TOP 13 - Geeks to Watch in 2009 Part 3

Read Part 1 HERE and Part 2 HERE

5. Felicia Day (Internet Sweetheart)


Felicia Day first gained the attention of geeks everywhere as potential Slayer Vi in the last season of Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Since then she's built up her fanbase online as the creator, writer and star of the online sitcom series, The Guild, which focuses on gamers of an online fantasy game. The award winning series is now in it's second season. This past year Day starred as Penny in Joss Whedon's Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog. With a rumored sequel, the continuing Guild and a growing fanbase, 2009 should be very good for Ms. Day.



4. Jeff Parker (writer, cartoonist)

After several years as both a cartoonist (notably his own creation, the spy-drama, The Interman) and as a writer, 2009 could very well be the year that Eisner nominated Jeff Parker rules mainstream comics.

Unlike many of his contemporaries, Parker has rejected the "decompressed storytelling" and instead, has focused on complete, accessible single issue stories which are smart, entertaining, and more importantly, reader friendly for an-all age audience.

With his continued work on the various Marvel Adventures titles to his "Silver Age" books such as The Age of the Sentry, Spider-Man/Fantastic Four and X-Men: First Class to his upcoming creator owned series Mysterius: The Unfathomable to the launch of his ongoing Agents of Atlas series, a Jeff Parker comic has become synonymous with good comic book entertainment. Pick one up, you won't be disappointed.

3. Neil Gaiman (writer)

With legions of die-hard fans, English-born writer Neil Gaiman has worked in virtually every arena of the printed word: journalism, comics, children's books, novels, short stories and screenplays (and a his first book, a biography of Duran Duran).

Creator of the award-winning comic book series, The Sandman, as well as it's various spin-offs, Gaiman found an even larger audience with his novels Neverwhere, Stardust, American Gods, Anasi Boys and his recent book, The Graveyard Book.

2009 will see the release of Coraline, a stop-motion animated film directed by Henry Selick and based on Gaiman's novella of the same name. Also planned for this year are two different children's books Crazy Hair with Dave McKean and Blueberry Girl with Charles Vess. Next month, Gaiman returns to comics, writing the last Batman story, "Whatever Happened to the Caped Crusader?" with artist Andy Kubert.

Gaiman is one of the most beloved geek icons around and his large body of work is constantly entertaining old fans and creating new ones.


2. Joss Whedon (entertainment revolutionary)
There are any number of reasons why Joss Whedon might be on this list. It could be the beloved television series that he created: Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Angel or Firefly. It could be his comic book work with Fray, Astonishing X-Men, Runaways or Buffy Season 8. It could even be for his upcoming television series, Dollhouse, with Buffy-alum Eliza Dushku.


Any of these are reason enough for Whedon can be considered a geek to watch. But, it's Whedon's inginuity that could very well revolutionalize traditional entertainment and change the course of how it is produced in the future.

During the 2008 WGA Strike, Whedon and several of his friends decided to make something. And, so, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog was born; three fifteen minute or so musical "acts" chronicling the love triangle between the lovely Penny (Felicia Day), Captain Hammer (Nathan Fillion) and Dr. Horrible (Neil Patrick Harris).

Then, they gave it away (albiet for a limited time). And people watched. And watched. And bought it (A season pass was approximately $5.00 on iTunes). And now, it's on dvd (exclusive to Amazon, as part of their CreateSpace program). And there's a soundtrack.

And now, thousands of filmmakers have a model of how to make something, give it away, and then make money on it. Granted, most creators don't come with the fanbase or the reputation of Mr. Whedon.

But, let's not forget, he wasn't always "Joss Whedon", but he'll always be the guy who made it work.

1. Barack Obama (44th President of the United State of America)

As the first Commander-in-Geek, Obama will be the first U.S. President to have a computer in the Oval Office (!)

Using new media tools such as text messaging, Twitter, YouTube and Facebook were all key parts in his campaign. As President, Obama has announced that he will replace his weekly radio address to the nation with a videotaped address that will be posted on YouTube. He's seldom seen without his Blackberry and has already discussed the potential of a chief technology officer for the country.

Obama has also collected Amazing Spider-Man and Conan the Barbarian comics, has read all of the Harry Potter books, greeted icon Leonard Nimoy with the Vulcan salute and according to Newsweek, once joked, tapping his wife Michelle's belt buckle and stated, "The dilithium crystals! Beam me up, Scotty!"

Barack Obama has built his campaign on intelligence and innovation. Not bad for the soon-to-be most powerful man in the world.

Hail to the Geek!