Triumph of the Nerds from p12 University of Georgia, suggests that the en- thusiasm among fans of role play, sci-fi, comic books and cosplay, among a range of nerd-centric activities, generally comes from a place of solitude, and that by ex- changing social currencies, like knowledge of Star Trek storylines or amassing a collec- tion of model toys, fans find ways to belong in an otherwise unaccepting environment. A New York Times article titled “Your Brain on Fiction” cites fictional storytelling as an element that enriches our lives and ex- pands our minds, enabling us to empathize with and understand others. Just as Data and Geordi would escape to the Enterprise’s holodeck in The Next Gen- eration to battle Moriarty in a Sherlock Holmes simulation, the habit of escaping re- ality by entering into fictional worlds like those of comic books helps us figure out the thoughts and feelings of others. And, ac- cording to the Times article, our brains treat interactions between fictional characters like real-life social encounters. If you asked a comic book nerd, or a re- covering alcoholic, or a newly diagnosed cancer patient, they’d likely agree that ditching daily discomforts to enter a world of fiction can be an incredibly useful tool in real-life problem-solving (and much healthier than booze or other substance abuse). “Comics have always been like therapy,” say Wanz Dover, a comic book cataloguer with Heritage Auctions and longtime comic book aficionado. “I often say, like, every great life lesson I ever learned, I learned from a Chris Claremont comic.” Dover, who has followed Marvel continu- ously since 1982, says the X-Men characters (written by Claremont for almost 20 years) feel like family members at this point. The X-Men is the first comic book series with which he connected as a kid. He cites Night- crawler as his favorite character. “If you know about that character, then you know pretty much everything you need to know about me as a person,” he says. Along with teaching life lessons, comic books are a great tool for understanding and identifying various states of mental health. This is a recurring theme in comic books, Dover says. “I mean, Tony Stark [Iron Man] … him being an alcoholic was a pretty big part of his character for a long time,” Dover says. “And him being sober and clean was also a big part of his character for a long time, be- cause he was such an alcoholic. And the whole Demon in the Bottle covers are some- what iconic.” Demon in a Bottle is a nine-issue story arc from the comic book series The Invincible Iron Man that shows Stark falling deep into alcoholism before finding sobriety. Tim Stoltzfus, owner of the Denton- 14 14 based More Fun Comics and Games, also found refuge in the world of comic books and even ran his own comic book shop in his hometown of Intercourse, Pennsylvania, when he was 17 years old. He, too, was bul- lied as a kid for wearing a comic book-re- lated T-shirt to school. “In the ’80s and early ’90s, nerd culture was decidedly uncool. I remember wearing an X-Men T-shirt to high school when I was in 10th grade and was very clearly made fun of for it,” he says. “But … the comic store was my refuge on the weekends, where I got to hang out with like-minded people. And so the lesson I learned from comics was accep- tance.” Passively thumbing through the pages of Superman isn’t the only way to reap mental health benefits. Daniel Calhoun is a profes- sional cosplayer who works with Love for Kids Inc., a Dallas-based nonprofit organi- zation that helps low-income families with children in need. About 12 years ago, when Calhoun went through a divorce, he says he experienced severe depression and suicidal thoughts. “There were a couple of times I had a knife out,” he says. Calhoun has been a regular at Scarbor- ough Renaissance Festival for 22 years and goes to about a dozen comic conventions each year. He ultimately found that through his love of cosplay and make-be- lieve, he could experience a better, hap- pier life. About a year and a half ago, he decided to create a special division of Love For Kids called “Happy Hearts Heros” that includes a team of cosplayers who dress in a variety of superhero costumes and attend various events that help raise money for kids. “I can use this cosplay and all that, not just as an escape for me in a way to help me feel better, but through charity,” Calhoun says. “A lot of the kids we deal with are at risk, terminally ill and special-needs chil- dren. And some of these kids at some of these events, this might be their last event that they’re alive for. And … I can at least give them one moment of being that child, of Daniel Calhoun is a professional cosplayer. Mike Brooks having that wonder and having that amaze- ment. That’s the best thing in the world.” C Set Phasers to Fun onventions are a big way like- minded folks actively participate in fandom together, most elaborately through cosplay. Taffeta Darling, the alias for the founder of the pop culture brand Fangirl in Dallas (who requested we not use her real name), is a leading figure in local co- splay, with thousands of social media fol- lowers. She works as a panelist, moderator, judge and cosplay guest in most of them and hosts monthly livestreams through her so- cial media platforms with special guests who discuss movies, games, comic books and TV shows that fit into various nerd fan- doms. An avid J.R.R. Tolkien and Batman fan, Darling also attends about a dozen fan con- ventions each year throughout the country. After two decades of active participation, she has long since found her niche in the community, and fans love her obscure ap- proach to her cosplay garb. “It’s all kind of all random, like ’80s cult characters that aren’t seen enough,” she says. “And I hear the response, ‘I never see this character. [It’s] so cool, it’s so random.’ And I’m like, ‘You’re on my level. Let’s talk.’” Conventions allow many people who are otherwise solitary in their fictional worlds or, in Darling’s case, a self-proclaimed homebody, to come out and play. And you don’t have to travel far to find communities of like-minded folks with whom to engage. North Texas is a nerd destination with several conventions, clubs and shows to boot. The yearly Fan Expo sees sci-fi, comic book, horror, anime and gaming nerds come together for three entertainment-packed days with celebrity guests, vendors and fam- ily-friendly attractions. The Dallas Comic Show aims to provide a similar, more bud- get-friendly experience on a smaller scale with comic book and media guests, cos- tumed characters, gaming and anime con- tent. The Dallas Comic Show will host its fourth show this year, Nov. 11–12, at Music City Mall in Lewisville. Another big pop culture convention is the Arlington-based Retropalooza, cele- brating all things retro in the worlds of toys, music and video games. The two-day event also encourages cosplay and in- cludes guest panelists. For bookworms who seek something smaller, the Dallas Sci-Fi Book Club meets monthly on Zoom or at Half Price Books on East Northwest Highway. Dallas Zine Fest, Denton Zine and Art Party, and Fort Worth Zine Fest are opportu- nities for local artists to showcase their work. Kelly, who sells his comic art at the Denton Zine and Art Party and at the town’s weekly community market, says connecting with strangers at these events is one of the most rewarding experiences. “[Sci-fi and fantasy] are very lonely ob- sessions and interests, and to add a com- munity element, that’s very good for your mental health,” Kelly says. “To have that aspect where that loneliness can connect with other people’s loneliness, or lonely in- terests, that’s a meaningful thing for a lot of people. … What’s really satisfying for me as a creator is getting to go to conventions and booths and talk to people. It gives me a warped sense of reality, that’s much better than reality.” By helping organize the Denton Comic Art Expo last year, Kelly and a team of vol- unteers created the town’s first-ever comic con. And for some fans, conventions are just as big a part of life as the comic books them- selves. Calhoun’s first convention was about 12 years ago at the Dallas Comic Con (before it became Fan Expo) at the Richardson Civic Center. He had to overcome a fear of being costumed in public. “I was terrified,” he says. “I’m sitting in the car in a Wolverine costume for 20 or 30 minutes … and I’m agonizing because I’m sitting there and I’m not seeing very many people in costume.” He was there with his son, David, who was in a simpler costume. “I have my boxers and a T-shirt on un- der [my costume] so I’m either going in costume or I’m going home,” he says. “And I’m sitting there going, ‘I’m a 30-some- thing-year-old man. I’m overweight, in a spandex costume, here in public. Oh, God. Oh, God. Oh, God.’” It sure doesn’t seem like football fans ever feel this reluctant to don their uniforms and face paint in public. Now, Calhoun says, it’s strange if he goes to a convention without a costume. He be- lieves that if fans feel out of place or pres- sured to outgrow their interests, they should go to a convention. “Go to a convention,” he says. “You find that family. And you realize, ‘I’m not alone.’” MONTH XX–MONTH XX, 2014 NOVEMBER 3–9, 2022 DALLAS OBSERVER DALLAS OBSERVER | CLASSIFIED | MUSIC | DISH | MOVIES | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | FEATURE | SCHUTZE | UNFAIR PARK | CONTENTS | CLASSIFIED | MUSIC | DISH | CULTURE | UNFAIR PARK | CONTENTS dallasobserver.comdallasobserver.com
