I have seen the future of Geek Cred – – – Tate’s!
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I’m not gonna lie, I was bummed we couldn’t get over to San Diego this year, so when I got the email from Tate’s that they were holding a “Not at Comic-Con” event this weekend, I was thrilled. I have been frequenting Tate’s since I moved back to South Florida in 2004; it wasn’t around when I was still in high school, but I am pretty sure I would have spent all my money and time at Tate’s if it existed back then. See, Tate’s is more than just a comic book store, it is a community, there are comic book stores all around me, but I drive well out of my way to shop at Tate’s and I have exposed so many of my friends to Tate’s that I have lost count. I was bold enough to tell the cashier at check out that they should make a movie about Tate’s, akin to Empire Records, because as I told her, “it has to be the coolest place to work in Florida.” You have to visit it to see what I mean.
The complex is tucked away in a small shopping strip in Lauderhill, Florida, on University Drive. Since it is in the middle of nowhere Florida, it doesn’t have all the celebrity muscle of, say, the San Diego venue, but I challenge anyone to find more loyal customers, fans, or friends than can be had at Tate’s Comics + Toys + Videos + More. I just wish more people could hear about the Tate’s family.
The actual event started at noon, but I showed up closer to two, so I missed any opening ceremonies. But I didn’t miss the cosplayrade. When we first got to the shop everything was just nuts, there were so many people in the shop and there were about five tables of comic book writers and artists somehow set right in the front of the store. If you haven’t been to Tate’s, it is FULL of stuff, so you move like you are in a packed nightclub – and that is even on “slow” days for Tate’s. Today was not slow, not by a long shot, the geeks were out in force . . . me being one of them.
There were costumed shoppers at every inch we managed to move. While I consider myself versed in most things geek, I do not know EVERY character I saw today. I would give my geek rating about a C+, maybe a B- on good months. Still, I loved the “unbridled enthusiasm” present in the store. While people could barely move, there weren’t any tempers nor complaints that I could hear. Typically in South Florida, when someone bumps into you, well, decapitation can ensue if you can’t duck quickly enough. And, let’s not forget, South Florida has face-eating zombies, so we aren’t afraid to throw down.
So, what did I miss in San Diego? Oh, I missed plenty, but thanks to Tate and his family, I was able to have a little taste of the Comic-Con in my backyard . . . so to speak. And what DIDN’T I miss because I wasn’t in San Diego? ANYTHING TWILIGHT! Yea, this year is Twilight this, Twilight that, Twilight Twilight Twilight! While Taylor Lautner was my first ever in-person celeb interview, I am no fan of the films, so I didn’t miss too much. It turns out I got to hang out with some of the best folks in South Florida who share my passion with all things geek! I was asked why I didn’t cosplay this year, well, this was my first year so I wanted to be a spectator, and hopefully you will like what I was able to capture. I even got the rare “Behind the Scenes” footage of the CosPlayrade. True geeks always covet the Behind the Scenes stuff. Check out the youtube stuff here: The Zapruder Footage of #NACC12
And, while the lines were insane when we first got there, toward the end of the event and after the parade, the lines were less insane and I got my four year old son an “Amazing Spider-Man” The Lizard figure, which is kinda cool considering his dad, yours truly got to interview Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, and Denis Leary in South Beach just last month! Read all that here, if you please. And, even though I consider myself on the periphery of the Tate’s network, I somehow always feel like I am one of the gang. It’s something you have to experience for yourself. Let’s let the publicists, agents, networks, studios and everyone know, Lauderhill Florida is the place where the true geekus americanus resides . . . or at least congregates.
Looking forward to next year . . . unless San Diego puts out something a damn sight better than sparkling vampires leading the way! And, I would be remiss if I didn’t thank the person that introduced ME to Tate’s – my best bud, Amadarwin! One last thing, I often write copy edit where I have to put in a disclaimer that my copy is sponsored content etc. I can proudly say this article isn’t sponsored on any level – – – I am a fan, a HUGE fan, a Tate’s loyal to my dying day! So, I guess that means I got the real geek cred. Do you? Go to Tate’s to find out!
