#NYCC and me

The week post-NYCC has flown by, yet it also feels like an eternity ago. The contrast of daily life against the sci-fi and fantasy Disneyland that is New York Comic-Con, is not a transition one traverses lightly; or at least I don’t. Like emerging from the wardrobe after discovering Narnia, I’m still dusting snowflakes from my hair or, rather, quippy buttons, flyers and business cards. I met so many amazing people and went on some pretty cool adventures (some I’ll talk about here, some you might have to read about in my unauthorized biography #pretendingtobefarmoredangerousthaniam). But all in all, it was an awesomely fun, productive and exciting weekend.

Even though the media guests were sanctioned to a far away wing, I was stoked to see all the friendly and loyal fans who came by to grab an autograph, snag a t-shirt, or just to say hello. The laid-back pace was actually a welcome break. Hanging out all weekend allowed me the freedom to come and go and carry on real conversations, rather than frantically packing in a rush of autographs in just a few hours. Admittedly, I only ventured out into the madness twice. On Saturday, I naively walked around artists alley thinking it was the main attraction. A friend of mine with a comic book booth educated me on the different smells emanating from the different areas—that way if I got lost, I could navigate using my ninja olfactory skills. According to him, the publisher’s area was the most offensive, but I didn’t test his hypothesis. I chatted a bit with the cool and talented Cat Staggs, who was kind enough to give me one of her books. Apparently she’s going to be making some BSG art in the near future, so you should definitely keep an eye out. You can find more of her artwork on her site. I also tripped over Scott Adsit (Pete from 30 Rock) pimping out his precious sketchbook for artists to draw/paint/doodle/make magic in. I learned about his idea last year, but this year I actually got to see some of the fruits of his many travels and contributions from incredible artists. I’m not sure how many sketches he has in total now, but it’s an impressive amount and he’s somewhat modest about it; either that or he’s a little self-conscious about the inherent geekery in such an undertaking. I personally think it’s awesome! I also love anything that challenges the fan/celebrity separation. At the end of the day, we're all fans of something, right? And if you're not, sucks to be you! Anyway, I digress, Scott was also kind enough to be excited about my “OH MY GODS! THEY KILLED CALLY” t-shirts and even sported his very own on Sunday. If you catch him in any pics or videos that day, you’re sure to see him representin’. Thanks again Scott! If you're in the city, catch him doing Celebrity Autobiography. It sounds super hilare!

On Sunday I had the good fortune of having a dear old friend from Vancouver serve as my sidekick. So during the slow times we got to catch up and reflect on the good ol’ days kicking around Vancity. It was really nice, and always humbling to have old friends to help you remember how far you’ve come. It was also really neat to hear her perspective on the convention. She moved to NYC seven years ago and has since become a hugely successful and sought-after stylist. She loves her job, but will be the first to admit the fabric holding together the commercial and fashion industry is one of carefully constructed facades and shiny veneers. Her and I have always bonded over our mutual love and appreciation for the nerdier side of life, so it was perfectly apropos for us to unite in such a setting. Her comments on the event were both refreshing and endearing as she compared the people at the convention to the people she normally works with. Sure, they both dress up in outrageous outfits, some of them even with outlandish make-up and accessories. They both obsess over material commodities and identify themselves with their specific interests; most of them form social groups as a result of these interests. But still, there seems to be something tangibly different about these “genres,” if you will. I might be so bold as to say that sci-fi fans seem genuinely happier than my experience of fashion-industry types. But aside from that, I feel the major difference is expressed in their intent. Rather than trying to create an image in order to fit in and be liked by others, comic and sci-fi fans are expressing themselves in a way that is not typically accepted by mainstream culture, and cons are the one place they can actually share that passion with others. I don’t get the sense that con-goers are trying to be cool; in fact, it’s cool not to be cool at a con (the irony is not lost, but you get my point). To put it simply, I it seems like people at conventions come together through a shared LOVE of something, rather than a shared FEAR of something. And that's just cool.

Well that’s enough waxing philosophic for now... More to come on Baba Brinkman’s Rap Guide to Evolution, the Occupy Wall Street protests, and some more cool (mis)adventures I embarked on last weekend.

Oh, and did I mention, I KILLED it in this Black Eyed Peas dance game? KILLED. IT. :)

 

 

My I-Con Reunion

I often remember my mom saying to me, “It doesn’t matter so much where you go, it’s who you’re with that counts.” I think at certain times I mistook this advice for her trying to prevent me from going places I wanted to go (probably with people who weren’t necessarily the best influence), but as I get older and add more places to my travel log, I realize there’s a grain of truth in her words; maybe even a very large grain. It’s not the places I’ve seen that stick in my mind so much as the jokes I’ve shared, the questions I’ve asked, or been asked, and the stories I’ve heard about people and places I can only imagine. Case in point, I’ve been to a lot of conventions in my veteran years as a sci-fi tv star. I’ve visited different countries, stayed in fancy hotels, not-so-fancy hotels, eaten great food, eaten frozen dinners, you name it. And while all of those things are interesting and certainly entertaining at times, what impresses me most is always the people. The reason I returned to I-CON last weekend, having attended it only two years prior, was exactly this: the people. I had such an incredible time, both with the other actors and the staff, it was kind of a no brainer when they asked me to return. The word that came to mind when I thought about what was different at this convention than many of the others was “community.” The word that comes to mind after attending the con for the second time, is “family.” And not just because I refer to the media chair as “Ma” and spent the whole weekend with one of her eight children whom I care for like a little sister (even though she spent most of her time taking care of me). No, not only because of those things. It also feels like family because despite all the chaotic events and activities and the massive amount of man power and organizing that must have gone into the event, everyone there seemed to be enjoying themselves. Like a high-stress holiday dinner, people coming and going, gears grinding, sparks flying, people were still smiling and having a good time. They still cared about being there rather than just getting the job done. In a world, and often an industry, where product trumps people, it’s refreshing to remember what’s at the heart of all this madness. The sci-fi community never ceases to be a good example of keeping this principle real.

Anyway, I’m keeping this short and sweet, but thanks for the good times everyone at I-Con. Hope to come back again soon!

 

 

Nicki Clyne Fan 'Zine FTW!

Hey everyone! I'm really excited to roll out this lil' collaboration I've been working on. With the help of some talented friends, the first ever "Nicki Clyne Fan 'Zine" has been created! It's all for fun, kind of a throwback to comics from the 50's with cut-outs and games. You can even help Cally find the cylon through a maze! The art work is pretty spectacular, somehow Pedro Vargas captured a certain "Nicki-ness" and managed to translate it into a cartoon.

I'll be releasing a limited edition run of 1000, so get 'em while they're hot! I'm giving first dibs to everyone who comes to I-CON 30 this weekend, then it's fair game to the internet populace thereafter. Every 'zine will be numbered and hand signed - even personalized if you so desire!

Looking forward to hearing what your thoughts! Please send feedback, as this is only the beginning of my creative endeavors.

Here are a few sample pages to whet your appetite, there are 16 total. Full details coming soon... Enjoy!

comic-con & godkiller

well, it's been a while, so i've got some 'splainin' to do...  first off, it's just been confirmed i'll be attending - for the first time ever in recorded history - the infamous san diego comic-con!  can you believe it?  it's the question everyone always asks me and my answer is always accompanied by a sad face.  but not anymore.  i'm super excited.  however, i'll only be signing autographs for a short period of time on Sunday, so don't get stuck in a panel about the influence of medieval art on modern manga or something like that.  i'll send out more details on the signing once i have them... which brings me to my next order of business...  i'll also be braving the chaos to chill with the Halo-8 crew, promoting their new illustrated film 'godkiller,' for which i do the voice of bad ass bounty hunter, soledad.  check out the official site to find more info or even download some soledad wallpaper over a dread central.

soledadpaper2b

i think that about brings us up to date.  i found a cute picture of lucci and me from our philadelphia adventure...  we went for a long walk on the first night, taking in the humid summer air and enjoying all the parks and people out and about.  it's amazing to me how i can work with someone regularly over a period of time, yet still not know them as well as i get to during these short trips and intimate outings.  it's really wonderful.  it's like the classic phenomenon of running into an acquaintance or casual friend in some exotic location; all of a sudden you become best friends because of the degree of relative familiarity.  there's also a level of comradery that comes with the whole convention experience.  just as it can be nerve racking for fans to meet their favorite celebrities, it can be stressful for actors too.  being in a new place, being watched and scrutinized, talking about the same thing all day.  i know some people live with that kind of attention, but it's certainly not a part of my daily life, nor do i think i'd like it to be.  most people still think i'm lying when i tell them i'm cally and, quite honestly, i'm fine with it.  except when the bouncers at wizard world wouldn't let me in without a wristband, that was kind of annoying...  anyway, looking forward to next weekend, hope some of you are too...

nicki & lucci

saved

I knew I was in for for a surprise this past weekend as soon as I pulled into the hotel parking lot.  I'd never been to New Jersey before and I didn't really know what to expect, and I certainly could have never anticipated what came next.  The first thing that caught my eye was an extremely strange looking vehicle.  It almost looked like the effect of a future time, a sort of hybrid from a period past and a time to come.  It was jet black and if I didn't know better, I would have thought it could fly.  I paid the driver and entered the lobby to find another strange sight.  Two men in long dark robes sat across from each other drinking their respective Starbucks coffees.  Let me remind you it was not Halloween.  I turned the corner to hear unusual noises coming from a room nearby.  What I encountered in this particular room was not something I could have prepared for.  The bright flashing lights were blinding.  If I listened carefully, I almost felt as if I could hear my name being whispered... "nicki... nicki... nicki..."  People started to gather around me and question me about my life and my work and the future.  I began to panic.  I didn't know what to do when suddenly, a dark figured just appeared before me.  I breathed a sigh of relief with the recognition that it was Batman, he had come to save me.  And to my horror and disbelief, he handed me a pen and asked me for my autograph.  That's when I remembered I was at a sci fi convention in Secaucus, New Jersey.  Whew, that was close. 

Thanks so much to everyone who came out last weekend, it was a blast.  It's always a pleasure to meet the fans and get a sense of how people feel about the work we do.  Being a fan myself, I love hearing about new ideas, hopes for the future and people's own stories about how they came to love Battlestar.  It was also really great to meet the other wonderful actor's in attendance.  Ray Parks and Bonnie Piesse from Star Wars were sweethearts.  I sat next to Morena Baccarin and we had lots of fun taking in all the action.  And Richard Kiel and his kids were beautiful and generous people.  It's a real privilege to do what I do.  Thanks for sharing it with me.

me + richard kiel