This week I got to talk to Heather Hopp. We have had her on the podcast, now let’s learn a bit more about her geek.

VR: Tell us a bit of your geek bio?
HH: I’m a nerd and mom. I married Andy. We have 2 girls, 1 game convention, and 3 Oddmalls. ‘Nuf said!

VR: Whatz your geek?
HH: Oh, lots of things. I’m all academically minded and achievement focused but I suppose that’s my “Nerd”. I love comics (Make Mine Marvel!), video games (especially old school side scrollers) and RPG styles. Speaking of RPGs, I like book and dice style RPGs and tabletop board games. Think more Arkham Horror / Pandemic and less Sorry. My biggest “Geek” is probably my love of science fiction. Everything from books to TV to film. I even specified my English degree with a thesis in comparative Science Fiction. Big in my SF pantheon are Doctor Who, Star Trek, BSG (reboot), anything based on Philip K Dick, and Star Wars. I use these as inspiration and make inspired collage art, jewelry, accessories, and many of my own cosplay pieces.

VR: How did you get into your geek?
HH: Is this spelled right? What’s a “geek”? Freak? Freek (like freaky geek)? I digress. I started my love of all my geeky things at a very young age when I loved watching Star Trek with my Dad and hearing / reading about world mythologies. Video games came with my all time favorite Christmas gift ever in 1987 of an NES (which I still have – including all my controllers, accessories, and cartridges). I added layers to that when I got into comics – mostly X-Men – around age 10. That boosted me into hanging out at FLCSs and attending local conventions with my grandpa, probably starting around 1991. Andy got me into traditional RPGs in 1998, my favorite setting ever being D&D 2nd Ed. Planescape.

VR: Favorite geek memory?
HH: Not sure it’s my favorite, but it’s the best geek compliment I ever received! In 2013, I put together my personal favorite cosplay for myself ever. A sort of pin-up / cigarette girl version of the TARDIS. With the help of trusty friend/handler/ fem Doctor cosplayer Jessie, I put that thing on, kids in tow, and drove into Columbus wearing it to attend the first Wizard World Columbus event where my husband was in the artist alley. On the way in, we had to stop at the vendor services booth to pay for me, since I would be working at Andy’s booth. The person behind the booth was cosplayer Victoria Schmidt from Heroes of Cosplay. She looked at my costume while commenting, “I’ve been waiting to see a full-blown TARDIS like this complete with working light. Oh, you have a little weeping angel and Clara too…” Then when she finished making the badges my husband tried to pay and she said, “No, It’s on me. I love this (motioning to the costume).” Our group’s candid shot from walking the floor by Wizard World’s official social media is still my favorite photo of me in costume ever.

VR: Anything else you like to tell us?
HH: Andy & I grew our geek together and launched Con on the Cob (game convention) in 2005, and Oddmall (a mash-up of non-traditional arts & crafts & geek) in 2009. I live and breathe the geek.

Thanks Heather.

If you would like to share your Geek with me, then email me at firerose79@live.com or kylanandken@gmail.com. Just put “Whatz Your Geek” in the subject line.