Is cycling for geeks?

DonDaddyD

jashburnham wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

Does no one like Comic books!?!

Nope, not really. Not enough words in them for me! I like some comic book movies - Batman etc. Looking forward to Watchmen as well.

Not enough words, NOT ENOUGH WORDS. The whole point of a comic is to tell a story through the union of imagery and words. Ok fanboy moment held back.

Seriously though if it wasn't for 'widescreen' writers like Millar and Moore who are basically script writers (as well as special effects companies). then there wouldn't be all these great films. But ok comics aren't for you.

il_principe

I have nothing against comics, in fact I admire much about them, I just prefer stories that are told via the subtlety of the English language - that way my imagination can get more involved. Example - I prefer to imagine how a character might look/carry themselves etc. Comic books take this away from the reader by portraying characters via imagery. So not for me really.

DonDaddyD

lost_in_thought wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

Does no one like Comic books!?!

My ex-housemate was really into comics, and 'graphic novels' - really long comics. He lent me one - a batman one - which I was really keen to read, but just couldn't deal with the comic-book format.

So, sorry, but not me!

LiT, a little bit of advice.

Girls that play X-box, watch kung-fu flicks and the like, read comics and ride bikes equals hot taken to entity, multiplied by infinity and then embued by the power cosmic.

new avatar for DDD: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comic_Book_Guy

Truthfully I am a little disgruntled like comic book guy... not the first time I've been likened to him. I do argue a lot with a lot of fans and writers over the net about comics a hell of a lot more than I do on this site. Wolveirne and the X-men indeed grrrrrr :evil:

Nope, not really. Not enough words in them for me! I like some comic book movies - Batman etc. Looking forward to Watchmen as well.

More on this, the latest Batman film is amazing and I need to buy the Watchmen Graphic Novel before I watch it at the cinema. Though I may (and this is where I get really sad) may need to see it on my own because who ever I sit with won't be able to enjoy it on the many levels I will and their presence (like those in the midst of Galactus) would just hinder my film induced state of Nirvana.

I do get the not enough words and (LiT) not liking the comic book format, I get a completely different level of (brain) stimulation from reading a comic than reading a novel so I can relate.

Sewinman

I used to be into graphic novels and some comics back in the day, but have grown out of them now and prefer books. I used to really like fighting fantasy books too....helped me to learn to read after a slow start.

jonginge

Not a huge comic fan but a friend lent me Sandman. Liked it and subsequently went out and bought it. Neil Gaiman is ace.

il_principe

JonGinge wrote:

Not a huge comic fan but a friend lent me Sandman. Liked it and subsequently went out and bought it. Neil Gaiman is ace.

Neil Gaiman + Terry Pratchett = even more Ace!

jonginge

jashburnham wrote:

JonGinge wrote:

Not a huge comic fan but a friend lent me Sandman. Liked it and subsequently went out and bought it. Neil Gaiman is ace.

Neil Gaiman + Terry Pratchett = even more Ace!

Indeed. Good omens was the first Pratchett I read. Now seem to have most from both of them.

roger_merriman

itboffin wrote:

What a scary thought, meeting people from the Internet

i met my now wife on the internet over usenet infact, i'd not suggest it's it's sure fire way of meeting some one if fact very improbable!

Bassjunkieuk

I used to be into comic books and Magic:The Gathering! I didn't quite have the wide ranging tastes of DDD as I just collected one series (Michael Turner's Fathom) the artwork was beautiful and the story was great.

It was also around this time that I discovered ebay and just how easy it is to spend large sums of money on signed comics and as such if anyone has a particular need for a signed copy of any of the early Fathom issues I might be able to help!

I also have a copy of a Wolverine comic that was recalled in America because Sabretooth refers to Wolverine as a "kike" and it was deemed to be offensive to Jewish people and pulled! Thankfully the comic shop (A Place in Space when it was in In-Shops, BEFORE IT MOVED units and across the road!!) hadn't pulled em that fast! One day it might be worth something...........

itboffin

roger merriman wrote:

itboffin wrote:

What a scary thought, meeting people from the Internet

i met my now wife on the internet over usenet infact, i'd not suggest it's it's sure fire way of meeting some one if fact very improbable!

I used to work for the company that made match.com, speeddater.com & partymob.com mobile dating platforms, ace fun, needless to say I'm listed several times of those systems, different names of course

roger_merriman

itboffin wrote:

roger merriman wrote:

itboffin wrote:

What a scary thought, meeting people from the Internet

i met my now wife on the internet over usenet infact, i'd not suggest it's it's sure fire way of meeting some one if fact very improbable!

I used to work for the company that made match.com, speeddater.com & partymob.com mobile dating platforms, ace fun, needless to say I'm listed several times of those systems, different names of course

ah this was just a techy suport group, who meet up, still do once a year or so, very much not a dating site, and only a few women so fairly long shot. ie happened when one wasn't expecting it.

DiggingDeeper

Just added my vote - almost a split decision here it seems.

Someone said to me last week, "You seem very normal, not like a geek at all" when I explained what I do for a living.

Thanks very much I said.

It would appear one can cycle, computer programme and still be normal. He was clearly deranged. I manage to bluff it mostly as I spent many a year wandering on and off building sites doing very un IT related stuff before emerging as a code monkey.

I know which way round you have to have a bike in order for it to go forward, but that's yer lot as far as bike tech goes. Mend a puncture as well (damn... shouldn't have said the p word)

As for geekery on IT, nah I use windows, c# Asp.Net, VB, VBA etc etc so even the IT people hate me. (thems programming languages ok)

Haven't read Judge Dredd for a few years now, don't even know if the old boy is still soldiering on still?

+1 for those that chose Enthusiast

b0y1nterupted

i'm a geek 8)

Jay dubbleU

DonDaddyD wrote:

I think dressing up in lycra, cool looking shoes, helmet, wrap around and fingerless gloves may be linked to my desire of wanting to be a Superhero....

Bicycleman ? Defender of the commuter against such enemies as White Van Man, BendyBus Man and the Puncture Fairy

I have to admit to being a Pratchett fan - my climbing motto is 'Oh sh*t I'm going to die'

Rincewind is the geek to end all geeks

:roll:

_Brun_

Robert Rankin >> Terry Pratchet

Not to be regarded as absolute fact, just my humble opinion.

Clever Pun

I've got tickets for opening night at the Imax for Watchmen.. yey

Edit

Oh yes I'm with Jash on the books >comics thing. I've read Brian Lumleys Necroscope as a book and graphic novel and the book was so much better imo. The film is being made apparently, which I suspect will be dross :x

DonDaddyD

Clever Pun wrote:

Oh yes I'm with Jash on the books >comics thing. I've read Brian Lumleys Necroscope as a book and graphic novel and the book was so much better imo. The film is being made apparently, which I suspect will be dross :x

I don't think books or comics/graphic novels are better than each other. I don't think they are mostly comparable.

What I think is that they are two different ways/methods of story telling to be appreciated independantly for their form and mostly not comparable.

lost_in_thought

DonDaddyD wrote:

I don't think books or comics/graphic novels are better than each other. I don't think they are mostly comparable.

What I think is that they are two different ways/methods of story telling to be appreciated independantly for their form and mostly not comparable.

I don't agree with you about their not being comparable, in this case they're two methods of telling the same story, which almost invites comparison in my book (teeheehee).

I find graphic novels hard to read, and prefer to use imagination to conjure up a scene in my head rather than looking at a picture. Just a personal preference though. I'd always go for the book.

DonDaddyD

lost_in_thought wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

I don't think books or comics/graphic novels are better than each other. I don't think they are mostly comparable.

What I think is that they are two different ways/methods of story telling to be appreciated independantly for their form and mostly not comparable.

I don't agree with you about their not being comparable, in this case they're two methods of telling the same story, which almost invites comparison in my book (teeheehee).

I find graphic novels hard to read, and prefer to use imagination to conjure up a scene in my head rather than looking at a picture. Just a personal preference though. I'd always go for the book.

OK.

bratboy

I'm an IT Professional, but definitely NOT and IT geek.

Unfortunately it doesn't really work that way round for my cycling.

I am a cyclist, and I'm sure many would call me a cycling geek, rather than a cycling professional. However my wife is also a cyclist but she is definitely not a cycling geek.

It can work both ways - you don't have to be a geek to be a cyclist

so should there be another voting button :?:

il_principe

_Brun_ wrote:

Robert Rankin >> Terry Pratchet

Not to be regarded as absolute fact, just my humble opinion.

@Brun:

I've never read any Robert Rankin. I'm assuming I'd like if I like Pratchett? Very tempted to get on Amazon and order all his books... I do love books.

_Brun_

Rankin's stuff tends to be more of a sci-fi than fantasy bent, with lots of contemporary references thrown in for good measure. Will have a look and see which I've got knocking around the flat at the moment and bring 'em along tomorrow.

You couldn't go wrong getting hold of The Brentford Trilogy though.

il_principe

_Brun_ wrote:

Rankin's stuff tends to be more of a sci-fi than fantasy bent, with lots of contemporary references thrown in for good measure. Will have a look and see which I've got knocking around the flat at the moment and bring 'em along tomorrow.

You couldn't go wrong getting hold of The Brentford Trilogy though.

Top man, be good to try before I buy.

jimmypippa

Terry Pratchett also likes Rankin.

The humour tends towards running gags.

There are also lots of Fortean references

bigbelly

i work in IT so definately comfortable with technology and such like. A geek?
Most probably.

I also have an eeepc, great peice of kit.

A telling sign is if you know how to program a cycle computer without getting frustrated.

As for graphic novels, I remember reading my brothers Judge Anderson - a character in the Judge Dredd mega city- now that's a girl in Lycra :P

pneumatic

I've got a Rapha duffle coat

steve-m

bigbelly wrote:

i work in IT so definately comfortable with technology and such like. A geek?
Most probably.

I also have an eeepc, great peice of kit.

A telling sign is if you know how to program a cycle computer without getting frustrated.

Have you ever tried to read a manual for a cateye cycle computer; I work in IT and even the French bloke next to me could not read the native instructions.

always_tyred

lost_in_thought wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

I don't think books or comics/graphic novels are better than each other. I don't think they are mostly comparable.

What I think is that they are two different ways/methods of story telling to be appreciated independantly for their form and mostly not comparable.

I don't agree with you about their not being comparable, in this case they're two methods of telling the same story, which almost invites comparison in my book (teeheehee).

I find graphic novels hard to read, and prefer to use imagination to conjure up a scene in my head rather than looking at a picture. Just a personal preference though. I'd always go for the book.

How do you manage with movies?

lost_in_thought

Always Tyred wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

I don't think books or comics/graphic novels are better than each other. I don't think they are mostly comparable.

What I think is that they are two different ways/methods of story telling to be appreciated independantly for their form and mostly not comparable.

I don't agree with you about their not being comparable, in this case they're two methods of telling the same story, which almost invites comparison in my book (teeheehee).

I find graphic novels hard to read, and prefer to use imagination to conjure up a scene in my head rather than looking at a picture. Just a personal preference though. I'd always go for the book.

How do you manage with movies?

Clearly they're different, smart@rse. Less reading involved for one.

always_tyred

lost_in_thought wrote:

Always Tyred wrote:

lost_in_thought wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

I don't think books or comics/graphic novels are better than each other. I don't think they are mostly comparable.

What I think is that they are two different ways/methods of story telling to be appreciated independantly for their form and mostly not comparable.

I don't agree with you about their not being comparable, in this case they're two methods of telling the same story, which almost invites comparison in my book (teeheehee).

I find graphic novels hard to read, and prefer to use imagination to conjure up a scene in my head rather than looking at a picture. Just a personal preference though. I'd always go for the book.

How do you manage with movies?

Clearly they're different, smart@rse. Less reading involved for one.

Would it not be better to have the script just scrolling up the page, and leave the action to one's imagination?