Lots of Dork

Hello! As indicated in my previous post, this week has been crazy busy. As also indicated in the previous post, you'll soon see why RenFest dorks should not be let near comics.

Where to begin...?

OK. I volunteer at the info booth every Saturday afternoon at the MN Renaissance Festival. This means I get to hang out with My People without paying the $20 admission fee. In return, I get to point out privvies to patrons. ELW got me into this gig last year, and it's a blast.

Dude, today I met an actual furry. Like, not online.

So, when you attend these things as a patron, the usual route is thus: food, shopping, food, cheezy stage show that's been the same for twenty years, food, beer, beer, beer, annoy festies with drunkenness, food, go home. When you're a vegetarian on a tight budget who has most of the comedy acts memorized and attends every freakin' week, you tend to pack a lunch, save your money for mead (the Mead Booth features home brew from a local farmer that is only available at Fest; I recommend the Egyptian Mead), and find a shady spot to listen to one of the many fantastic music acts from. My four favorites, in no particular order, are:

1. Misplaced, for whom I could not locate a website. They have a thing about putting the choruses from pop tunes into folk songs. It's highly fun.

2. Drunk & Disorderly. These guys all went to my high school and graduated a couple of years after me, which makes me absurdly proud even though I don't know them. They're awesome, especially on multi-part harmony and adience participation.

3. Pyrates of Portobello. Dude, pirates! With tar on our pigtails, and blood on our rapiers, we'll hoist the skull and crossbones, by god we'll take no prisoners! Er, yeah. Fun to sing along with. Also, their women are awesome.

4. Folk Underground. Do not go without hearing "Sweet Violets." Or their instrumentals. The Fabulous Lorraine plays fiddle beautifully. She's also in at least one other band out at Fest, but I've not gotten a chance to check them out.

So thems the goods, as far as I'm concerned. I've been to see some of them so many times I'm in danger of becoming a groupie. Not like that, you sickos.

So you're reading this, and you're saying, "OK, but why the hell are you dragging comics into your Fest post?" And that, my friends, is the comic relief for the day. You see, I've been reading classic X-Men story arcs a lot recently. Late 1970's, early 1980's. Dark Phoenix Saga, Days of Future Past. You either get the picture, or you're about to bail on this post. Now one of the most frequent critiques of super-hero comics that i hear is about women's costumes. Little to no coverage, strangs cut-outs, freakin' high heels. Yes. I get it. But dude, have you looked at the guys?! Lemme tell you, it's always Underwear On The Outside Day in the X-Men. And when I see that, I'm instantly transported to one of those RenFest acts that I've got practically memorized. The Washing Well Wenches have an audience participation bit where they challenge one of the guys in the crowd to run to a nearby rise, put on a giant pair of briefs over his pants, and yell, "IN MY MANPANTS I CAN DO ANYTHING!!!!" Indeed.



You saw it coming. I know you did.