Background Geek of the Week: The Stuff of Nightmares

You’re terrified aren’t you?  No, he isn’t the man hiding under your bed right now waiting for you to go to sleep….but he has created images that haunt your dreams all the same!  Who is this terrifying creature?  He isn’t the devil.  He isn’t a dark wizard.  He isn’t even the bike shop owner that molested poor, pitiful Dudley in Diff’rent Strokes.  No.  This man is our Background Geek of the Week!

Background Geek of the Week: Jedis and Neckbeards

It is a common theme of this series.  Some amazing Geek property is developed, and the main creative driver gets the lionshare of credit; while others involved blend into the background.  It’s not unfair, really.  George Lucas, for all his modern sins, was the visionary who brought us the Star Wars universe.  He does deserve to be credited with that amazing achievement.  But it is not like the movies got to the bigscreen and DVD (not digitial…) with only Lucas at the helm. Others were involved.  Others helped not only in the production/business side, but they also made key creative choices.  I think it is fair to say Star Wars would not the same without our Background Geek of the Week.   Who is this geek who has done so much in the shadows?

Background Geek of the Week: He’s A Writer, Not an Anesthesiologist

He isn’t James Brook, but James Brooks wouldn’t be James Brooks without him.  He has been with the Simpsons since the beginning; producing nearly 500 episodes.  This Geek has been nominated for Best Picture Oscar for producing As Good As It Gets.  Despite all this, he is best known as a karaoke singing anesthesiologist voiced by Dan Castellaneta.  Who is this geek who has done so much in the shadows?

Background Geek of the Week: Had a +1 Mace of Awesomeness!

Ok.  So I changed the title of this feature yet again.  Obscure was too dismissive.  Whatever I used last time was so clunky and unmemorable that it never made a second write up.  So welcome to the first ever (and maybe only if I don’t like it after it publishes) BACKGROUND Geek of the Week!  This week is a Geek that played a big hand in the creation of a quintessential Geek property, but who gets very little public love.  Much like naming the member of Wham! other than George Michael, naming the guy other than Gary Gygax to create Dungeons and Dragons might prove tricky.  Here’s a hint (and you can use this hint for this column no matter what I call it):  he’s the man pictured above!

Know-This-Geek of the Week- The Tale of Two Apples….er…One Apple and One Apple…

He’s written and produced for some of the greatest animated shows ever, he was Steve Jobs’ brother in law, and he ironically has a last name that MUST autocorrect to the name of Steve’s moderately successful computer company.  Who is the man pictured above?  This week’s Know-This-Geek of the Week (formerly the slightly offensive Obscure Geek of the Week) is Richard Appel.

Mystery Geek of the Week- Making Geek Movies Is a Tull Order

Ok.  So I did pick the one picture On the web that makes the guy look like a douchebag. Sorry!  He is the guy NOT named Kevin Feige to whom we owe a huge debt of gratitude for geek movies. Definitely not dbag material.  This man is Thomas Tull.