camera is right here, and I’ve got this tear that I want to fall down my face at the exact speed, and so there’s all these factors, a lot of which you can’t really control, like you don’t necessarily know when the camera is going to zoom out or when she’s gonna get into my light or when that tear’s gonna drop... [So] here there were beats, too, that were absolutely precise ... and difficult to plan.”

I interrupt her to ask whether this is something that an actor can perfect, or whether she is always striving to improve her ability to perform within these structures. She responds decisively.

“You want it to at least look improvised and real. But you can’t perfect it, because you need to be present. For me, as a theatre person, so many times I think ‘Oh, I wanna do that again! But I didn’t get the tear in that exact spot!’ and they’re like ‘no no no, we got the tear in the take before!’ As a thespian, I want it perfect from beginning to end, but the fact is ... they’re never going to use a take from beginning to end anyway. ... So being a perfectionist, which I am, is pointless.”

As a fellow perfectionist, I snigger at this. I tell her I think that’s an important lesson for everyone to learn throughout their lives, myself included. She smiles and nods, eyes twin-kling. She is such an open and generous conversationalist that I would happily tell her my life story, and listen to hers.

I ask briefly about her one‐woman show, Girl In An Argentine Landscape, and her highly driven, high‐octane approach to her work. I want to know how she feels when she gets a chance to take stock of all of the opportunities she’s made for herself. She laughs at this.

“I don’t stop and take stock very much. I don’t! Times like these when I look out and y’know, I hear there’s four million-people in Melbourne and I swear a large majority of them are here … To think that … they’d be here for me … It’s exciting and shocking and overwhelming and scary and beautiful.”

I can see all of those emotions, plus her respect for her fans and for the industry, shining in her eyes. She’s still relatively new to the pop culture scene, but even after meeting her for only ten minutes, I know that Naomi Grossman is not the kind of actor to be chewed up or screwed around by the celebrity machine.

40

Once I wrap up with Naomi, who urges me to tweet her a link to the article and magazine when it comes out, I am placed into the much longer line in front of the actor sitting two tables across. Terry Farrell has a bigger draw than Grossman, despite having quit acting in the 1990s to concentrate on her personal life.

After modelling and small acting roles through her 20s, Terry Farrell’s role as the dual‐species symbiotic organism Jadzia Dax in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine positioned her both as a 90s nerd sex symbol and a talented actor in her own right. Body‐sharing and body‐swapping are well‐worn science fiction tropes, but the character of Jadzia Dax offers an unusual insight into the rela-tionship between gender, experience, and behaviour. On top of the complexity of her character, Farrell also had to contend with the unusual nature of Deep Space Nine as a new entry into the Star Trek franchise.

Jadzia Dax is to other female characters in sci‐fi as DS9 is to other Star Trek: a pioneer of a more inclusive and politically ambiguous vision of the future, caught between the known and the unknown. Farrell acknowledges that it took a couple of seasons for her, and for the writers and directors, to work out how Jadzia Dax should be played.

For Farrell, the key was to not take the role too seriously, an approach that she credits to acting coach Ivana Chubbuck.

“I had a really bad time with the technobabble,” she admits. “It was really difficult for me to memorise that, and it was hard for me to relax and sleep anyway, and no sleep is really not a helpful thing when you’re trying to memorise these crazy lines. So they hired an acting coach [Ivana] for me … [and]she just encouraged me to use my humour.”

Once Farrell found the (paradoxically) human touch that grounded Jadzia Dax, she became much more comfortable and confi-dent in the role. She was also able to find a balance between the nine separate personalities inherited by the Dax symbiont:

“I was approaching the character, thinking …I’m putting away trying to be a method actress [because I] can’t play all of those characters at once.”

Her advice for approaching such a complex character is, in fact, good life advice. Farrell says, “You can’t be every stage of who you are, in your development as ‘you,’ all at the same time.” I nod. Yes, Jadzia Dax has a much longer and more complex version of self‐development, but it’s not ultimately that different to any one of us living with our history, our past, and the different selves we have all put on and cast off.

41

Jadzia Dax is a paradox: she is beautiful, graceful and intelligent, an aspirational figure for young nerd women, but her strength is intrinsically tied up in the inheritance of knowledge and experience from the symbiont’s previous hosts, many of whom were male.

As a result, Jadzia Dax’s behaviour is frequently coded as masculine, and it is this that allows her to integrate with the rest of the crew.

She is also often played for comic relief, with Far-rell’s impeccable deadpan being exercised superbly throughout the series, but this humour often arises from the sexist surprise of a woman who looks like the female Jadzia thinking and acting like the male Dax.

There is a cultural disjunction between how the audience should expect Jadzia Dax to behave, based on her appearance, and the depth of intellect and control she actually shows. I’m curious whether the Trek-kies she meets typically recognise the latter, or, more depressingly, fixate on the former, treating her as a sex symbol without acknowledging her depth.

Farrell is less cynical about her fanbase, though she does speculate about some level of fetishisation of the character’s complexity:

“I think they do appreciate her complexity and I think that makes her unattainable, as it were. Because that ... might be allur-ing, but to really dive in and experience it would be overwhelming. She might be just a little too broadminded for the average Joe.”

Nine times as complex as a regular human woman, I joke. “At least!” laughs Farrell. I agree, and suddenly see the sense in the eventual romantic connection that develops between Jadzia Dax and Lieutenant Worf, the Klingon with a heart of gold. Still, it is upsetting that the idea of a complex female character is still such a poisoned cultural apple, one that women are striving for but that carries so much unwarranted scrutiny.

Like Naomi Grossman in her role as Pepper, Terry Farrell has made her name by portraying an outsider in a way that was sensitive and complex. They also both possess the compelling combination of ambition and genuine warmth. By this time, though, Farrell’s jetlag has caught up with her and the media liaison is signalling that I need to wrap up my interview. There’s just one more, completely self‐serving, question that I need to ask.

Have you met Sir Patrick Stewart? Farrell’s face lights up. “Oh, yes!” she exclaims. My heart starts to race. My entire day has been leading up to the Patrick Stewart Question. I ask her what the first impression of the legendary actor is like.

“Well, my first impression is he’s very ...” She takes a long pause before continuing, “uh, ‘sexy’ is not a good adjective.”

I interrupt. Yes it is! She grins again.

“But it doesn’t really say [it all] ... he’s handsome, and there’s a charm and a confidence that not everyone has, and that’s sexy to me, those characteristics are very appealing, and down to earth, and easy to talk to.”

As Farrell talks, I fluster a little with the realisation that I’m speaking to someone who is part of one of the largest and most widespread science fiction franchises in history. When I finally say goodbye, I gush excited thank‐yous to Terry and smile across at when Naomi is chatting to fans. The media liaison shuffles me back into the crowd of con‐goers and I realise that, no matter how complex and no matter how celebrated, there are bright, brilliant women out there in the world keen to talk about the things that give them strength. - Sally Clair Evans

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Photography: Jason Matz Photography Model: Lisa AthansMakeup: Quinn.tessential

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47

Meri Amber is a solo artist and singer-

songwriter from Sydney whose quirky, mixed-

genre brand of geek pop draws inspiration

from sci-fi fandoms, videogames, even 90’s

alternative music. I had a chat with her

about her creative practices, her history,

and her experiences as a female performer

working in what can sometimes feel like a

very hostile, male-dominated scene…

So, can you tell me a bit about your work?

Obviously you’re into geek culture, but

where do you get your musical inspiration?

Well, I do geek pop, so it’s kind of like pop

music for dweebs. Which is a good thing,

because I always say that geeks are taking

over the world. So my stuff is the musical

anthem for that. I perform at places like

comic book conventions, geek events, and

the internet. That’s kind of my main deal.

In terms of elevator pitches, I call myself a

geek pop singer-songwriter. Think lasers,

kazoos & ninja style world domination. Kind

of like my last EP wrapped up in a sentence.

Your early work seemed to draw from a lot

of more alternative sources too, like 90’s

rock and lo-fi, but it seems to be a sound

you’re moving away from.

I love that stuff, and I wouldn’t say I’m

moving away from it exactly. I recently

released a Doctor Who album, which

sounds a little different because I recorded

it myself. Everything else I’ve worked on with

producers. Working with producers is always

going to get a higher quality sound, that’s

just what they do, but since I’ve got my own

recording software, I can do it all myself

on Cubase. I’ve got a very different sound

because of that.48

It’s a lot more electronic in

a way. Is that due to your

recent status as a bedroom

producer, or is it just the way

you’re working lately?

Even in terms of within pop,

I’ve always worked in a lot

of mixed genres. I worked

with a producer on ‘I XOX

U’ and ‘Comment Me’, and

those are both really heavily

electronic songs. And those

were songs I worked on with

a producer, I didn’t record

them in my bedroom, but I felt

like those songs needed that.

Because one of them is about

emojis and the other is about

online communications, and

the electronic sound kind of

embodies that. And I felt they

needed to be represented in

that way. Doing them a rawer

way wouldn’t have done

justice to the concept of the

songs.

Fair enough. You seem to

draw a lot of influence from

chiptunes as well. Is that more

of an aesthetic thing, or are

you particularly drawn to

the sounds of old computer

games?

When I was younger, I wasn’t

allowed to watch anything

violent. I wasn’t allowed to

watch violent movies or play

violent games. I was pulled out

of class one time when Space

Jam came on. In terms of video

games, it was very limited. I

got half an hour a week with

no memory card, and was

only allowed to play games

that were relatively tame, like

A Bugs Life and things like that.

But even though I didn’t get

to do the actual gaming, I’ve

always loved the music. So

everyone around me growing

up was playing video games. I

was growing up playing video

game music. All my life I’ve

really been drawn to it. I guess

it’s one of those things, like

when you eat something when

you’re a kid and you like it for

the rest of your life. It’s a bit like

that.

It’s interesting that you were

drawn in by the music. I think

outside of gamer culture,

people don’t think of the

music as being removed from

the games.

MA: If you go on Spotify and

you look up some playlists

of songs from computer

games, the stuff you’ll find is

just amazing. It’s generally

really creative and if you try

to learn it on piano, you’ll find

your fingers going in strange

positions that they wouldn’t

normally go. That’s because

in musical terms they’re using

chromaticism, and they don’t

use the typical key signatures,

because they’re trying to

represent movements and

feelings in the game rather

than just having a nice melody,

or something. It’s an interesting

style of music.

Does that more emotive,

almost cinematic style of

song-writing inspire you as

well?

I hope so. I put in a lot of

cinematic sounds in my Super

EP, which is kind of my grand

work at the moment. I tried to

include a lot of conceptual

stuff in there, and I try to

with most of my songs, but

especially with the Super EP,

because that was my big

thing. I had whole sequences

at the very start of ‘Nothing’s

In Your Way’, which is the

ninja song on there. There’s

a combination of the major

musical theme from the song

I’ve written, and parts from

three other themes: the Mario

Kart theme, the Tetris theme,

and the Pokemon theme. And

I tried to combine all these

things into a musical chiptune

bit at the start. So if someone

listening to it is a mega gamer,

they’ll be like, that’s a little bit

of, no, that’s a little bit of, no,

and it’ll pass so quickly that

49

they won’t know what it is. But it’ll trigger in their

mind the nostalgia, the memories, that kind of

thing.

I hear a lot of that in your latest album too. It’s

a bit of a concept album really, a collection of

songs inspired by Doctor Who. Are you a fan of

science fiction too?

I’m mainly a just fan of Doctor Who. Going back

to the violence thing, it’s embarrassing, but I

go to a lot of geek events and I haven’t even

watched Star Wars yet. It had war in the title

and therefore it was automatically banned. I still

haven’t caught up on it yet. I’ve been catching

up on things slowly but I really struggle with the

violence. I was watching Man of Steel with my

partner and I had to keep stopping it. It’s very

unpleasant when you’re not used to it. But

Doctor Who was great because people don’t

really get killed in Doctor Who, they just kind of

50

disintegrate and disappear. It’s all the drama,

all the character building, all the plot without

the gore. That made it a really good entry point

into sci-fi in general.

With things like Sad Puppies and Gamergate

casting an exclusionary shadow over the

subculture at the moment, it’s refreshing to see

a female voice that’s so invested in the fandom.

Would you say providing this perspective was

important to you when you started on the

project?

It’s actually interesting because when I started

doing geek music in general, I didn’t think

there would be an issue with the fact that I was

female. It just didn’t occur to me. I have a lot

of female friends that are female geeks, and it

never seemed like it was an issue. And when I

put out my first album and I got comments like

fake geek, get off Youtube or whatever, and I

just thought that it was really weird. Why would

someone pretend to be a geek? It just makes

no sense. I wrote a song about it actually, but

I haven’t put it out yet. I’m on two sides about

the issue. Because it’s the sort of thing where

you do need to stand up for it, but I don’t want

to ride the wave of geek argument either.

How do you feel about the current state of the

subculture in general? Is it growing or shrinking?

Getting insular, or becoming more inclusive?

MA: It’s definitely growing and becoming more

inclusive. And I think that that’s where stuff like

Gamergate and all those things are coming

from. People are freaking out because their

little club is growing, and how dare it. But it’s

definitely growing and it’s a good thing. It’s the

sort of thing where yes, you can be new to the

geek world, but you don’t have to have a set

amount of knowledge or cred to be accepted.

It’s more just if you are interested in something,

hey, here’s other people that are also interested.

Come let’s talk about it and enjoy it, and play

games based on it, and watch movies based

on it. And why not? It’s a lot of fun.

How do you see your music fitting in with that?

MA: I like to think of myself as being able to sing

songs about things you wouldn’t otherwise be

able to sing about. When I was younger, I sung

things like ‘I’m Not A Hypochondriac’, ‘Telepathic

Stalker’, ‘I Want To Be An Amoeba’…. And those

were just songs I sung when I was a little kid. I

didn’t understand geek culture, I mean, I was

a geek, but I didn’t see it that way. I was just

singing songs about random shit, and I enjoyed

it. And when I got older people said my songs

were great, but I had to write about love and

breakups… and I tried very hard for a period of

time to write songs like that. But it got to a point

where people just started requesting my weird

songs. So I started singing them again. And I

figured out my audience was mainly geeks, and

geeks were open to songs about aliens and

zombies and stuff. It was very liberating.

Have you got any advice for young people

trying to follow in your footsteps?

MA: Do it, for starters. If it’s what comes naturally

to you, don’t try and fit into the mould. So if you’re

writing crazy songs, keep doing it, come say hi

to me, maybe we can play a show together

sometime. Definitely check out other artists too.

Geek music isn’t very big in Australia, which is

something I’m personally trying to work on. I’ve

created a bunch of playlists of geek music on

51

my website that you can get into. If you start

listening to other geek musicians, you can get

an idea of what other people have done within

the genre. And keep practicing your instruments,

because the fact that you write quirky songs

shouldn’t excuse you for singing out of tune or

playing your instrument poorly.

What are your plans for the future? Do you have

another album on the way?

MA: I’ve got tons of stuff planned. I’ve got my

super tour coming up, which is exciting. I’m

performing all over Australia starting in Sydney,

including the Zine fair and some smaller comic

book conventions in libraries called ‘Comic

Conversations’. Then I’m going to Canberra to

perform for the Conflux Banquet, Melbourne to

perform for the AMC expo, which is an amazing

expo if you’re in Melbourne, and Supernova in

Adelaide and Brisbane. I’m trying to get geek

music to be more of a happening thing in

Australia, which is a mammoth task. But obviously

I’m starting off in Sydney and trying to create

these gigs I call Magic, Pixies, Bubbles, and I’m

trying to get more geek musicians involved in

that.

So you’re almost trying to create a subculture

around yourself as well?

MA: Well, really I’m just trying to recreate the

culture that already exists in America, because

I’m jealous, and I want there to be a geek

music scene in Australia too. It’s a lot bigger in

America and Canada, but it’s just this really nice,

community-based music scene. I’d love to see

that happen here as well.

Photos provided by Meri Amber

52

Ever been to a shopping

centre, or convention or

community event and seen a

range of Star Wars characters

armed and armoured, having

photos with the public, making

kids smile and raising money

for charity? Most often, these

are the hard working men and

women of three worldwide

Star Wars costuming clubs: the

501st Legion, the Rebel Legion

and the Mandalorian Mercs.

Once the armour’s on though,

have you ever assumed all

those stormtroopers and TIE

fighters and jawa (just to

name a few) are men? Some

costumes are obvious as to

the wearer’s gender, but

many a time, tucked away in

my armour and helmet, the

public have assumed that I’m

a bloke! So I thought I should

bring to you some of the

women from these amazing

clubs.

What is it about Star Wars that

made you want to join a club

that exclusively costumes

as the 'bad guys' from the

franchise?

Well I like Star Wars, I like dressing

up as star wars characters

and I’ve always known about

the 501st and what they

stand for so it wasn’t a huge

leap to go from costuming

as a star wars character to

joining a worldwide legion

that compliments my love for

costuming, charity and Star

Wars.

Why did you pick Boushh?

I picked Boushh because

I’ve loved the costume since

I was a little girl. I remember

watching ROTJ and first seeing

the character on screen and

then being further impressed

when I saw who was really

under the bucket. Whether

I wear it as Leia disguised as

the fallen Boushh or I rock

up to a 501st event as the

badasslittleitchytriggerfinger

bounty hunter himself, I

can’t help but feel an over

Bras & Blasters

53

exaggerated sense of self

confidence. I didn’t make this

costume myself, my skill would

never come as close to this

and kudos to all the costumers

that have made this and

other intricate costumes.

This seemed so far out of my

reach for so long that it was

a dream come true when my

now husband (Imperial Scum

aka SpiderMan) proposed to

me and gave me the option

of either a ring or the one

costume we’ve always had

a shared love for. I’ve never

made a better choice in my

life, both in a husband and in

a proposal offering.

What other Star Wars costumes

do you have?

I have a couple of other Star

Wars costumes. I’m also a

jawa, which is my favourite

kid friendly costume. ANH Leia

was my first screen accurate

Star Wars costume and the

fact that I get to dress as a

princess and wield a blaster

and still be accurate…well

that’s just a bonus.

What is your favourite thing

about trooping and what is

your favourite thing about

501st??

I love seeing the smile brought

on by nostalgia. The Star Wars

universe has translated

well over several generations

and it never fails to surprise

me when parents swap spots

with their kids so they can

also have a photo with their

favourite characters. What

makes trooping important

to me though, is the charity,

love, awareness and above

all, the hope we raise through

our passions and hobby.

Being in the 501st gives me the

opportunity to share my love

of Star Wars.

Do you have any other Star

Wars costumes planned?

I really want to make a

twi’lek, that would be epic.

Eleena Daru is one of my

favourite Expanded Universe

characters so I’d love to bring

her to life one day. Aside

from that I’m also working on

a Inara (Firefly) costume and

Princess Jasmine (with

help from the Princess of

Perth).

54

What do you do in the real

world?

In the real world I bake ninja

bread cookies, give valuable

pet keeping advice, take

care of my scale babies,

laugh, hula hoop, and

above all, I try to successfully

conduct a plan to conquer

the world with my cage mate

Pinky….wait…no that’s not

right…

If you would like to join any of

these clubs:

501st Legion: www.501st.com

Rebel Legion: www.rebellegion.

com

Mandalorian Mercs Costuming

Club: www.mandalorianmercs.

org

Another great way to join or

request the services of these

clubs is to look up your local

members on Facebook.

If you have kids who want to be

a part of Star Wars costuming in

a safe environment, they

can join the Galactic Academy

at: www.galacticacademy.

com.

What is the one thing you

wish the general public knew

when you are trooping?

Things I’d like to and have

said to the public: “Yes, it

does get hot in this costume,

no I can’t see very well and

remember, I’m a person with

feelings so please don’t hurt

them unnecessarily.”

What other nonStar Wars

costumes do you have?

Well my costume collection

is forever growing but my

favourites are my Boushh (no

surprise there), the movie

version Hit Girl costume, a

J Scott Campbell MJ and

Gwen Stacy, a Pinup MJ, a

rule 63 Shaun of the Dead, a

Jawa, and ANH Princess Leia.

You’re married to fellow

cosplayer and 501st trooper,

Imperial Scum. Do you ever

do duets

for costumes or prefer to do

your own thing?

Imperial Scum and I do like to

costume together. I tend to

rock my MJ or Gwen costume

if he’s in his SpiderMan

costume and he has worn his

Han Solo costume for a Han

and Leia shoot we did a year

ago.

Photos by Imperial Scum

Photography

55

Pumpkin Carving Model: Charlie GribbleBat Mask Model: Caitlin GerkenPhotographer: Sacha Sutherland @ Moments By SachaMUA: Courtney Alice Makeup ArtistryLocation: Perth, Australia{Clothing Models Own}

I am a photographer based in Perth, Australia

- My work is mainly children and family,

specialising in fantasy / fairy portraits but I do

love creative shoots and find them inspirational

in progressing my work as a digital artist.

Exquisite Nightmare was inspired by the

upcoming Halloween celebrations, we wanted

to create a series of images that took the

haunted theme of Halloween but portray it in

an a way that is oddly beautiful. We all love

special effects and wanted to see how far we

could take it with such beautiful scenery to

back it up.

56

HAZARDOUSBrisbane just got a little bit more exciting, with a new action novel by author Ruby StiffWriting and publishing a book isn't an easy task at the best oftimes, but when you're an emerging fiction writer living in asleepy country town, accomplishing this can be even more

daunting than usual.However Dalby based author Ruby Stiff is doing just that, with

her second novel, Hazardous, now in editing with RoguePhoenix press, and due to be released in print in July 2016.

I first met Ruby when she came to me for promo shots to usefor her first book, Undertow, and last year she sent me hernew oeuvre, the fast moving crime fiction Hazardous. As I

was working on the Creative issue of Nerd Girl at the time, Idecided it would be the perfect inclusion!

Hazardous is based around a group of friends, who cometogether from completely different lives to pursue a commongoal: nicking things from rich people and dpdgy corporationsand selling them on the black market. However an offer with

strings attached from a shady organization purporting to havethe best interests of society at heart, threatens to turn theirhonest enterprise on its head. With a large dose of geekery,

and set in my sleepy hometown of Brisbane, the story had me hooked from the start, with interesting

characters, believable problems, and a lot of action that keptme reading, and made me burn a few dinners. Sorry, kids!

Hazardous introduces us early on to reluctant farmer's wife Elle,rebellious checkout chick Erika, law student Em, and hockeyplaying architect Emma, and their criminal alter egos (Disco,

Phantom, Rookie, and Ringleader) then we're plunged into theaction; shady clients, plenty of double crossing crooks, big heists

and intrigue all round.Throw in a mysterious rock star nemesis who dabbles in the samemurky underworld, the usual husband trouble, and of course the

pressures of juggling 'normal' life and a life of crime and mystery,and you have the perfect escapist fantasy.

I really loved all the characters from the start; I think there'ssomething we all fantasize about or experience in each character,and having the story set in my home town of Brisbane rather thanan exotic location really added to the enjoyment for me. Spotting

familiar landmarks, and seeing the characters struggle withsimilar problems and conflicts to those I face, as well as jugglingtheir exciting alter egos really helped immerse me in the fantasyand feel involved in the story. I won't give away any secrets, but itdid keep me guessing and I really loved the ending! Not going tolie, every time I hang out in a train station now, I'm going to be

secretly pretending to be Phantom.While you're waiting for Hazardous to drop, keep an eye on herwebsite www.rubystiffauthor.tumblr.com/. Ruby also has some

exciting promotional fun planned for her twitter followers, so sayhi to her @RubyStiff to join in!

57

All dayjust at the lengthof my ear’s reach

a horse has been calling me.

High distant whinniesspeak to the muscles

of my neck, the edge of mynostrils, raise my chin to the breeze.

How did it find me here, in the suburbs?Luring me out from the kitchen

to where late summer rain tracesmy shoulder blades, pools

at my navel.

I hear hooves on thebitumen, feel my blood

rise to answer.

bridledTrudie Murrel

Photo: Red Boots Photographic58

I didn’t realize it at the time, but my childhood was an apprenticeship in creativity – or rather, the creative work/ life balance. I grew up in a house where my parents had day jobs, but they were known as a musician and a potter. Later, the potter became a drama teacher, and turned our house into a costume box, but that’s another story.

My father, at twenty, was earning more money playing music part time than his senior supervisors were earning at his day job. Playing in pub bands, however, was not respectable employment for a family man, certainly not in a small North Queensland town in the 1970s. By the time my younger sister was born, the social pressure to give up playing music and settle down into family life was enormous. He tried teaching piano from a room in our house for a while, but he eventually gave up playing all together.If he couldn’t be creative on his own terms, he decided against pruning his creative desires to fit his family life.

My mother, however, took pottery classes, championed the work of other artists, volunteered at her children’s schools and eventually opened her own gallery. Later, she ‘went legitimate,’ and made creativity her paying day job. As a drama teacher, she opened our house to her students and their parents, to make sets, costumes and scripts and to rehearse for performances. She raised her children while digging for clay, baking bread in kilns and ushering young performers on and off stage, into and out of character. She is not a famous artist or performer, but she is happy, creative, playful and still teaching.

I’m sure my parents’ choices about their creative/life balance were shaped by social and gender expectations of their time, but it was very useful to see the compartmentalized, versus the holistic approach to creativity. It has informed many of my choices as a writer and as a parent. I understand that consuming desire to be creative, uninterrupted. I fantasize about locking myself away from the world, free of responsibility, for large swathes of time, falling into the page I am writing on. In practice, however, I set myself reminder alarms and count my children, just to make sure I haven’t missed something or someone.

I have wrestled with cutting creativity out of my life because being a creative, a partner and a parent and, a socially responsible adult don’t always fit into one life. I have had those sobering conversations about what will happen if I don’t reach the perceived indicators of writing success. At those times I draw strength and inspiration from the other creatives around me. We talk and commiserate with each other. We workshop solutions to time poverty, we form critique groups to support each other’s work, we attend each other’s exhibitions and performances, we mind each other’s children, we create, we create, we create.

Trudie Murrell, Poet & Author

59

I encourage mychildren and others tofind what brings them

creative joy and to do iton a regular basis. Ibelieve that creativity

and a sense ofplayfulness is animportant part of

professional, personaland intimate life. I

believe it helps us findout who we are, to

connect with and makemeaning of the world

around us and in somecases, if we are luckyand persistent, it can

also help pay the bills. This poem, ‘Bridled’

speaks to that tensionbetween domesticity

and creativity, thefeelings arising from

that often ill-timed callto be doing something

creative rather thanwhat is required.

Trudie Murrell is a child of steamy North Queensland. She has always had a passion for goodcostumes and beautiful words. She has flirted with festival appearances and community theatre.She’s kissed a few clowns. She has lived and traveled in the United Kingdom. Her plays havebeen performed in Australia and England. She's now living in Brisbane with her husband andthree children. Lately, everything she writes, really wants to be a poem. She’s decided not to

fight it ... Her poems have been published in The Green Fuse, Cordite, Brisbane New Voices IVand the Australian English curriculum. She’s performed feature sets at 4zzz market day, Words

or Whatever, Confit Bistro, Jam Jar, Fresh Poetry and Burlesque and Speed Poets.

60

House of Fandomthe artist formerly known as the cosplay collective markets

Brisbane is a city obsessed with markets; it seems like every weekend there are at least three,offering everything from fruit and veg, to vintage clothing and furniture, and of course the Young

Designer's Markets bringing the newest indie fashion labels to locals and tourists alike.

But something we've lacked for a while is a good pop culture and alternative market. So whenJennifer Stewart started advertising the Cosplay Collective markets on Facebook, it made a lot ofus geeky types very happy. On the day of the very first market, I arrived at the BrisWest Centrein Paddington to find the normally trendy and hipster suburb overrun with cosplayers in full dress.

Despite the heat, the centre was quickly full of cosplayers, kids, and geeks of all ages perusingthe wares of a room full of stall holders.

I was impressed by the friendly attitudes of everyone there, regardless of whether you were incostume or just there to admire, everyone was clearly happy to be enjoying the day. I tried to getphotographs from each retailer; I managed to get nearly everyone, so I apologize if I missed your

wares, some people packed up before I got around to them!

61

The next House of Fandom markets will be happening on the 7th of May,in Brunswick St Mall in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane. See the website for full

details. www.thecosplaycollective.com/

62

fandom finds!a few fun things I spotted at the House of Fandom Markets

1. Inventoria Designs2. Larissa Lea Art

3. Pinup Girl by HeartDesigns

4. Inventoria Designs5. Xen Gamez

6. Framed Superheroes7. HobbyRama (I think)

8. JoJo's FX9 & 10. Grinning Cheshire

Goods

Please forgive me ifsome info is incorrect,

and correct me if you can;some stores didn't have

business cards & I'vedone my best!

63

1. Its' Her Man Photography ( Ithink!)2 & 3 Inventoria Designs4. Pirate Dragon5. Kareki Art6. Fractured Lace7. Pastel Pixie8. Part Time Hero Props9. Hobbyrama10. Pastel Pixie

1. Brad & Rob Thompson,04874194312. Contact Part Time HeroProps3. Brad & Rob Thompson,0487419431 ( I think!)4. Factory Sealed5. Its' Her Man Photography( I think!)6. Xen Gamez

64

65

I CAN'T EVEN.....

66

Oz comic con was a blast from the past to the future this year, not disappointing fansover the 2 days of con-mania. From sci-fi fans, collectors and just general explorers; the

paths were paved with nerd glory. At OZCC, we get to meet a rare group of nerds that suitup and walk the halls of the Brisbane convention centre, bringing much loved char-actersto life with sheer imagination, they display their creations over the 2 massive days of the

convention.For the second year running the Brisbane Convention Centre has played host to the Oz

Comic Con; with hundreds of fans lining up on Saturday morning, frothing at the mouth,ready to devour the collection of graphic novels, gather the autographs of their heroes,

and meet up with friends from all over.

The 2015 OZCC featured a number of special guests, ranging from lovable Richard DeanAnderson from stargate, to Clive Standen from Vikings and everyone’s favourite

Ravenclaw, Evanna Lynch, and many more. My personal favourite would have had to bethe Supernatural panel, where Mark shepherd and Jim Beaver answered fans questions

and left most of us in stitches and holding their sides.

The convention itself is well organized and is highly supportive; a family oriented eventand schedule, with a zero tolerance policy for harassment of the cosplayers and guests.

As most of the people who make the days fun and inviting are volunteers, they engineer agreat atmosphere with their enthusiasm and good will. I highly recommend checking out

this event when it comes back in 2016 for round 3 of Brisbane domination.

OZ COMICON 2015

Batgirl -Jazmin Fuller,Batman -Sam Proietto,Robin - LittleJames Flash,NightWing -Tyler Wortley,Red Hood -DanielThompson.

67

KarnageKatwoman Cosplay

Yung Owl Cosplay Katicuss

It's Her Man Photography

68

Kisimul CatGaming_Goddess cosplay

Cassas Cosplay ShotsJutsu Cosplay, Sam, and Eva Jade

69

Tayla-Chan

Cassas Cosplay Shots

B-Rock IndustriesThe Winter Sirens with Project Alice Cosplay

70

B-Rock Industries

LanewayCosplay

BekeCosplay

Project AliceCosplay

Kimberry& Sven

71

GEEKS & GADGETSBY HARLEM TALE

I was not at all disappointed with the

fun things that landed on my desk this

September for geeks & gadgets. Some

old favourites re-imagined, something

new, something I wish I could borrow

for exams... and there is always

something blue!

DC COLLECTABLES: A BOMBSHELL OF

A JOURNEY

When these babies hit the shelves at

my local comic book store, I almost

had a heart attack then and there.

This collection is definitely one of my

favourites, not only for the comic book

heroines, but also because I'm a

massive fan of the 1940s pin-up era.

Designed by DC Collectables in coll-

aboration with some incredibly talent-

ed illustrators and sculptors, the Bomb-

shells were first released in 2013, acco-

mpanying a comic run in the same

vein.

The range kicked off in style with a cow

girl pinup inspired Wonder Woman,

complete with whip, and includes most

of the DC ladies. One of my personal

favourites, Batwoman, was released just

recently, and the Bombshells have been

flying off the shelves into collections,

and inspiring a lot of cosplayers along

the way. Each figurine is created in a uni-

que style, but still captures the comic

book heroine in true-to-character poses

and outfits. The statues range in price

from $150 to $170 online plus postage,

and in some stores even higher.

As always with this type of collectible,

limited numbers were made, and with

new characters on the way, snap these

up while they're still around.

SpHero BB-8 DROID AWAKENS

This IS the droid you are looking for; an

early Sith Christmas present perhaps, for

the Star Wars enthusiast in your life. 72

Released early this year, the BB-8 Droid

does not come cheap but does come

with an app (like most things these

days). Since The Force Awakens teaser

was released, fans have been itching to

see more of what this droid can do.

Perhaps aspiring to win over the loyal

R2D2 fans, these little droids roll every-

where! Amusing as it is, this little guy

has made a big difference since he's

been unveiled, and is putting a burnt

circuit in R2D2's side, as his first comp-

etition since Wall-E.

This little replica droid can roll and bal-

ance on its own, and is just the robotic

side kick you need. Priced around $250,

the BB-8 comes with an induction cha-

rger, and you get 1 hour of play for

each three hours of charging. The BB-8

has a smooth plastic outer case, and is

3 inches in diameter, so it is a bit pricey

for quite a small remote controlled toy.

He is a very cute little package, and if

you're a die-hard Star Wars collector

he'll definitely be on your Christmas

List.

Don’t worry R2, we will always love you,

but BB-8 has stolen my heart.

Well that's all folks, I'll be back next Issue

with more geeky gadgets for you!

If you want to see some of your own pro-

ducts in our next issue, feel free to email

at nerdgirlmagazine@gmail.com. We

don't charge for product reviews, and

love talking about independently crea-

ted and local products!

73

TabletopGaming, News & Reviews with Jus'Traana

When you think of creativity and board games or card games, there’s a few that im-mediately spring to mind. While strategy games are usually my preferred cup of tea,

I do like to dabble and play all kinds of games. I’m not a fan of gateway games (theeasier, lighter games people play when they begin realise there’s a big, wide world ofboard gaming out there that does not involve Monopoly or Scrabble) as I find them a

bit one dimensional and dull. I don’t mind the odd Euro game, either. On the whole,I like board gaming (and the non-collectible card games that

generally get lumped in with board gaming).

Just about all board games you’ll find at your local board gaming club or LFGS(local friendly gaming store) require a good imagination and some creativity.

But what really gets those creative juices flowing and keeps you riveted to the table,lost in another world? Any well-built game you’re playing, especially in a genre you

love, will do that. There are some that stand out for creativity, though.

The most obvious one is Dixit. This is a card game with a difference. The deck ofcards is decorated with beautiful artwork designed to draw you into a more

existential frame of mind. The ‘lead’ player says a word or phrase and everyone hasto put down a card they hold in their hand that they think best represents that word.

All cards played are placed face down, shuffled, and then placed face up.

76

The players then put their marker next to what they think was the lead player’scard - the lead player is not allowed to vote, of course. Points are scored against whogot it right, but the more obvious the lead player made it, the less points they get.If the lead player made it so obscure though that no-one guessed correctly, theydon’t gain any points, and points are gained for the non-lead player whoput down a card that so matched the lead player’s description that peoplethought it belonged to them.

It’s a lovely little game, definitely one suited to the whole family. and can keepyoung children up to adults quite entertained. You really do need to be creative withyour descriptions, and how the pictures on the cards in your hand can be interpreted.One of the best rules of this game is you may not use in-jokes, or familiar referencesthat only a few people at the table may get, because of a past joke orshared experience.

One of my favourite board games is Tales of the Arabian Nights. This is a beautifulgame, that transports you back to the days of 1001 Arabian Nights. In essence, it’s aChoose Your Own Adventure in the format of a board game, instead of someyellow-page, dog eared paperback you’ve pored through all summer. I can still smellthose pages now!

The players take on the roles of contemporary heroes, such as Ali Baba orShaharazad, and your aim is to follow adventure-based objectives, and be the firstplayer to reach the target goal of destiny points and story points.Everyone starts with a separate objective, which gives everyone a different reasonto move from one place on the board to another. The board depicts a very Arab-centric view of the early medieval world, and each time you land on a new location,you draw up a random event.

The cards will have three day phases on them - morning, afternoon, and night. Youbegin playing in the morning, as this will give you the easiest encounters. A series ofvariables will give you a different encounter, and the skills you’ve chosen for yourcharacter will make you good at different things that may aid you in your adventure.

Sometimes the most ludicrous choices will yield the best results - after all, it is agame of epic storytelling! You may find yourself pursued across the known world fora perceived insult by an angry barber with murder on his mind, or ensnared by anefarious djinn, or any manner of occurrences. The game does have a tendency tobog down, however. I one of the earliest games we played, the lead player could havewon three times over but, after all his encounters, had his gender switched andturned into a snake.

77

For whatever reason, you cannot win the game if you come under a number ofconditions, including being sex-changed (I think because you are the hero and the

hero is always returned to their natural state before the conclusion of the story).

To do this, you would have to find another encounter that would return yourcharacter to the same state they began the game in, and finding that in a book of

adventures the size of a phone book… well, in this situation, we played for an hourand a half longer than we would have, and were quite tired and over the game by the

time it finished.

The best way to play this game, I think, is sparingly. The worst thing you can do isplay the game very regularly as it loses its lustre. Also, as we played quite a lot of

games with people who hadn’t played before, we played on morning, as the easiestmode, and this may have affected our play. It’s important to change the cycles of

day, because you do start being able to predict some of the problem solving, and thatquite ruins the storytelling and excitement of the game. There are many games that,

when people really enjoy it, they want to play it over and over again, which can endup putting other players off.

The longer the game, the more you want to savour it and not overdo it, and this is afull evening or afternoon game.

Concept is not as visually stunning as Dixit or Arabian Nights, and looks quite plainand simple. It is, at the end of the day, a glorified Pictionary or Charades but can be

so much fun. Like a lot of games of its type, it’s best played for a couple rounds inbetween longer, more serious games, and taken as some fun - played that way it can

be a great laugh. Instead of drawing or acting your answer to your opponents, youneed to use representative symbols on the board, and the answer is chosen from a

random card. Try using abstract representative symbols to explain “The Fall of theRoman Empire” or “Jurassic Park”. You definitely need to be creative!

There are hundreds of creative and imaginative board games but I’ll mention justone more in passing, a storytelling card game called Once Upon A Time. I only

mention it in passing as I played it once last year but I enjoyed it thoroughly andkeep meaning to pick up a copy of the game.

It really is the way it sounds - “Once upon a time….” The players use their cardsto weave a fairy story. It’s a cooperative/competitive game, like Castle Panic whereyou need to work together but only one player can win. Aside from the competitive

outcome of the game, it’s just a beautiful way to spend some time with friends,coming up with outrageous and magical tales.

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If you are interested in board games but don’t have anyone to play with or you’re notsure which games you should get, many gaming stores hold board game nights and aquick internet search should also bring up any local board game clubs.

A lot of our own current board game circle we met at our local store and local club.It’s also a great way to try a game before handing over what can be quite a bit ofmoney. For those who like these kinds of games but live in a regional area, there aresome sites where you can play board games and card games over the internet.

Dixit published by LibelludTales of the Arabian Nights published by Z-Man GamesConcept published by ReposOnce Upon A Time: The Storytelling Card Game published by Atlas Games

Well that brings us to the close of Issue 2: Creativity! I hopeyou've enjoyed the creativity and beauty of all the differentstory tellers and artists who contributed to the magazine.

Please leave us feedback on Facebook or by email; I'd loveto know what you liked, and what you think I can improve.

If you particularly liked a piece of work in the magazine, I'd likeencourage you to use the Paypal button on our website tothrow a few dollars to the person who created it. Even a

small gesture can encourage someone to continue creating,and getting to eat is always nice too.

Next issue is the Careers issue, we'll be talking to women indifferent Scientific, Tech, Gaming, and other careers about how

they started, what they love about their fields, and the challengesthey face. We'll also bring you some photos from Supanova,

which I'm really excited about as I missed it this year!

Thanks again for your patience in waiting for Issue 2, and ahuge thank you to everyone who contributed. Your hard work

made it happen! - Liz

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