NW NERD Magazine Summer 2022

ISSUE 01

Portland INSIDE

Jedi Church in Spokane Cosplay Power Couple Pop Culture Hiking Guide and more

NW NERD MAGAZINE Editor-in-chief Dyer Oxley Writers Ted Alvarez Dyer Oxley Graphic Designer / Cover John Rodriguez Contributors Sean DeTore Brian Johnson Dyer Oxley Pixie Bomber Frank Shires Floydman Sumner Keith Tucker

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hen NW NERD Podcast began in 2016, the goal was to create a podcast with the theme of a magazine reporting on various aspects of the region’s “geekonomy.” That effort has evolved into the magazine you hold right now.

It started as a collaboration between myself and Nick Jarin while we were working at a Seattle radio station. I was a newspaper reporter at heart. Nick was a talk radio producer. In other words, we were quite different. But we were both geeks. And that set a tone for NW NERD — despite differences, we are all nerds.

And it's been a great time to be a nerd. Marvel has risen to become a cinematic force. Geek culture has taken over sitcoms. There are now so many comic cons and pop culture events that we generally have them all year-round in the Northwest. Nerdy pastimes (computers, video games, etc.) have become some of the most highly coveted jobs. On top of all that, our Northwest region boasts some of the most brilliant DIY creators, churning out everything

nw-nerd.com nwnerdpodcast@gmail.com NW NERD's guerilla marketing.

from fandom bath bombs to teas, custom cosplay worthy of Hollywood, and original art.

And now, they have their own magazine.

We all may come at life from different angles. But this pop culture, nerd niche is a place we all come together. It can Be inclusive and supportive. I firmly believe there are no gatekeepers to our passions. That's been my main motivation producing this endeaver that is NW NERD. Since it began, NW NERD has covered the origin stories of Lilac City Comicon, Emerald City Comic Con, and various local artists. It has dove into the nerdlesque scene spanning Portland to Vancouver, BC.; Astoria’s film history; a Godzilla surf rock band from Boise; and much more. I call this clever collection of crafters, artists, musicians, and entreprenuers the "geekonomy." It is thriving in the Northwest and I feel it deserves a spotlight.

As a result of shining a spotlight, two of my feature stories have won first place honors from the Society of

Professional Journalists.

NW NERD has hosted afterparties and cosplay contests. We've been on local TV and radio. And a decent number of NW NERD stickers have gone up in coffee shop and dive bar bathrooms.

And it continues to evolve, which brings me to this magazine. I’ve long wanted to extend NW NERD's coverage; further share all the fun, creativity, and passionate culture brewing throughout the Pacific Northwest. NW NERD Magazine aims to feature the stories that make us nerds and bring this community closer together. And also, honestly, I just thought it would be pretty cool to make a magazine.

NW NERD contributors Brandon and Kyra Haddix interview voice actor Jen Cohn at RenCon. (Dyer Oxley / NW NERD)

If you feel there is a story out there that deserves to be told, a cool shop or creator we should know about, you want NW NERD Magazine in your local hang out, or just want to offer some feedback, you

can reach me at nwnerdpodcast@gmail.com.

Thank you for picking up this print edition of NW NERD. I hope you enjoy.

Dyer Oxley NW NERD

Above: Jedi Minister Tyler Arnold stands inside the pop culture museum at the Jedi Alliance, with film props, costumes, toys, games, and more.

Left page: You are sure to find these pinball machines and arcade games at the Jedi Alliance in Spokane, Wash. (Dyer Oxley / NW NERD)

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How a passion for pop culture evolved into a mission to preserve it ... and a Star Wars church

By Dyer Oxley, NW NERD

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n the outskirts of Spokane, Washington’s industrial eastside stands a holy place. It is here that Tyler Arnold tends to a nostalgic flock, speaking with fervorous spirit about pop culture that has touched the lives of many over decades.

“I’m a registered Jedi minister and Jedi knight,” Arnold says, standing in a room lined with arcade machines and memorabilia spanning toys to movie props.

The core of Jedi Alliance is a Star Wars church – officially registered with the state as such. It bears witness to sci-fi, video games, and punk rock.

Here, joysticks and switches are holy relics that parishioners use to sing in a chorus of eight-bit hymns.

Despite all its glory, this is not what Arnold ever intended.

placed the $9 Star Wars lunchbox in the path of 16-yearold Arnold, prompting a revelation – pop culture relics such as this should not be collecting dust in the back of a thrift store, knocked around half-operational speakers and used exercise equipment.

“I bought it,” he said. “Now it’s not a toy; now it’s a collectible. As a teenager I realized that these should be cherished. Now I’m buying this stuff, I’m cleaning it up, I’m trying to get the most mint specimen possible.”

Arnold grew up in Spokane, against the backdrop of movie screens and arcades that boomed through the ’80s and ’90s. That’s the era he focused on, collecting relics from movie posters to action figures. He traded and peddled, all while amassing his own personal collection.

“Iʼm not hoarding ʼ80s memorabilia.

Iʼm cherishing ʼ80s memorabilia.”

“This is absolutely the byproduct of my willingness to roll with the punches – 100%,” Arnold said. “I wish I could say, ‘I’m a genius! I’m a diabolical genius!’ That I was going to start this Star Wars church – not at all.”

The roots of the Northwest’s only Star Wars church span back to the 1990s, when a teenager took a pilgrimage to a thrift store. That was when Arnold spotted a relic that would alter his path – a "Return of the Jedi" lunchbox.

“That lunch box just took me back. There was a lot of nostalgia in it,” Arnold said.

That collection would add up to achieving a dream: owning a guitar played by Johnny Ramone, of punk rock fame.

“Eventually, I did find one and was able to buy one of Johnny Ramone’s guitars,” Arnold said.

Arnold continued to find and give shelter to lost toys. But things took a turn when he stumbled upon a Star Wars arcade machine.

“Now this is something you are definitely not supposed to have,” Tyler said.

His collection had grown from trinkets to action figures, movie props and costumes, and now a punk rock legend’s guitar. But taking on a full-size arcade cabinet was a turning point. He wanted more.

“We stumbled into a vendor in 2007. The games were not making quarters at the time. They were not out on

Jedi Alliance continued on page 8

THE COLLECTOR

It was as if an occult hand had reached down and

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flock of games would spend years wandering in a wilderness of backyards and backrooms.

“Where did we keep them? Everywhere,” Arnold said.

“We got code violations for putting arcade machines in yards. We didn’t have anywhere else to put them.”

Arnold eventually found himself living on one side of a duplex and storing arcade games on the other side.

No inch was spared. Games were stacked on top of each other.

He knew there had to be a better place: A promised land where video games could be free to glow and bleep in all their glory.

“People all the time would tell me, ‘You are hoarding ’80s memorabilia,’” Arnold said. “I’m not hoarding ’80s memorabilia – I’m cherishing ’80s memorabilia. I’m preserving it. That’s what this place is becoming – a preservation rather than a collection … it’s outgrown me.”

Jedi Alliance from page 7 route. They were just in his giant warehouse. He was trying to sell them for about six months and he couldn’t get $100 a piece for them. We went in and bought a few games.

We go back again, and he was smashing the games with a small tractor.”

The sight of crushed arcade machines tore at his soul.

Arnold pleaded with the vendor not to strike down the machines.

“I was like, ‘Dude! Please don’t smash another game,’” he recalled. “‘I will take every game you plan on smashing.’”

Arnold searched for the biggest truck he could find – 140 machines saw salvation that day. Which is a lot more than most hobbyists can fit into the corner of a garage. This 8

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FINDING RELIGION

The solution unfolded quickly. Around the 10-year anniversary of Johnny Ramone’s death, Arnold decided to put the legendary guitar up for auction.

“The guitar goes for an astronomical, crazy amount of money,” he said. “(Then) I find this building that is huge. It’s over 5,000 square feet.”

It happened to be an old church building. With a pocket full of an “astronomical, crazy amount” of Ramones money (about $71,000), Tyler bought the church property and planned to move in his assembly of arcade games, toys, costumes, and more.

But like a mob of pharisees spouting zoning codes, Spokane city officials delivered bad news. The church building was built before its neighborhood was converted into single-family homes. Its use was locked in – it had to be used as a church. But Arnold knew a few things the city

Top left: Iconic films projected above arcade games. Bottom left: Punk rock memorabilia displayed at the Jedi Alliance. Above: Tyler Arnold in front of collectible toys, movie props, and more. (Dyer Oxley / NW NERD)

didn’t.

For starters, Jediism – a religion based on the Jedi tradition in the Star Wars franchise – has been among the fastest growing religions in recent years. It began as a protest, or a joke, on various census forms around the globe.

People across the planet put “Jedi” under the religion section.

There are now Jedi churches in New Zealand and the United Kingdom (177,000 people registered as Jedi in the UK in 2011). More than 15,000 people have also registered as Jedi in the Czech Republic.

Jediism is not recognized as a religion in the United States. Though there is a Jedi temple in Texas. Also, soldiers in the military are allowed to put “Jedi” on their dog tags in place of a denomination, and many do.

So why not start a Star Wars church in Spokane? One that would be a monument to pop culture which evangelized big and small screens through blockbuster tales and Pac-Man. “Your basic rights as U.S. citizens is the freedom of religion, so they can’t tell you what you are allowed to worship,” Arnold said. “So I knew that if I said it was a Star Wars church, and ran it like a church, and got my 501(c)(3) and all that stuff in proper order, there is not a lot they can stop me from doing.”

“Under the church credentials I’m allowed to do that, I can open the doors and say ‘Come in, have fun with us.’”

Shortly after being ordained as a minister of Jediism in 2016, Tyler opened the doors to the Jedi Alliance. And it was good.

Pop culture parishioners are invited to attend between 6-10 p.m. Fridays through Sundays, or by appointment (he also hosts birthday parties).

As a result of his efforts, Arnold has been accused of starting a cult. He strongly disagrees. The Jedi Alliance has no official dogma. And unlike other religious organizations, he pays taxes.

“I feel that you can be Christian, you can be Catholic, you can be Flying Spaghetti Monster, whatever you want to be – if you look outside the front of my door it says ‘We accept you, one of us.’ I mean that for all people,” Arnold said.

“There is so much stuff that we all saw, we all grew up with, we all love,” he said. “And I think it does transcend religions, it does transcend all people.”

WE’RE GONNA NEED A BIGGER CHURCH

Since this story was first reported on NW NERD Podcast, Arnold’s preservation efforts have grown. The building where this church began could no longer hold the swelling spirit inside. He moved the collection to a new, larger building on the eastern edge of Spokane, at the site of a former Thai Restaurant.

When you enter through the front door, you will find a gift shop filled with collectible action figures, T-shirts, and other geeky elements of worship. The nave holds an extensive collection of video games and pinball machines. There is also a display dedicated to punk rock memorabilia.

An upstairs reliquary holds remnants spanning the ’80s and ’90s. Beetlejuice shares a shrine with a Steve Urkel doll. There are extensive displays of Star Wars toys, He-Man play sets, and movie props from "Terminator" to "X-Men." An entire corner is dedicated to "Welcome Back Kotter."

It is open for all to cherish.

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Take a fandom hike inspired by your favorite pop culture

By Ted Alvarez Physical geography typically matters more in the realms of fantasy and sci-fi than other genres of fiction. Tolkien’s hand-drawn maps are the preamble to both his, and our, conception of Middle Earth. And it’s hard to imagine H.G. Wells or Robert Louis Stevenson’s doomed characters not shrouded in the fog and mist of Victorian England.

This emphasis on transforming a landscape into a character unto itself inspires real-world pilgrimages among the hardcore. I’d argue you can’t find a region of the country more primed for a fantasy or sci-fi pilgrimage than the Pacific Northwest. Sure, gothic horror oozes from parts of the Deep South, and Stephen King’s work has helped Maine lock down a distinct brand of cold-shouldered New England 10

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creepiness.

But the Northwest has the best places to immerse yourself in true fantastical ambience — and that goes double for stories steeped in the natural world. Forthwith are a few of my favorite places to soak up sci-fi / fandom vibes: Some are actual filming locations; some author inspiration; and perfect doppelgängers for places that don't exist.

Whether for an hour or for an afternoon, take a trek across the Northwest to take a step into another world.

JOHN DELLENBACK TRAIL, OREGON DUNES (DUNE)

Frank Herbert’s seminal, trippy space epic is loaded with cribs from Middle Eastern and North African desert culture. But he was initially inspired while on a reporting trip to this 40-mile stretch of otherworldly dunes along the Oregon coast near Florence. Herbert also had a penchant for mushrooms — just saying. You won’t need any chemical assistance to picture shai hulud erupting from massive

John Dellenback Trail at the Oregon Dunes. The inspiration for Frank Herbert's Dune series initially came from this national park along the Oregon coast. (Courtesy of David Fulmer)

yellow sand hills on this 4-mile roundtrip trail. An obscured ocean makes it feel even more Arrakis-like. Bring your own spice.

CUTTHROAT PASS, NORTH CASCADES (LOTR/LOTHLORIEN)

If for some reason Peter Jackson couldn’t film his Lord Of The Rings films in New Zealand, this region would’ve been a perfect runner-up — even better to my eyes than the long-gone wild English moors that inspired Tolkien. We’ve got misty rainforests, belching volcanoes, and even impassible labyrinths of razor-sharp rocks.

But the most awe-inspiring visions happen high in the mountains when larch trees change color. In late September/early October, these conifers turn bright gold throughout the North Cascades. The ensuing glow pops against stone and sky to transport you to Lothlorien. There’s loads of places to check them out, but Cutthroat Pass cuts down on the crowds that clog the Heather-Maple Pass Loop across Highway 20. A strenuous climb over about 5 miles takes you to the pass; continue into the Cutthroat Lake basin beyond the pass to find your own private grove and listen to the wind (elves?) whisper in your ear. Just don’t step off trail or Haldir will shoot.

NORTH FORK QUINAULT TRAIL (TWILIGHT SERIES)

Whether you find it enticing or excruciating, this series about sparkly vampires and shirtless werewolves is a phenomenon so rooted in the PNW that it helped reverse the fortune of the forgotten logging town of Forks. You can lose yourself in the spooky patches of rainforest throughout the Olympic Peninsula (that author Stephenie Meyer never bothered to visit while writing her saga). While the movies were mostly filmed in Portland and British Columbia, the Hoh rainforest gets the most ink in the story. And don't worry, vampires out there won't drink your blood ... so I've heard.

The North Fork Quinault Trail sees far fewer visitors and meanders 13 miles to Enchanted Valley, where multiple waterfalls pour off the glaciated peaks that ring bearfilled meadows. With a permit from the Olympic National Park wilderness center (located just before the road to the trailhead), you can stay the night and concoct your own story about vampires that includes, I don’t know, actual blood and/or tearing down the patriarchy. Or use the scenery to cuddle with one wolfy friend while another stares uncomfortably at you all night long.

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Top: Larch trees turn gold each September/October in the North Cascades. Cutthroat Pass is a great place for Lord of the Rings vibes. It can get Bottom: Stanely Park and Vancouver BC. (Adrian Yu / Unsplash) Fulmer) cold, so pack some Ovaltine. (Ted Alvarez)

Outdoor Fandom continued from page 11 VANCOUVER, BC (BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, ALTERED CARBON, RESIDENT ALIEN, A MILLION OTHER THINGS)

If you’ve ever gazed upon a shiny, futuristic cityscape that wasn’t completely CGI, you were probably looking at Vancouver, BC. The elegant, techy glass and metal towers that spike the dense urban core have been used as a backdrop for various series (like Battlestar Galactica) as well as tons of movies. The surrounding area has served as the setting for Stargate SG-1, Supernatural, and X-Files, and a range of other fandom-worthy titles.

The best way to take it all in is through peekaboo views from Stanley Park or at the waterfront promenade, though William Gibson devotees may want to stroll through Chinatown at night to absorb the neon, rain-soaked ambience that informed his cyberpunk masterpieces (Neuromancer). Philip K. Dick also worked Vancouver into his stories — which means the town has been influencing heady sci-fi for several generations.

Peacemaker fans who really wanna taste it can make the journey to nearby Surrey and Cloverdale, where a shuttered video store served as the title character’s HQ.

Outdoor Fandom continued on page 14

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You won't sparkle down low in the Olympic Peninsula, but who knows? Maybe if you get up high in the hills, you might shimmer a bit. The North Fork Quinault Trail is a great place to experience the Twilight of the area. (Ted Alvarez)

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Outdoor Fandom continued from page 12 GRAND COULEE DAM (INDIANA JONES AND THE TEMPLE OF DOOM)

If you can remember anything beyond the gross-out monkey brains desserts and heart removals of "Indiana Jones And The Temple Of Doom," it’s probably the rope bridge battle at the film’s climax. Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw, and Ke Huy Quan all dangled over the dizzying heights of the giant Grand Coulee Dam in Grant County. It’s hard to recognize because special effects wizards pasted in Sri Lankan backgrounds to stand in for the film’s Indian location. Tours of the dam itself have been closed amid the COVID pandemic, but you can still take it all in via hikes and drives around the surrounding scablands and on the shores of Lake Roosevelt just beyond the dam. In the summer, laser light shows play out on the dam’s 550-foot tall, mile-long concrete walls. Fingers crossed they'll schedule a John Williams film score retrospective.

Ted Alvarez is an outdoor writer, enviornmental reporter, and host of The Explorist Podcast.

No vampires, but plenty of bears on the Olympic Peninsula. (Ted Alvarez)

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Nerdwax Candle Co. makes scents out of fandom and more

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hat does your favorite fandom smell like? That’s a question Michel Anais Paves ponders a lot.

What started as a project to cope with pandemic stress evolved into a full-grown business crafting scents that align with pop culture. Today, Paves is “chief nerd” at Nerdwax Candle Co. “I just wanted a way to decompress without actually having to leave,” Paves recalled of when the COVID-19 pandemic first struck in 2020. “I started buying a bunch of candles. And that got expensive. So I was like, ‘Why don’t I just make some stuff? I’ll make it, I’ll learn it. It will be a good way to refocus the energy and the stress.’ That’s how it started.”

She’s familiar with stress. Paves has a background in psychology and has spent a career in social work. That work didn’t stop during pandemic lockdowns. So she sought comfort in her favorite fandoms to relax.

“I was watching NeverEnding Story,” Paves said. “I was watching one of my favorite scenes with Falkor, the luck dragon. Just remembering the nostalgia of how comforting this creature was … he came and rescued Atreyu, and I remembered the comfort and relief in that scene and I was burning a candle at that time. And I was like, ‘What if I enhanced this moment, this nostalgia?’”

Leaning into her psychology background, knowing that scent is one of the strongest senses to trigger memories and associations, she focused on Falkor.

“What is an herb or a scent that I tie with wisdom? That has to do with my grandmother; my grandmother is wise.

And she would cook with sage; sage-like figures,” Paves said as she went through her thought process.

“Then I’m like, ‘Well, Falkor is not just wise, he’s optimistic and bright. I need something that is citrusy and bright.’ I saw that lemongrass was a thing. Sage made sense. I combined the two and I liked it.”

The result is the Luck Dragon candle.

From there, Paves took on scents drawn from Greek mythology and the X-Men. Wolvie – a peppercorn / Scotch candle – is one of her favorites. She also reached into her background to develop candles for Filipinx folklore.

Today, Nerdwax Candle Co. offers a range of pop culture scents, such as “Smelly Cat,” “Tea with Uncle Iroh,” “Leeloo,” “Unicorn Tears,” and “Persephone,” just to name a few.

In the end, it’s about making connections between memories and characters, and entertaining the senses to enhance the moment.

Nerdwax Candle Co. can often be found at Seattle-

Michel Anais Paves is “chief nerd” at Nerdwax Candle Co. (Courtesy of Nerdwax Candle Co. / Dyer Oxley)

area street fairs and markets. Paves regularly posts updates at nerdwax.candle on Instagram — that’s the best place to find which stores she is stocking, as well as new products she is releasing.

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COSP How a couple built better health, and a better bond, through building cosplay

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SPLAY POWER COUPLE

Photos by DAVE GALLAGHER & JOSH SHOT COSPLAY IG @davesphotos.pnw / @josh_shot_cosplay Rogues Gallery Cosplay @roguesgallerycosplay NW NERD MAGAZINE

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Iron Man and Rescue armor (Mark XLIX): The armor was 3D printed and fitted to each person. They custom wired electronics inside the suits, such as LED lighting and motorized effects. Both suits required Aaron and Julie to workout to slim down so the suits wouldn't be too bulky. "It's not something we can throw on in our off season," Aaron said. (Photos by Dave Gallagher)

Rogues Gallery combines body building with costume building

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hey needed to make a change. That message was clear.

Doctors were telling Aaron and Julie Elledge that they needed to start living healthy. And it turns out, that meant they needed cosplay.

“We spent a couple years making unhealthy choices, lifestyle-wise,” Aaron said. “That came to a head with the birth of our daughter.”

“I was at an obese BMI,” Julie adds. “We had healthcare providers telling us ‘You guys are not healthy, you got to lose weight.’ I had an unhealthy pregnancy with issues related to that. So we got to a point where we knew we 18

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needed to make a change. For some reason, for us, it excited us to think ‘Maybe we could look like some of the comic book heroes who are so muscular and fit.’”

That inspiration led to Rogues Gallery Cosplay — a husband and wife team who not only build costumes, they build their bodies as an extension of cosplay.

“Some people have been confused by us. Like ‘What is your deal?’” Julie said. “It seems kind of strange; the marriage of the two things. But for us they seem so natural.

It also seems like our excitement and enthusiasm for one feeds into our excitement and enthusiasm for the other.”

What became Rogues Gallery Cosplay began in 2012, when Aaron and Julie first met for a cup of coffee.

The date unfolded over three hours as they shared their fandoms. Aaron grew up with a healthy passion for comic

"Cosplay and fitness are really intertwined for us."

It started with making costumes for Joker and Harley Quinn from the "Suicide Squad" film. All the while, working out alongside the costume.

books and movies which was passed down from his dad and uncle.

“For me growing up, I liked video games, but I didn’t like comic books very much,” Julie said. “I felt that they didn’t really represent me or were for me. Aaron talks about all the comic book characters he related to, and they’re all men … the first time I got super into a geekdom was when I watched "Sailor Moon." I was obsessed with it. Then I started reading the manga …

I loved "Star Wars" and Star Trek. And that was one of the things we bonded over when we first met.”

That date led to more, including comic con dates. Three years later, they were married. And eventually, kids. But as is the case with many families as they come together, Julie and Aaron’s health began to suffer. By 2017, they needed to make some lifestyle changes.

That’s where cosplay came along. While Julie emphasizes that “cosplay is for everybody; there are no limits as to what people can cosplay,” she notes that it provided a framework and goals for them to achieve.

“Cosplay and fitness are really intertwined for us,” Julie said. “When we started getting more serious about cosplay and getting excited about building cosplay, at the same time we were getting excited about fitness and about building our bodies … and we wanted to bring some very muscled, larger-than-life characters to life. And one of the ways we get psyched up for that is working out toward that goal.”

“We’ll say ‘This is a physique heavy cosplay,’” Aaron said. “For example, one of (my cosplays) is Namor. That was one where I really worked on my physique to get there. I had been the Joker earlier that year and I had dieted down to really lean out and get that Jared Leto Joker — wiry and quite lean. Then I tried to pack on muscle to be Namor. So I spent three months eating more, working out harder, bulking in order to get there. So we have cosplays like that where we will put our bodies through a regiment that will match what we are trying to do.”

The same dedication is directed at the costumes themselves. One of Rogues Gallery’s biggest projects was an Iron Man suit and the Rescue suit, which they constructed using a 3D printer. They also picked up some electrical skills to light it up and power moving parts in the helmets.

To date, it’s the costumes they are most proud of.

For their Joker and Harley Quinn costumes, they made their own temporary tattoos (having been disappointed with the inaccuracy of store-bought options). They made body maps to get the placement just right – screen accurate.

For their Mandalorian cosplay, they picked up leatherworking skills.

“You kind of go down the rabbit hole,” Aaron said.

“A good example is my Mandalorian.

It was supposed to just be a Halloween costume ... I totally missed my Halloween deadline because I went down a rabbit hole of screen accuracy. And now my Mandalorian is pretty up

Cosplay continued on page 22 Spider-Man and Spider-Gwen: Spider-Man suit was hand painted by Marv at Mvious Cosplay. Aaron and Julie then added screen-accurate ASICS Dirt Dog soles and made the faceshell, lenses, and webshooters. Aaron aimed for an Andrew Garfield look by training with lighter weights at high repetitions to reduce body fat. But it is not a body composition he maintains long-term.

(Photos by Dave Gallagher)

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Batman and Poison Ivy: Base Batman suit is by Unmasked Studio. Poison Ivy corset and skirt was commissioned by Lauren St Laurent. Since the Batman suit is bulky, Aaron maintained a more trim physique for taking photos. Julie focused bodybuilding on shoulder and leg training.

(Photo by Dave Gallagher)

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Superman and Power Girl: Costumes were constructed with both purchased and homemade materials, which required sewing and tailoring, as well as 3D printing and modeling.

Both charactersare what Julie and Aaron call "physique heavy" which means they lifted weights to bulk up and appear muscular.

(Photos by Josh Shot Cosplay)

Ghostbusters: Outsourced most components for the costumes. Some parts were 3D printed and modeled at home or the proton pack to make it more screen accurate.

(Photo by Dave Gallagher)

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Cosplay continued from page 19 there. It’s pretty good.”

Some of the costumes are built entirely by Julie and Aaron. Other costumes are purchased. And others are a mix. They enjoy the craft wherever it comes from. In the end, it’s about sharing the cosplay and having fun with it.

“Meeting like-minded people, nerds like us, bringing to life characters they loved in the same way we do, that really sparked a change with us,” Aaron said. “We realized, ‘Oh, you guys do photoshoots?! You don’t just go to the con and walk around the show floor. You actually play?’

That play part of cos-play.”

“I think it’s enhanced our relationship,” Julie said.

“We’re parents, we have busy jobs. We have a lot of other responsibilities in our life. But cosplay is literally how we play. It’s such a fun hobby for us to indulge in together.”

Today, Julie has used her passion for health to earn a PhD in nursing. She also participates in bodybuilding competitions.

Mandalorian and Bo-Katan Kryze: Julie and Aaron learned leatherwork to handmake all leather components. Armor and helmets were 3D printed and painted to be screen accurate. Canvas flight suits are the base. Vests were custom commissioned through Sionnach Studios. (Photos by Dave Gallagher)

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Across 2. Former Seahawk and current Magic card shop owner 3. Auteur behind Twin Peaks 6. Purple Haze guitar god 7. Writer for Captain Marvel, Bitch Planet 11. Filmed 15 seasons in Vancouver, BC 12. Award-winning Native American artist from the Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe 14. Chuck Palahniuk book turned film 15. Nirvana’s 1991 album 17. Rambo: First Blood filmed in this BC town

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CROSSWORD: NORTHWEST

POP CULTURE Down 1. Agent Dale Cooper actor from Yakima 4. Seattle-based anime convention 5. Golden Age Collectibles found in this Place 8. “I’m your __________.” Also state fruit of Idaho 9. Author of Dune who was born in Tacoma 10. Idaho is the ___ state 11. Dex solves mysteries in this Portland-based graphic novel 13. Cult-classic Christmas film 16. Portland State archives every title from this comic book publisher

Pixie Bomber trivia 1

Hey cinephiles, can you name these films that have NW connections?

The American adaptation of a Japanese videotape horror, filmed in multiple locations in Washington and Oregon.

The first major stop motion film for Laika Studios (based in

2 Hillsboro, Ore.) in 2009, that was based on a Neil Gaiman novella.

3 Book-to-film that follows a hike along the Pacific Crest Trail.

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John Belushi attended a toga party in this 1978 film at the University of Oregon.

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Deb eats her tots in this film set in Preston, Idaho.

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The first major feature film (1998) that was written, produced, and directed entirely by Native Americans, and filmed on the Coeur D’Alene Indian Reservation.

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1997 disaster-action film starring Pierce Brosnan that was shot around Wallace and Sagle, Idaho (and parts of Washington state).

Shakespeare adaptation was filmed across locations in King County and Pierce County in Washington state (mainly at Stadium High School).

Witches made their home in Coupeville, Wash. in this 1998 film.

Arguably the most famous romcom set in Seattle in 1993 (and a bit of New York).

11 Arguably the most famous romcom set in Seattle in 1992 (at least for Gen X).

Alternate Universe: Spot 8 differences between these two images

DeTore

Appe ar ing co urte sy of Ke i t h Tucke r, t ucke rto ons.com

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Comiconversations

alkinz

The Hoody

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Northwest Events - All Dates Approximate WINTER

CascadeCon: January. Bellingham, Wash. Tabletop board game convention. www.cascadecon.games FanExpo Portland: January. Portland, Ore. Pop culture convention. fanexpohq.com FanExpo Vancouver: February.

Vancouver, BC. Pop culture convention. fanexpohq.com OrcaCon: January. Bellevue, Wash.

Tabletop games convention. orcacon.org VanHoover: January. Richmond, BC. My Little Pony fan convention. vanhoover.ca NerdFaire: February. Lynnwood, Wash. Convention for all things geeky with local businesses and creators. nerdfairecon.com RadCon: February. Pasco, Wash.

Sci-Fi and fantasy convention. radcon.org SPRING Bricks Cascade: March. Portland, Ore. LEGO fan convention. brickscascade.com Capital City Comic Con: March.

Victoria, BC. Pop culture comic con. capitalcitycomiccon.ca GameStorm: March. Portland, Ore. Gaming convention (tabletop, role playing, collectible card games). gamestorm.org Terminal City Tabletop Convention: March. Vancouver, BC. Tabeltop gaming convention. terminalcitycon.ca Chibi Chibi Con: April. Olympia, Wash. Anime convention held at Evergreen State College. hibichibicon.wordpress.com Norwescon: April. SeaTac, Wash.

Sci-Fi and fantasy convention with a literary focus. Norwescon.org Sakura-Con: April. Seattle, Wash.

Anime, manga, gaming, and Asian pop culture convention. sakuracon.org Crypticon: April/May. Seattle, Wash.

Horror convention for fans of spooky, creepy pop culture. crypticonseattle. com

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Brass Screw Alliance: June, Port Townsend, Wash. Festival for steampunks and neo-Victorians. brassscrew.org Fairyblossom Festival: June. Pe Ell, Wash. Fantasy festival and midsommer games. fairyblossomfestival.com GeekCraft Expo: June. Portland, Ore. A market for handmade geek creatons. geekcraftexpo.com Lilac City Comicon: June. Spokane, Wash. Comic convention and pop culture expo. lilaccitycon.com NW Pinball and Arcade Show: June. Tacoma, Wash. More than 400 pinball and arcade games. Also, guests and tournaments. nwpinballshow.com Vancouver Retro Gaming Expo: June. Vancouver, BC. Retro gaming with tournaments and guests at the Anvil Center in New Westminister, BC. vancouvergamingexpo.com Washington State Summer Con: June. Puyallup. Wash. Pop culture convention at the Washington State Fairgrounds. wasummercon.com KuroNekoCon: July. Spokane, Wash. Anime, gaming, and Japanese culture convention.

NW NERD spotted at Emerald City Comic kuronekocon.com BritCon: August. Bellevue, Wash. ConCon. (Dyer Oxley / NW NERD) vention for fans of British pop culture. britcon.org SageFenCon: April/May. Richland, Dragonfl ight: August.

Wash. Sci-fi/fantasy convention.

Bellevue, Wash.

Tabletop gaming consagefencon.org vention. dragonfl ight.org Paizocon: May. Seattle, Wash. A Emerald City Comic Con: August. gaming convention from the Paizo Comic book and pop culture convengame publishing company. tion. emeraldcitycomiccon.com (usually paizo.com/paizocon held in the spring) WagonCon: May. The Dalles, Ore. Everfree Northwest: August. BellevTabletop gaming convention. ue, Wash. My Little Pony convention. wagoncon.com everfreenw.com Renton City Retro: August. Renton, SUMMER Wash. A convention dedicated to retro All’s Faire: June. Lacey, Wash. Mevideo games and pop culture. dievel festival at the Thurston County rentoncityretro.com Fairgrounds. allsfaire.org

NEXT SHOW: OCTOBER 8TH, 2022 @KOOTENAI COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS IDAHO

S h o p 75 Ve n d o r s sell in g Com ics, F unk o , C o l l ec t i b l e s , a rt s & c ra ft s, ga mes, pr o ps etc .

F e a tu r i n g S pe ci a l Gu est s, Co spl ay C o nte s t & M ore !

WWW.LAKECITYCON.COM

Washington Midsummer Renaissance Faire: August. Bonney Lake, Wash. Renaissance faire and theatrical event. washingtonfaire.com AUTUMN Gatecon: September. Vancouver, BC. Stargate fandom convention. gatecon.com PAX West: September. Seattle, Wash.

Video gaming convention. west.paxsite.com Rose City Comic Con: September.

Portland, Ore. Pop culture and fandom event at the Oregon Convention Center. rosecitycomiccon.com Bellingham Comicon: October.

Bellingham, Wash. Comicon at the Ferndale Events Center. bellinghamcomicon.com BrickCon: October. Seattle, Wash.

LEGO fan convention and exhibition. brickcon.org GeekGirlCon: October. Seattle, Wash. Celebration for women in the sciences, sci-fi, comics, gaming, and geek culture. geekgirlcon.com Grit City Comic Show: October.

Tacoma, Wash. Comic, toys, and more

at the Tacoma Convention Center. gritcitycomicshow.com H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival and Cthulhu Con: October Portland, Ore. H.P. Lovecraft festival for literary, horror, and film fans. hplfilmfestival.com Lake City Comicon: October. Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. Fandom and pop culture convention. lakecitycon.com Kumoricon: October/November. Portland, Ore. Anime and Japanese pop culture event at the Oregon Convention Center. kumoricon.org Anthro Northwest: November. Seattle, Wash. Convention for anthropomorphic arts community. anthronw.com BurlyCon: November. Seattle, Wash.

Convention for burlesque performers and fans. burlycon.org OryCon: November. Portland, Ore. Sci-Fi and fantasy convention. orycon.org Short Run: November. Seattle, Wash.

Indie, self-published, small press comics. shortrun.org GeekCraft Holiday Market: November / December. Seattle, Wash.

Handmade geek creatons at a holiday market. geekcraftexpo.com

TBD / FREQUENT EVENTS

CybFest: Kent, Wash. Unofficial Transformers convention. cybfestnw.com Evergreen Tabletop Expo: Redmond, Wash. Board game convetion with tournaments. etxwa.com Meadowlark Comic Con: Grants Pass, Ore. Pop culture and fandom convention. meadowlarkcomiccon.com Portland Retro Gaming Expo: Portland, Ore. Celebration of video games and pop culture. retrogamingexpo.com Seattle Film Summit: Renton, Wash.

Convention for media producers and filmmakers. seattlefilmsummit.com SpoCon: Spokane, Wash. Sci-Fi and fantasy convention. spocon.org Stumptown Game Summit: Portland, Ore. Open board gaming event. stumptowngamesummit.com Washington State Toy Show: Puyallup, Wash. Convention for vintage and new toys and collectibles. watoyshow.com

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Down Across 1. Agent Dale Cooper actor from Yakima 2. Former Seahawk and current Magic card shop owner 4. Seattle-based anime convention 3. Auteur behind Twin Peaks 5. Golden Age Collectibles found in this Place 6. Purple Haze guitar god 8. “I’m your __________.” Also state fruit of Idaho 7. Writer for Captain Marvel, Bitch Planet 9. Author of Dune who was born in Tacoma 1. The Ring in Vancouver, 11. Filmed 15 seasons BCThings I Hate 10. Idaho is the Window 7. 10 ___ state plant is different 12. Award-winning Native American artist from the 2. Coraline 11. Dex solves mysteries in this Portland-based About You Top shelf book is missing Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe graphic novel 3. Wild Book has different spine 8. Smoke Signals 14. Chuck Palahniuk book turned film 13. Cult-classic Christmas film Shirt button is missing 4.

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Practical Magic 15. Nirvana’s 1991 album 16. Portland State archives every title from this comic Window has moved 5. Danteʻs Peak filmed10.

Sleepless 17. Rambo: First Blood in this BC town in Seattle book publisher Bust is different size 6. Napoleon Dynamite 11. Singles Rocket is different Glasses changed

QUIZ ANSWERS

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Alternate Universe