Are Magazines Still “In”?

Am I the only person who still purchases magazines even though the information can still be found on the internet month’s before the magazine comes out? I don’t think so, otherwise they all would not be published. (I hope I’m not starting something that will spell the doom of published magazines).

I love SFX and SciFiNow and occasionally I will purchase Syfy, but the first two beat the third hands down. They cover not only scifi, but comics, books, collectibles, horror, and a little bit of everything else. ScifiNow even has a great retro section where they go back a few decades and look at all the great things that happened in the genres during a particular year.

These are still my favorite magazines, but I peruse others every once in a while. What magazines do you still read, if any. Having a hard time getting them? Let us help! We have access to magazines through Diamond and other distributors. We currently carry Star Wars Insider, Star Trek, Mad Magazine, Rue Morgue, Screem, Monsters of Film Land, Fangoria, Locus, and a few others. Check these out or let us know what magazines you need, so that we can help you connect!

Galactic Christmas Sale

Tomorrow and until Christmas Eve we will be running our Christmas sale. All items are 25% off unless they are specially marked, such as, Magic, Pokemon, and Yugioh items are all 30%. That's booster packs, event decks, starter kits, intro packs, and play mats. Unsealed Booster boxes are $100. The only thing not discounted during this sale will be comic books. The only way to get a discount on comics is if they are part of your pull box. This starts Saturday morning, December 13th, and runs until Christmas eve when we close at 3pm.

 

Speaking of holiday hours, we will close Christmas Eve at 3pm and not open again until Tuesday December 30th. We will host an semi-all-night game night New Year’s Eve and snacks and drinks will be served. This will be voluntary dress up event, tuxes are not required. Check our Facebook page for more info!

Catching up on GOTHAM

Some mornings here at the shop are slow enough to allow me to catch up on my shows, such as GOTHAM. I didn’t realize how far behind I had fallen. I don’t know about everyone else but I really love this show. I don’t know all that much beyond the general history of Batman, but even I can spot a few cool points in this show. In fact, I am familiar with the “Court of Owls” story from recent comics, and I swear that I heard hooting owls towards the end of “The Mask” episode. Right? And in “Lovecraft,” when Bullock calls Alfred a valet, Alfred replies, “I’m the Butler.” It sounded so much like, “I’m the Batman,” to me.

This show has me sometimes wanting to cry like when the entire precinct walks out on Gordon, then cheering when Montoya and Allen come screaming up to rescue him. Then to see Alfred put the hurt on someone was awesome! And I’m really digging the back and forth between Fish, Falcone, Maroni, and Cobblepot. Gotham has really got me hooked.

At least, for now. I haven’t caught up on my other shows. It may change. I’ve heard a lot of good things about FLASH, but have only seen the first two episodes. So, what shows are you watching? And what is it about that show that has you hooked? You’ve seen mine, now show me yours!

Grand Opening was a Grand Success!

For those that were able to make it, thank you! For those that couldn’t make it, it’s okay. We’re still open.

Saturday was a long, eventful, and satisfying day filled with friends and fun. When it was all over with, we went home and passed out early. I would like to start by thanking everyone who helped entertain. And yes, you delivered. Above and beyond. Thank you to Alex Martinez for signing books for us and yes, we found Jaye Wells. She is okay. There was a conflict that arose and we will have her in at a later date.

One of the benefits from this weekend was the chance to meet new people and make new business connections. With these new connections come opportunities for new games, events, a possible lecture series, and so much more. So join our mailing list to stay on top of the news.

Thank you to all of these folks!

A. Lee Martinez

Tom Branch

Josh Watson

Lady Amaraldi

Cole Houston and the Jedi Cole Universe

Eddie Medina

Dave Ferguson - The Great Debate

Rick Morang – Hamster Cage Studios

Daniel Calhoun – Captain AmeriDad

And last, but not least in any way, my staff; Thomas Chick and Chelsie Smith!

If you were able to attend and have photos or video, please forward it to us so we can share!

Bringing Magic to A Galaxy Called Dallas

As we bring in more and more product and we get ready for our grand opening, we also want to start building our community. That community includes folks who geek out on Star Trek, Star Wars, Doctor Who, Battlestar Galactica, or Red Dwarf and even fans of Magic, Pokemon, Yugi-oh, RPGs and board games. The best way to support these communities is to have nights where we play the games and talk about the franchises; you know, the things we’re passionate about.

Here at Galaxy Dallas, we aren’t just passionate about the above. We’re crazy about you, too! So, we are now putting together a calendar of gaming that will try to satisfy the major groups of gamers. We know you’re out there and we’d love to meet you and have you play with us.

With us being closed Sunday and Monday (Hey, we need a break, too!) it leaves fewer days to schedule, but I think what we have scheduled will work out. In addition to game nights, we will also be hosting a night open to discussions where we discuss anything and everything. This will be on Tuesday nights and the topics will change from week to week. One week we might discuss comics, the next we might have an artist in to give a how-to. It will be different. Wednesday nights will be role-playing nights. We picked this night for when we get set up for D&D Encounters, but we will also host other RPGs. Thursday will be Pokemon and Yugi-oh nights with Friday night going to Magic and the inevitable set up of Friday Night Magic through Wizards of the Coast. And last but not least, Saturday is a free-for-all with the tables open for anything all day long.

This schedule may change, but you will be given ample notice. We may have to cancel a night of gaming to make way for another event. Again, we’ll give you a heads up. We have five tables, four that can be reserved, but one will always be left open to casual play. The best way to stay in touch is to follow us on Facebook and make sure that you have us in your notifications. Also, you can join our email list. That is in the box to your right or you can find the tab on our Facebook page. If you need any help at all, don’t hesitate to write us at agalaxycalleddallas@gmail.com.

Comic Shop Opens Doors in Garland

Navy Veteran Follows Deceased Wife’s Wishes           

     Garland, Texas, August 29, 2014:  A Galaxy Called Dallas will celebrate its grand opening on September 13, 2014. The store is located in the North Star Crossing shopping center at 1238 Belt Line Rd. #365 with N. Garland Avenue being the nearest cross street. Entertainment will be in great supply as representatives from the geek community come out to show support. Authors Jaye Wells and A. Lee Martinez will be signing books and mingling, as well as, artist Thomas Branch, Eddie Medina, podcaster Cole Houston, and costumers Glitzy Geek Girl and the Taffeta Darling. Visitors will be able to participate in game demos, enjoy balloon artists and face painters, and meet their favorite super heroes. Prize drawings throughout the day will lead up to a costume contest with cash prizes going to the winners. Doors open at 10:30 AM and the ribbon cutting with city officials present will take place at approximately 11:00 AM.

Owner James Pickering, a Navy veteran, has two employees, Thomas Chick and ChelsieJo Smith, with his four year old daughter, Lillian, lending a big hand when she isn't in school. The shop was something that came with deep thought after James lost his wife Carroll to brain cancer in 2013. Her last words were for him to be happy, so he thought to follow his dream of owning his own shop. With the support of family and friends, he’s now living up to wish.

Busy First Week and Pull Lists

I’m happy to say that we’ve made it through our first week and we’ve actually had sales. It’s a nice feeling to come to work every day and not have it feel like it’s work. Heck, even my four year old daughter wants to come to the shop and help out everyday! I’d like to thank all of you who have made it in, but also to those that have made it possible. Friends, family, and strangers, but strangers no more. Welcome home!

Les Webster and I went to a little soiree’ last night. Thanks to Thomas Chick for manning the register while we were gone. The event was hosted by DC Entertainment and was billed as a Retail Roadshow. We heard from Bob Wayne (Bob Kane/Bruce Wayne ?), Senior VP of sales, and other higher ups on what was happening with DC the next few months and into 2015. Nice presentation, came away with a few ideas, and met some of my fellow retailers. Bob is actually a part of the comic retail history here in the DFW area and is moving back this direction in the next few years. Can’t wait to meet him again.

After dropping my partner off, I came back to the shop to finish up my order for this month. Man, waiting until the last minute is no fun. I gotta stop that. You’d think that I was in high school finishing a term paper or something. To help me with that, we are going to start doing a monthly meetup and discuss products that are coming out in the months ahead, so that I can get a good idea of what customers are looking for. Be on the lookout for that.

I’ve also posted the policy for pull lists and subscriptions. You can find that in the header above. Just click on the button, “Subscription & Pull Lists” and you’ll get all the details. To give me your pull lists or subscriptions, email me at agalaxycalleddallas@gmail.com or call me at 972-530-2600.

Helping Fans

By now, you’ve all probably heard the story, but just in case, here it is again. I tried posting this back on the 8th, but I had a few computer problems among other things. Jonathan Vela, aka San Antonio Aquaman, had a very severe stroke. One that would eventually take his life. This fund-raiser had already been put in place to offset hospital bills, but it will now be used to offset funeral expenses, in addition to the medical expenses.

You can also join a Facebook page called Aquafest. They will be gathering in his honor in San Antonio on Saturday, August 23rd. It’s looks to be quite a shindig and wish that I could make it, but I’m sure there will be plenty in attendance!

I will have a jar at the A Galaxy Called Dallas’ counter for donations, as well as, a link on Facebook, Google+, and the website. Help in anyway you can to remember the man who gave of himself. Long remember his name, Jonathan Vela.

Remember Aquaman Donation Site

T-shirts and the ‘Average’ Fan

One of my big disappointments with merchandising and fandom is that one side forgets that the other side is a tad bigger than most. I am an overweight guy. Should I lose weight? Most definitely. Not for looks or anything. I think even with my pounds, I’ve still got intelligence and a sense of humor to make up for that. That’s not the point here. A lot of fans are overweight. So why is it so hard to find a t-shirt in anything larger than a 3x. And most 3x’s are sooooo not 3x!

Well, I’m also a fan of these cool sights that will let artist submit work and then for 24 hours or however long sell the shirts at great prices. I’m an even bigger fan of sites that sell them in big sizes. Not just XL, but XLT!

Meet Fresh Brewed Tees. I found them a couple of months back and have been going quite often to get my shirts. I’ve four or five now and they are great quality and fit perfectly even after I’ve washed them a few times. And the best part? The price. So far, I’ve paid $10 to 14 each. Yep, even for the big sizes. Check them out and let me know what you think.

Here’s my latest purchases.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have you got a favorite t-shirt site that you like to use? Tell us all about it!

Getting Close!

Hey, Kids! We are hoping to open doors in less than two weeks. Spread the word! We will open on August 13th for our first full day of business. Our hours will be from 11am to 10pm Tuesday thru Saturday with the shop closing on Sunday and Monday. Sorry, we’ve got families and have to pay bills sometimes. But during those five days that we will be open, we are hoping to bring in some gaming, some workshops, some signings, you name it. In fact, yeah, you name it. What would you like to see other than things to buy?

When I worked at Borders Books, I put together events that informed, as well as, entertained. From learning how to flesh out a fantasy novel to how to make things to discussing the latest novel, we were a place for knowledge. I’d like to incorporate that into the shop. Yes, we will sell things. We have to pay the bills, but I’m a firm believer that you can do both. Call me Nutty!

Until we do open, we are having game nights on Saturday evening starting at 7pm. We may bump that back to earlier, if we get enough feedback on it, but for now, we’ll see you at 7pm. Bring a game, if you have one that you would like to share, or request a demo of one that we have (or don’t have, we’ll consider it.) We are also very good at conversation, so bring ideas that you would like to discuss.

Come in and tell us what you would like to see. I can’t guarantee that it will happen, but I do guarantee that I will listen and think about it.

Game Night at the Store

We had our second game night on Saturday, July 5th, and we got to meet some new people which is what I was hoping. Our first night was the weekend before and my friend Les brought up Doctor Who Monopoly. We played that because we were familiar with the rules and it was a franchise that we love. It also helped us hone our knowledge of the Whoverse. I admit, some of the properties (planets) I had never heard of, but I loved letting others fill me in.

This week we played a card game called Star Realms. Thomas Chick and I picked them up at a distributor event and were told that it was a fun game. This was the first time that we had a chance to sit down and play it. I’ll admit the rules were a little daunting at first, but I had a little experience with other card games such as Magic, and that came in handy. To me, the game was fun and I’d like to play it again, sometime. You might want to ask Thomas what he thought over on his site, www.thefellowshipofthegeeks.net. I’m sure with a few well-placed questions, I can get answers to the few situations that popped up.

Join us next Saturday, July 12th at 7pm at the shop when we’ll do it all again. Have you played Star Realms? What are your thoughts?

Gallifrey City

There’s a new Doctor Who/Torchwood convention in the works and we’ve been asked to be a part of it. Gallifrey City will take place November 8-9 in Dallas at the Sterling Hotel off of Regal Row and 183. Tickets are available but there is a cap on the number of attendees. This is a fan-centric con with the emphasis on the Whovian community and should be a lot of fun to get together with other like-minded individuals and geek out about your favorite time traveler. Don’t wait too long to get your tickets and keep checking back as we get more info on the event.

New Store Details

Location: 1238 Belt Line Rd. #365
We are hoping to open August 13, 2014. Hours will be Sunday Noon until 6pm, Monday and Tuesday 11am until 8pm, and Wednesday through Saturday 11am until 10am.
We can be reached at 972-530-2600. If we don’t answer, leave a message. If you would like to get on our mailing list, which is soon to start being sent out, email us at galaxydallascbc@gmail.com.
You can follow us on Twitter at @GalaxyDallasCBC. This blog will stay up as the blog for the store and will have a link on the store site. You will still be able to access it through the original www.agalaxycalleddallas.com url. The store site will be www.galaxydallascbc.com. I did this because there are some folks who want the geek posting that I’ve done for the last five years, but not the comic book store posts. Facebook, you didn’t really get that option, but since you don’t always get all the post from a page on Facebook, I don’t think that you’ll get blasted by the posts. Plus, we’ll try to keep them to a minimum.
Stay tuned for more info.

We’re still here!

It’s been almost a month since our last post, but we’ve been busy! We are located at 1238 Belt Line Rd in suite #365, across from Comic Book Craze. We have started using the building for game nights on Saturday. I’ll be here every Saturday at 7pm with some games and feel free to bring your favorites, also.

We’ve got a nice light blue paint up on the walls. We will be highlighting local artists in a special section, so if you’ve got any favorites you’d like to see, let us know. I want to leave the floor bare concrete but it needs some old tile torn up and then a good scrubbing. I don’t have the machine that it takes to do this and would really rather hire someone who has done it before and can get in here and do it quickly. If you know of someone, holler. Once that job is done, we move in the fixtures and just wait on the product to come in. We are hoping to open doors on August 13, 2014 and then have a grand opening on September 12th or 13th. I’ve been told that I can get the Mayor of Garland to come out. I’m looking for an extra special gift for him if he does.

To help make for a smooth transition, I will be setting up a pull list and we are shooting to be able to pull August 13th. Stay tuned for details in the next few days about that.

I have plans to do signings, comic book, artist, and author, along with workshops, readings, book clubs, and general meet-ups. I’ve seen some of the things that other shops are doing and they’re awesome. I’ve even got a few ideas of my own and hopefully we can maybe work with other shops in the area for some really great fun!

A lot of people have asked me about Magic, Pokemon, and Yugioh. We are going to sell packs to begin with and maybe even some other card games. We will even have some game nights, but I am new to playing the games as I’m an old-school D&Der. I am willing to learn, though, and I would love to get tournaments going. This is where I may reach out to you guys and have ya’ll come school me on this stuff. I would love to meet some volunteers to help out! Eventually, we will get into buying and selling individuals, just not yet. Same goes with comics, we won’t be buying personal stuff for a few months.

Right now, the doors are open to anyone who wants to come meet me, and my second-in-command, Thomas Chick, and let us tell all about what we’re going to do. We’re not selling anything yet, but you can come by Saturday nights and play a game with us, or you can come by during the week day before 5pm and I’ll be here to chat. I want my store to be a place for all self-professed and even closet geeks to come and feel comfortable browsing, buying, discussing, learning, and most of all, making new friends.Come see me.

Launch is Imminent!

Deals have been made and money has exchanged hands and work is beginning. A storefront has been leased and we now begin the labor of transforming it into a haven for those that are aimin’ to misbehave. Within reason, that is.

Yes, we are on our way to opening up a new store. This is a very stressful time for me, because all those years of me saying to myself that I know how to run one have come to this moment of me putting up or shutting up. May the Good Lord have mercy on my soul!

First things first, no, I didn’t get Comic Book Craze’s old spot. There was miscommunication on both sides and I just wasn’t getting a warm, fuzzy feeling from the landlord, so I backed out. I hated to do that to Matt & Chris, but this is business and I have a kid to think about. So, if the Spidey sense is tingling, then it’s time to bug out.

We didn’t go far, though. We are across the street on the other side of the Gold’s Gym. We have a daycare right next to us, full of future comic book readers and then down at the other end is a Italian restaurant with great pizza, Sali's Pizza, and the Nickelrama Arcade. The actual address is 1238 N. Belt Line Road, Suite 365. It is a much smaller location, so we won’t be able to have marathon gaming sessions, but we continue to improve the situation. Don’t worry about it too much.

In the meantime, we still have some work to do, so stay tuned to this blog and the Facebook page, and we’ll keep you posted. Be sure and pass this on to any who might be looking for a new store to try out and thank you for the support!

Catching Up, Getting Down to Business, and Talking Captain America!

I’ve been a little out of touch lately with the blog. Things are happening, have happened, or will soon happen and I’d like to clear some of it up. A lot of you know my back-story and how my wife passed away last February due to a brain tumor. My kid and I made it fine through the holidays, through the Kid’s fourth birthday, and even through the one year anniversary. But shortly after that, I hit a mental wall. It was spurred on by my new business acquisition which was going very slowly. Then, BAM! I lost my little brother about three weeks ago. I could go into a lot more detail, but these were the major factors, and so I wasn’t blogging like I should.

I’m starting to get a little more clear-headed and things are starting to move in the right direction and I’ve gotten to a point where I can start talking about the business acquisition. In short, I’m opening up my own comic book shop. I don’t guess I should call it a comic book shop, though, because it’s going to be so much more. In fact, most comic book shops are actually “pop culture centers.” Look at Collected, the store that bought up some of the Lone Star locations. Their tag line is “Your Pop Culture Headquarters.” As much as we want to think we geeks and nerds are still a niche culture, we’re not. We are now mainstream. We have sold out. And it’s a good thing!

The shop I’m hoping to open, called A Galaxy Called Dallas: Comics, Books, & Collectibles, will be in the location of Comic Book Craze in Garland, Texas. Matt and Chris McIntosh, the original owners, moved off to Florida where they said it was warmer. Really? I guess they meant year round. Anyway, they’ve gone and opened up SuperVillain Comics in Cocoa Beach. New owners were found for CBC and after some problems, the shop was available again, so I’ve decided to step in and try to get it back on track. It’s still going to be about a month before we can open the doors, but during that time, we will be doing inventory, bringing in new product, cleaning up the place, maybe re-arranging some fixtures for more floor space, and etc. If we can get it open sooner then we will. First order of business is to get the comic book buyers back in the doors and show them that they are an important part of the store. Another important part of the store is the gamers. Without either of the two, the store is nothing. But I’ve got to earn your trust and to do that, I’ve got to get the comics back on the wall as quickly as possible and not screw up pull lists, and get the games back on the calendar and make them fun events!

Right now, I’m waiting to sign the lease and that will get us in the door and on our way. We will probably have the windows covered but with signs up explaining everything. Covering windows will afford us the privacy of working without interruption and make it a little bit of a surprise for you when we do open the doors!

In the meantime, stay tuned here for more information about the store and what you can do to help us make it a success.

Oh, yeah. I went to see Captain America: The Winter Soldier with Les and Thomas from Fellowship of the Geeks and it was awesome. Watch for the next post for a small review and a link to a podcast that I was on about the movie.

All-Con Shenanigans

For those of you who haven't been to All-Con, you really need to try it at least once. It's the reason I started this blog five years ago. Man. Five years. Doesn't seem like that long ago. But, when you go to this event and see the community that it breeds, you'll see why folks keep coming back.

This is just one of the many reasons I like going. David Petty and the Taffeta Darling were co-hosting the Ms. Star Wars Pageant and to win the sash and crown you have to prove your love for all things Star Wars. One of those ways was "dancing for Jabba."




Here's David's example.

Do you have any great stories to share from All-Con 2014? Tell us!

March Madness for Geeks

Though March Madness has already started, it’s not too late to take part in it. io9 always has a bracket with a different theme and this year they are pitting genre against genre. In SciFi vs. Fantasy, you’ll see head-to-head match-ups such as Conan the Barbarian against Highlander, or Blade Runner against The Time Machine. The brackets are a great inspiration for finding something to read or watch also.

Also, StarWars.com gives us This Is Madness – The Star Wars Character Tournament.  A video was released with Master Yoda kicking off the event as he was also the winner from last year’s tournament.

Both tournaments are still going on and still plenty of time to vote for your favorites! Enjoy!

Loot Crate

So, Glitzy Geek Girl has got me hooked on Loot Crate. I saw all of the cool things that she got last month, and so I decided I didn’t want to be left out. Check out my first unboxing below. If you decided to join, be sure and use this link so that I can earn more Loot Crates!

My personal Loot Crate link: http://mbsy.co/lootcrate/1719003

The Book Carriage Plays Host To Local Scifi & Fantasy Authors

The Book Carriage & Coffee Shop in Roanoke, Texas, will host a meet and greet on Saturday, March 8, 2014, from 1 PM until 3 PM. Guests will have a chance ask questions and purchase books of three local scifi and fantasy authors. Scot C. Morgan, C. A. Szarek, and Matthew Bryant will be in attendance with their books.

 

Scot C. Morgan - Adamar

C. A. Szarek - King's Riders Series

Matthew Bryant - World Between Series The first book in the series, Towers, is available on Kindle for free from February 24th until February 28th.

All-Con Has A New Costume Contest

All-Con is upping the ante on costumes this year. They are now giving a $1000 cash prize to the winner of the Championship Costuming competition. This is like Thunder Dome, 30 contestants enter, one costumer leaves! As of a week ago, only 10 of the 30 had been filled, so hurry and get your application in!

One thing to keep in mind is that this is not a cosplay event. There will be no group entries only solo. Judging will focus on the design, construction, and creativity of the costume!

Application for Championship Costuming

What kind of costumes do you like to see in competition? Have you got a costume idea that know one has tried yet?

ConDFW – Before I Head Out The Door

ConDFW starts today ConDFW XIII and I just wanted to remind everyone before I left out for the Crowne Plaza. I’m looking forward to a great weekend. During load-in, I found that I’ll be setting right next to Selina Rosen and Yard Dog Press. That’s a fun group of people and I’m very happy about my location with them! I’m looking forward to also seeing my friends Gloria Oliver, Jaye Wells, and so many others. You can also keep up on Twitter by following the hashtag #ConDFW. If you’ve got some free time this weekend, come see us!

If you can’t make it to us but still have some free time, go up to Denton and check out Mini-Akon. My friend David Doub will be up there having fun on Saturday. It’s at a few locations, so be sure and check out the Facebook event page for more info.

All in all, have a great weekend in Dallas, enjoy the warm weather, and above all, keep on geekin’!

What events are you or would you go to? If not these, just what are you up to this weekend?

Twitter #ConDFW

ConDFW Starts Friday

I’m getting geared up for ConDFW this weekend. I’ve got a table selling new & used books and assorteds, so it should be fun hanging out with everyone. You can check out their website for more info here, but the big name is going to be Kevin J. Anderson! This man is a rock star (or at least knows one) and has his fingers in so many pies, it’s ridiculous how much he creates. You can look at his bio here.

 

If you haven’t ever been to ConDFW  it’s a great way to meet authors and artists, especially the locals. They are also big on workshops and programs where you can learn things or just hear about your favorite topics. In addition, there will be a costume contest and a Bookswap.

So, what’s your favorite part of ConDFW ? What? You haven’t been? Then, what’s holding you back?

Lewisville Science Fiction Book Group Discusses Robert Charles Wilson’s SPIN

Lewisville Science Fiction Book Group meets up Friday evening, February 14,  at 7:30 PM to discuss Robert Charles Wilson’s Spin. The group, led by Louis Barber, meets at the IHOP at I35 and Round Grove Road in Lewisville.

This is what Amazon.com has to say about Robert Charles Wilson’s SPIN:

Spin is Robert Charles Wilson's Hugo Award-winning masterpiece—a stunning combination of a galactic "what if" and a small-scale, very human story.

One night in October when he was ten years old, Tyler Dupree stood in his back yard and watched the stars go out. They all flared into brilliance at once, then disappeared, replaced by a flat, empty black barrier. He and his best friends, Jason and Diane Lawton, had seen what became known as the Big Blackout. It would shape their lives.

The effect is worldwide. The sun is now a featureless disk—a heat source, rather than an astronomical object. The moon is gone, but tides remain. Not only have the world's artificial satellites fallen out of orbit, their recovered remains are pitted and aged, as though they'd been in space far longer than their known lifespans. As Tyler, Jason, and Diane grow up, a space probe reveals a bizarre truth: The barrier is artificial, generated by huge alien artifacts. Time is passing faster outside the barrier than inside—more than a hundred million years per year on Earth. At this rate, the death throes of the sun are only about forty years in our future.

Jason, now a promising young scientist, devotes his life to working against this slow-moving apocalypse. Diane throws herself into hedonism, marrying a sinister cult leader who's forged a new religion out of the fears of the masses.

Earth sends terraforming machines to Mars to let the onrush of time do its work, turning the planet green. Next they send humans…and immediately get back an emissary with thousands of years of stories to tell about the settling of Mars. Then Earth's probes reveal that an identical barrier has appeared around Mars. Jason, desperate, seeds near space with self-replicating machines that will scatter copies of themselves outward from the sun—and report back on what they find.

Life on Earth is about to get much, much stranger.

IHOP is located at 2345 Stemmons Fwy, Lewisville, Texas, 75067.

Scifi Expo Is Where I’ll Be

If you haven’t heard, this is the big SciFi Expo weekend with some of the biggest names in the business, be they actors, artists, or what have you. I’m excited to see Richard Dreyfuss, yes, that Richard Dreyfuss, Karl Urban, and Stephen Amell of ‘Arrow.’ There are just too many to list, so go to the guest list here and check it out. There’s also a ton of comic book talent to be met, so you’re gonna be hard-pressed to get it all done in two days. But I’m rootin’ for ya!

Oh, and a special message to Eddie McClintock. You owe me a photo, pal!

The Dallas Geek Community Loses A Great Asset

Though I only met him a few months ago, I had the pleasure of witnessing his work for far longer. Chris Skiles passed away at the age of 30 on Monday, February 30th according to the Facebook Page Templar Digital. No other details are known, but I will continue to share them as I come across them on Facebook and Twitter. If you have any great stories of Chris, please feel free to share them. I know, not only myself, but others would love to hear them.

R.I.P. Chris Skiles

Meet Karan Ashley – The Yellow Mighty Morphin Power Ranger

In anticipation of her appearance at the Dallas Comic & Pop Expo, you can meet Karan Ashley at Madness Games & Comics on Saturday February 1, 2014. She’ll be in store from 1pm to 4pm. Go by and get an autograph and then check out that huge store they’ve got!

Are any of you fans of the different Power Rangers shows that are out on TV today?

January 2014 Dallas Comic Book Show Wrap-Up

What a weekend! If you haven’t been to one of Chris Latshaw’s quarterly comic book events, then you’re missing a real fun time. I’ve been a part of the show for a little over a year and a half now, and I can’t think of a better way to spend a weekend than with a group of comic book lovers amongst the stacks of possible treasures.

With this show, we were graced with the presence of a artistic veteran, Allen Bellman. Mr. Bellman, at the age of 89 (I think), still gets around very well. I approached his table and he greeted me with a great big smile and a line of how he was there with Stan Lee from the beginning. A story for fans, old and young, you couldn’t help but want to hang out and listen. And cool artwork, also. Considering the years that Allen worked at Timely Comics, which eventually became Marvel, I just had to have the piece of Captain America delivering a punch to the chin of Adolf Hitler.

I was lucky enough to get invited to dinner that Saturday night with the guests. Dining with my friend Tom Branch, it’s pretty cool to sit down and eat with people in the industry. Though Tom listened to Ron Marz, Ron Frenz, and Tom DeFalco for most of the meal, I enjoyed the conversation with Mr. Bellman and his wife, Joe Corroney, and Ron Marz’s wife. Plus, the fact that I got to chauffeur Corroney and Frenz in my car was pretty cool, too.

I sold some books, and then turned around and gave most of it right back picking up an Amazing Spider Man #252 (autographed by Frenz and DeFalco), got a Red Sonja #1 (1973), and this cool Iron Man Arc Reactor USB Drive!

If you got a chance to come by and have photos, please go by my Facebook page and share some links!

A Galaxy Called Dallas on Facebook - Dallas Comic Book Show Album

Helio-Con Takes Over Lewisville

For all fans of science fiction, fantasy, horror, and “alternative realities” this Sunday is sure to please. Creators of Helio-Con hope to take this event and make it into an “exciting, fun, friendly, collaborative, and enjoyable experience,” for fans. The event will take place at the MCL Grand Theater in Lewisville, Texas.

Guests will include Weldon Adams, editor at APE Entertainment, Rachel Caine, author of the Morganville Vampire and Weather Warden series, award winning illustrator, Steve Erwin, author of nearly sixty books (Star Trek), Michael Jan Friedman, Atop The Fourth Wall creator, Lewis Lovhaug, artist/voice actress, Kristen McGuire, artist/voice actor for Elfquest and Dragon Ball Z, Sonny Strait, and Felix Silla who has played a walking pile of hair, a miniature Hitler, a small robot, and an Ewok.

I will be one of the many vendors at the show, so be sure and come out to visit and se what I and many others have to offer at our tables. I will be selling new & used paperbacks, hard covers, and some collectibles.

Dallas Comic Book Show Kicking Off 2014

Ah, it’s a new year and a new round of conventions, shows, and get-togethers! Tim Latshaw is is starting us off with the first of many and he really does a good job. This Saturday and Sunday come on down to the Doubletree Hotel Dallas Market Center and meet, not just me, but Tom DeFalco, Ron Frenz, Ron Marz, Joe Corroney and Allen Bellman. In addition to the big names, you can meet up-and-coming names like Tom Branch, Eddie Medina, Bobby Blakey, Chrystal Anne, and tons of vendors.

This will be my seventh (?) show with this group and I love it. It’s small enough that you can see everything you want, but not so big that you’re crowded and not able to see everything. Plus, for such a small show, they pull in some really cool guests. We got Lou Ferrigno last January. How cool is that? So, come by my table where I’ll be selling used trades and paperbacks along with some new ones and tell me you saw it on the blog and I’ll make you a deal!

Remember, family-friendly, two days, inexpensive ($10), costume contest, and more this Saturday and Sunday. Get more details from the links below.

Comic Con Kick-off 2014 Dallas

North Texas Comic Book Shows

Do you prefer the small shows or do you prefer the big productions?

Happy New Year (a day or two late)

Some of you may have noticed a lapse in posting on all my platforms these past few months. As the holidays approached I prepared myself for the first of many celebrations without my wife, Carroll. I was especially preparing for my daughter’s emotional state. That meant less time on the computer, more time with each other and family. I tried to find things to occupy my time when the kid and family weren’t around, so I started gearing up for 2014. I’ve got big plans coming in the next few weeks and I don’t want to spill anything yet, but let’s just say, 2014 is going to be a lot of fun. So, hang in there. As I crawl out of my holiday cocoon, I’ll start posting more and we’ll get this ball rolling! In the meantime, don’t forget that George Takei is at Madness Comics tomorrow, Friday, January 3. Check out Madness’ Facebook post on the event for more info. Much love to all my readers, fans, followers, pinners, tumblrs, instagramers, flickrers(?), etc.

George Takei at Madness Games & Comics