There are certain experiences you never forget when it comes to film and television and one that never escapes my mind was the first time I heard John Williams' score to Superman. I was young of course, and while I didn't have a surround sound or theater to see the movie in back then, that music instantly reeled me in. With its bold trumpets and epic nature it was a score that still sends chills down my spine; but the wonder that I felt the first time I heard it...well that was only replicated one other time in my life. 

It was at the Colorado Symphony a couple of years back during their Symphonic Tribute to Comic Con when the orchestra brought those notes to life in a live setting and suddenly the magic was back. I was a kid once again, filled with awe and wonder all thanks to the Symphony and their incredible work and their respect for the power of music and that's what makes the now annual Tribute to Comic Con so incredibly special. It's an event forged from our love of pop culture and as Denver Comic Con 2016 approaches once again, the time has come for us to celebrate the music we love from our favorite shows and movies and often find ourselves humming throughout our day with the Symphonic Tribute to Comic Con v3.0.

Friday May 6th is the magic date when the Symphony hosts this incredible event and this year's show looks to take us on a wonderful journey through classic scores, contemporary ones, video games and time and space...with a little pop music thrown in for good measure. We'll board the TARDIS with the last of the Time Lords with music from Doctor Who. We'll don our fedoras and join Dr. Jones in the desert with music from Raiders of the Lost Ark. Join the ancient order of Assassins with music from Assassins' Creed Syndicate and feel the Force awaken with music from Star Wars: Episode VII. Plus, just for fun, the symphony will also treat us with a special rendition of Taylor Swift's "Bad Blood" because...why not?

Tickets for the event are available now through the Colorado Symphony's website and as an added bonus to all of you out there...we have a special discount to offer up to make a majority of the seats for this event only $35.00*! Just use the promo code BADBLOOD (terms and conditions apply and are listed below) and save today to enjoy the wonder and the power of the music that has influenced lives for generations and we cannot wait to see all of you for The Symphonic Tribute to Comic Con v3.0! 

Terms and Conditions for Tickets
*Handling fees may apply. Not valid on previous purchases. Subject to availability. Limit TWO per household. Discount only available on Price Levels 2 or 3 seats. Expires 4/29/16.
A 10% Facilities Development Admissions Tax (Seat Tax) will be added, per ticket, to this transaction. This tax is assessed by the City and County of Denver.
*Discount not good on lightsaber insurance, interdimensional travel, dragon-riding lessons or classes in Parseltongue.

Prom was never quite a big deal for me growing up, for several reasons. I wasn't much of a dancer to begin with, wasn't a big fan of wearing a tie and well...it just didn't have a draw for me. I'm the kind of guy who needs a solid reason to attend an event and I never quite found that with prom.

Fast forward a ton of years to this past weekend and let's talk about a Prom that I actually couldn't wait to attend, Nerd Prom. Yes, this past Saturday the Summit Music Hall was host to one of the coolest events I've been to in a long time, a prom for nerds, by nerds and it was absolutely magnificent. 

The nerd aspect was the perfect hook for a guy like me because I knew I would be among friends here, surrounded by people that love all the geeky stuff that I do and the event did not disappoint. There was cosplay as far as the eye could see and smiles on the faces of everyone in attendance. This was simply a good night to dig in, be a nerd and hang out and let loose and you know the event is a success when you hear Andy Rok & The Real Deal, the headlining band, perform the theme from Ghostbusters, only to witness actual Ghostbuster cosplayers, complete with proton packs, dancing along to the song.  

But the fun didn't end there. There were impromptu video game tournaments happening all around, the photo booth was hopping as everyone worked to preserve the night as a digital memory and as for me...well I still didn't dance because it's still not my thing, but I definitely took the time to soak the whole event in. It was just wonderful to see everyone enjoying the evening and the music that came with it and it was equally cool to see the King and Queen be crowned and share in the wonder of their joy (as you can see on their faces in the picture above) of becoming Nerd Prom royalty.

It was definitely a night to remember and definitely an event to return to next year, and while I wait for Nerd Prom to come around again, I am content in the fact that I have plenty of memories to tide me over, and as an added bonus for those of you that attended Nerd Prom or for those of you that were on the fence about going or have never attended the event; here's a video recap for all to enjoy and reminisce with until we reunite for this grand dance next year.

The Death of Superman was an important time in my youth for so many reasons. It was at the time one of the most epic storylines that I had ever laid eyes upon and while it taught me a thing or two about writing a compelling story, it was the first real reminder of why our local comic book shops are so extremely important.

After all, the day that issue came out I walked straight from school to my nearest comic shop to buy it because that store was a beacon to me. It was a place where countless stories awaited me and I was always in awe when I stepped through those doors. It's an experience that has faded over time. But once in a great while the magic of a comic book store returns, like it did for me yesterday at All C's Collectibles in Aurora.

It wasn't just the store, with its rows of endless action figures and statues and comics as far as the eye could see. That was what sparked the joy. But what set it free was the fact that All C's was host to an Artist Appreciation Day. Just off to the side of the store was a room filled to the brim with local artists, with their wonderful work on display for all to see and the smiles on their faces and on the faces of the families that were coming through the doors in waves allowed the wonder of the day to sink in. This was all a reminder that this is the kind of place where the imagination is ignited and stories come to life and there was a fair chance every artist there was influenced by the books on the other side of the wall.

That thought was reinforced by a couple of artists that I met, one of whom was eight years old. Young Bruce Wayne, yes that is his name, was happily creating art of the vigilante he shares his namesake with and he intensity with which he worked demonstrated his passion to make his art as iconic as the characters that inspired him. I also had the pleasure of meeting Alex Miller, a talented artist who specializes in Manga but appreciates the magic of comic books since she put together a Captain America motif that was so amazing, I picked up a print of it simply because of the care and detail that went into it, and her work is so top notch, I highly recommend you check out more of what she has to offer at: www.smudgeandfrank.com.

In the end today was a wonderful reminder that much of our love of pop culture stems from our local comic book shops. They serve as a celebration of art and a place to share in the wonder of stories and our community since Aurora Rise was also on site taking donations for their incredible cause and I thank All C's for making me feel like a kid again and reminding me of why comics and the art within, matters.

​As a Colorado native, there's a lot to be proud of when it comes to my home state. The Broncos just won another Super Bowl. The economy here is booming. People want to live here from all over the country because holy cow our state is gorgeous. The list just goes on and on. But as someone who arranges his Sundays around The Walking Dead so I can watch it live, there's one thing I think I love about this state over anything else...the fact that it is so incredibly Nerdy. 

Think about it. We have conventions upon conventions to attend. There are plenty of events that pop up throughout the year or the month where we can geek out amongst friends, it's just a wonderful time to be a geek and in all honesty I'm not sure there's another state out there can compete with Colorado's level of geekiness and that's just fine by me. But of all of the events we get to enjoy in our lovely state, there's one coming up this weekend that's extra special...Nerd Prom.

Yes, you read that right. Come this Saturday March, 5, the Summit Music Hall will be host to a prom for nerds, by nerds and filled to the brim with geeky events to provide everyone with an incredible time. You'll get plenty of live entertainment with Andy Rok and the Real Deal, Skylaw, One Flew West and DJ Hollow taking the stage and if you're a fan of KTCL, Rick and Alf will be your hosts for the evening but the night goes beyond just the concert aspect of it all, because I did mention nerdy events. There will be a photo booth filled to the brim with awesome props to preserve the memory of this magical night. A video game contest featuring some awesome prizes, plus the opportunity to make yourself into an action figure with a 3D body scanner and so much more, but most importantly everyone has a chance to enter a couple of awesome contests.

For starters one of you reading this could be the King or Queen of Nerd Prom 2016 and for your chance to be crowned, with a Lego Crown I might add, as Nerd Royalty all you need to do is head HERE to submit your geekiest photograph, the top three guys and three gals will advance to the next round, where the next round of judging at the event will lead to this year's King and Queen. If you're not feeling up to ruling over a nerdy kingdom, but you want to dress to impress with some kickass cosplay, good news, there's a contest for that too.

Now is your chance to show off your incredible cosplay skills and wow the crowd with your creations and win an awesome cash prize of $250 in the process. In fact the costumes will be judged by the top authorities in the state on quality cosplay, the Denver Comic Con Cosplay Team, and to enter that contest click HERE.  Either way, I've had the chance to attend this event before and let me tell you, it's a blast. It's just a wonderful night where you can make new friends, reunite with old ones and just flat out have a wonderful time. So get your tickets HERE and I look forward to seeing all of you at Nerd Prom 2016.

The city of Denver has always managed to surprise me with how many various fandoms it plays hosts to, but as of late it seems that everyone in the Mile High City simply cannot get enough of horror. Every single day I keep meeting new people who are all about some scares and new horror themed events seem to be popping up left and right.

I make mention of that, because a special event for this weekend was recently brought to my attention and well, let's be honest, horror fans know that there's no better way to spend Valentine's Day then with blood and guts on display, or a zombie literally eating someone's heart out...so it pleases me to no end to know that a pair of horror icons will be in town Friday and Saturday to meet their fans before screening the two films they are most famous for.

With that in mind, if you're a fan of Friday the 13th, or a fan of Child's Play, you now have the chance to meet and hang with Ari Lehman, the man who played Jason in the first Friday film and Alex Vincent, the man who played Andy Barclay in the Child's Play series. Both of these iconic stars will be at Buffalo Rose on Friday at 7 p.m. to do a meet and greet with their fans before Ari takes the stage at 9 p.m. to put on a little show for all of us with his band.

But the fun doesn't end there, since I promised a screening of both of those films and that's exactly what's happening Saturday night at the Alamo Drafthouse theater, a Bloody Valentine double feature of Friday the 13th and Child's Play. Now if you've never had a chance to attend an event like this at the Alamo before, you're in for a treat. Because the Drafthouse is all about respecting film and its fans and if you can't make the Friday night event, there will be a meet and greet before both screenings, a panel later on in the evening where both men will discuss their experiences as child horror stars and a chance to win prizes via a raffle. 

So how does one get in on these two awesome events? Just follow these links. If you're interested in the Friday night event, swing by here to pick up your tickets (cost is $20 online, $25 at the door), and by the way the Friday event has the option for a VIP package for $40 where you can get a signed T Shirt, signed photograph, a drink with Ari and reserved seating for the band's performance. If the Saturday event has caught your eye instead, swing by the Drafthouse's website and grab your tickets there. Either way, you can't go wrong hanging out with a couple of horror legends and hopefully you have a blast at one, or both of these events on this Bloody Valentine weekend. 

We've covered quite a few unique events on this site, and it always makes me happy to know that many of the Kickstarters we've highlighted over the years have managed to find full funding and find their way to the masses and today, I have the pleasure of following up on an awesome one. 

Back at Denver Comic Con this year Shae had the pleasure of interviewing local band The Stubby Shillelaghs, to learn more about their Kickstarter for their new album, "Critical Fail". The campaign was a total success and the album is completed at last and it just so happens the album will be released at the end of the month on October 27th. 

The album is a celebration of nerdiness, featuring 17 brand new tracks that pay tribute to the many fandoms out there in our world. In this album you'll find an RPG themed track that shares the title of the album, a Simpsons inspired reggae track entitled "Everything's Coming Up Milhouse", a tribute to James Bond, the list goes on and on. In fact it looks like for their fourth album the band basically unleashed their nerd fueled fury, bringing forth tracks that will please everyone from every fandom and it doesn't end there.

The band has decided to do something incredibly unique to promote the album. They will of course be touring around Denver at various locations to get the word out, but tomorrow they are doing something I've never seen before...they are hosting a live streaming event that includes a question and answer session tomorrow from 2:00p-5:00p MST. This is quite frankly a super cool idea that allows them to reach their loyal fans and anyone and everyone they can. 

So if you have a couple of hours free tomorrow, hop on the web and meet the band, learn more about them and their work and their upcoming album and have a good time because having met these guys in person I can tell you they're a lot of fun and so is their music. To get all the details and web address for tomorrow's live stream go to their main site here, or their Facebook page here and stay tuned to us since we will be bringing you a review of "Critical Fail" on the 27th.

Last night saw something truly astounding. Once a year Breckenridge Brewery teams up with Denver Comic Con to bring to life a unique beer specially brewed just for the occasion. The beer is limited addition, but can be found at DCC, Hard Rock Cafe, Hyatt, 1Up, Breckenridge Colorado Craft, Marlowe’s, Paramount Cafe, Pizza Republica, Tarantula Billiards, The Tilted Kilt, and World of Beer! 

The event is fan driven, like a lot of things! Various people offer names for the beer, and they’re then voted upon. It’s a name that helps bring to life the flavor of the beer. Amongst the contenders, this year Hulk's Mash won. It turns out that this year's winning name led to the creation of a pale ale, with mango puree and mosaic hops.

While I don’t drink beer on a normal basis, I make it a priority to try the latest DCC inspired concoctions. This year’s launch party of the beer took place at 1Up in Denver, off of Colfax. You can still find the drink there, which is a bonus for anyone unable to attend the party last night. The beer is a true experience of the tastebuds, let me just say so personally. I find mango to always be a bit over powering, however, Hulk's Mash has a subtle hint of mango, and a deep hoppy flavor. For any beer lover, these events are a treat, and a great chance for us nerds to get together and discuss the and compare the beers we like to the newest creation. The event also gives special incentives. The first 200 people to line up, got a limited addition Hulk's Mash glass. Its a one of a kind collectors item, and a great memory for what goes into a convention here in the Mile High City.

Glasses can be purchased at Denver Comic Con, and even in smaller sizes! It’s a fun reminder of a great event that kick starts the count down to the convention we Coloradans look forward to most. After all, it wasn’t until the first year DCC announced the beer launch party that I had heard of a convention doing anything like this. I mean sure you see other conventions offer up their special memento, but a Beer? And a glass? That’s not something I have ever seen and it only adds to the experience. With just a few short weeks left, DCC is rapidly approaching and I couldn’t be more excited if I tried! Single day tickets are still available online, as well as certain retailers. With an amazing list of guests, a brand new beer, and the excitement of coming together to help benefit Pop Culture Classroom, it’s a wonder that we’re waiting as patiently as we are…

Denver Comic Con has truly brought forth some amazing yearly traditions in addition to the convention itself. One such tradition, one that always manages to signal just how close the convention really is to kicking off, is the annual creation of the official beer for the convention.

Every single year, Denver Comic Con and the Breckenridge Brewery team up to bring us an exciting and delicious beer that is served only before and during the convention and the best part is...the fans get the chance to name it. This year there were 700 entries to name this beer that were narrowed down to five for the fans to vote upon and we can all thank Jonathan Cooper for coming up with the inventive moniker for this year's beer...Hulk's Mash. 

So what kind of treat are we in for when comes to Hulk's Mash? Well, according to the press release it is a..."delightful pale ale made with mango puree and Mosaic hops. It sounds mild-mannered, but don’t be fooled. Mosaic hops produce an aromatic punch of mango, lemon, citrus, and earthy pine scents. Loads of pulverized mangos heroically balance the hoppy aroma and flavor."

But creating the beer is simply not enough, something that delicious needs to be shared by the fans and to add to the tradition of its creation, comes a grand Beer release party which just so happens to be around the corner as well. Yes on May 1st, at 7:30 p.m. at 1Up Colfax, DCC and Breckenridge Brewery will debut this amazing brew in exciting fashion.  For starters the first 200 people that make it to the party get their hands on a limited edition pint glass that features artwork from Trevor Plaza and the fun doesn't end there.  

There will be a final performance by the awesome band Total Ghost, the 90's Cover Band the Gin Doctors and DJ N810 and DJ Carmello will be hand to entertain everyone in attendance as well. But most importantly, it's going to be a blast, simple as that. This is a great opportunity to enjoy another delicious creation from Breckenridge Brewery and have a great time with your friends. I know we will see all of you there, until then fellow Comiconians! 

One thing that I am finding is quickly becoming a new tradition in the Mile High City of Denver, is that film fans are quickly coming out of the woodwork and beginning to celebrate their love of motion pictures in new and exciting ways. It simply isn't enough now to sit on the couch and enjoy one's favorite movies at home, not when there are opportunities to celebrate them in person and at our local theater. 

Enter the Alamo Drafthouse, a place that is truly a mecca for motion pictures and the wonders they create in our mind. Ever since this theater opened a few years ago, film buffs have been treated to one incredible celebration of motion pictures after another and there are two new monthly film series being hosted there that deserve our time, Fantastique and Science Friction.

Hosted by Frank Romero, one of the co founders of Denver Comic Con and Jason Heller, a senior writer for The A.V. Club and a Hugo Award winning editor, these two series celebrate both the fantasy and science fiction genre, with the awesome kinds of twists and turns that would only be acceptable at the Drafthouse. 

After all, film is meant to be an experience and Frank and Jason take that experience to the next level, with trivia and prizes, concerts before some shows and plenty of surprise guests and even special menus served just for the screening.  Take tonight's screening of Highlander for Fantastique. Not only will author Carrie Vaughn be on hand, giving away signed copies of her latest novel, but the kitchen will be serving up the classic Scottish dish...Haggis. It really doesn't get much more immersive than that when it comes to celebrating a film.  

Either way, it's a pair of film series worth checking out. Not only will you be spending time with a pair of hosts that clearly love and adore the wonder of film, but you'll be with friends and fans in a place that celebrates every little detail about the movies we love.  But what matters most, is that if some of these films were before your time, or you simply never had the chance to see them in a theater, the time has come to settle in and let the lights go low as you settle in with your popcorn to enjoy them the way cinema was always meant to be enjoyed...on the big screen.

It's funny when you come to realize how many amazing places there are to go and see in your own hometown that you have undoubtedly missed out on for one reason or another. I honestly feel that way every single day when it comes to the incredible art scene out here and thankfully First Friday helps showcase so much of what we are missing. 

Recently, I had the chance to check out one of those incredible places that I never knew existed when I stepped through the doors of the Lowbrow, a place dedicated to well...everything and anything that has to do with creativity and art in every possible way. 

This hybrid art gallery/retail store is a unique and special concept in so many ways. For example, if you're in need of supplies to get your idea going, you'll find the supplies here to do it. Or if you're just looking for fun ways to pass the time and be creative while doing so, there's plenty to purchase that will allow you to do that as well.  But the best part of traveling to the Lowbrow is the fact that they celebrate emerging artists.  

Every month you'll find the work of a talented artist on display inside their store. In fact there's a section within these walls that allows you to see their work in traditional fashion, but it doesn't end there. To truly celebrate the work of the artist, to truly understand how unique and powerful their work actually is, the Lowbrow goes above and beyond, allowing for a giant mural to be put up at the front of their store, one that changes when the next artist arrives to showcase their work.

In essence, it's a one of a kind piece of artwork that will never come again, making it a priority for any art lover to get down there and see it before it changes.  That's the kind of awesome appreciation the Lowbrow offers, and it makes it worth your time to swing by and visit this wonderful mecca for art.  You can find directions to the Lowbrow here, make sure you check it out, especially on First Friday. I've really never seen anything quite like it, and my thanks to the owners, Lauren and Tymla, for giving me the chance to check out something so refreshing and exciting.