Geek Culture is no longer on the fringes of society but has reached the point where it plays a significant role within the entertainment and economic fabric of the twenty-first century. Comic book superheroes dominant the box office, Star Trek and Star Wars are more than science fiction epics to millions of fans, video games have evolved into a billion-dollar industry, and popular culture has been embraced as an educational tool in high schools and universities. Many cities across the United States – from Seattle to San Diego, New York to Los Angeles, and Boston to Pittsburgh – even have their own Geek history that has helped shaped their identity.
Geek Culture is more than an entertainment outlet and economic powerhouse, however, as it also encompasses a progressive philosophy that has influenced multiple generations. Equally important are the ways in which the basic tenets of Geek Culture – from comic books to science fiction to gaming – are increasingly being used as educational tools, charity vehicles, and the means for social change. Geek Frontiers spotlights all of these areas, as well as fan initiatives that transform Geek Culture into viable and unique experiences on the local level through art, music, and theater. Geek Culture has emerged into something larger than mere escapism, as well as a pathway to a better understanding of – and thus better – contemporary society.
The word “progressive” can mean different things to different people. On Geek Frontiers, it stands for diversity, inclusion, antiracism, and respect for all. Justice and fairness, and a firm belief in science as a guiding force. The power and importance of education, community, and involvement. And yes, the right to be entertained and enjoy oneself, whether through comic books, gaming, movies, television, theater, or literature. Geek Frontiers believes that a core set of ideals exist within Geek Culture that are universal, and those universal concepts are what hold us together despite differences that threaten to pull us apart.
Geek Frontiers has a sister site, Remixing History, that explores individual comic books and television episodes through the lens of the real-world events that shaped their narratives. By intertwining the fictional storylines with their factual counterparts, Remixing History creates a hybrid narrative that not only offers a unique perspective but serves as a gateway to further understanding of the past as well as present. Remixing history in such a fashion likewise demonstrates the educational potential of fictional narratives in both high school and college classrooms.
When the crew of the Starship Enterprise embarked on its five-year mission in 1966, Captain James T. Kirk pronounced space as the “Final Frontier.” Six years earlier, presidential candidate John F. Kennedy declared, “We stand today on the edge of a New Frontier, the frontier of the 1960s, the frontier of unknown opportunities and perils, the frontier of unfilled hopes and unfilled threats.”
Geek Frontiers is a homage to those twin Frontiers, as well as a continuation of their spirit of discovery and hope for a better understanding of the world that surrounds us. Its mission is not as grandiose in scope, or even a call to action. It’s simply an exploration of what makes Geek Culture a prevailing culture in the twenty-first century, as well as the opportunities it provides for those willing to embrace it.
Anthony Letizia
anthony@geekfrontiers.com