I love trying out new and ridiculous ideas. It’s one of my many weaknesses. So three years ago when local movie programming goddess Andrea Beesley (aka The Midnite Move Mamacita!) asked if I wanted to run a track at Phoenix Comicon together, how could I say no?
The original idea was to try and find a very versatile geek. Someone who just wasn’t a comic book savant, but could also argue horror, gaming, anime, or anything else that came up. Not only argue it, but argue (or BS) either side! We didn’t want someone who just wore one pair of fandom underoos, but someone who had the entire set.
Thus was born the Phoenix Ultimate Geek Smackdown! Sixteen geeks enter the brackets and are eliminated in a series of debates on the silliest arguments we can come up with. Previous questions included:
- Who is the better billionaire, Bruce Wayne or Tony Stark?
- Which is the better time machine, the DeLorean or the TARDIS?
- Who has bigger daddy issues, Batman or Luke Skywalker?
You get the idea. Some of these questions nearly started fistfights.
PUGS 2012 Recap
Last year the Phoenix Ultimate Geek Smackdown was rather spectacular, and Richard Mansfield ahniliated the competition to take home both the Box of Goodies and the Trophy of Awesome.
We moved to a much bigger room, had local geekologist Jonathan Simon from Lightning Octopus join the team, and had a packed house for the Finals. Phoenix Comicon even asked us to put together some lightning PUGS sessions in the grand ballroom between some of the big sessions (like that Shatner fellow, and the cast of Eureka), which was fun but ate up a giant chunk of Saturday.
And lest you think calling it a Trophy of Awesome is an exaggeration, it featured an action figure of Frodo riding a tiger, a Stormtrooper bobblehead atop an AT-AT, Rorschach, Pinhead, and yellow roses all around. Truly a masterpiece of geekery if every such a thing existed.
Geek Smackdown returns to Phoenix Comicon 2013
We’re back again this year as a Signature Event for Phoenix Comicon, and we’re on of the Phoenix New Times’ 10 Must-See Events At Phoenix Comicon this year! We also have it on good authority that Richard will return this year to defend his title, and if you’ve never seen this guy launch into full Geektastic BS mode before, you’re in for a treat!
Qualifiers: Thursday, May 23rd, 8:00pm in Convention Center room 121 (Facebook event)
Finals: Friday, May 23rd, 7:30pm in Convention Center room 121 (Facebook event)
You can read more about the Phoenix Ultimate Geek Smackdown on the PCC site, or follow PUGS on Facebook.
PUGS is a blast to watch (audience participation is encouraged!) and we have some doozy questions lined up. If you’re going to Phoenix Comicon stop in and see who will be crowned the new Phoenix Ultimate Geek!
And if you’re in Phoenix and not going to Comicon, I question your geek credentials anyway. Begone!
My name is Jeff Moriarty, and this is my personal blog. It has no intent beyond a place to express myself, and no warranty is expressed or implied for the content you may find within.