The Dork Tower

This was the first article I wrote and where the name of this column originated

There was a group of eight of us, standing around, eating pizza and talking about the things that were most important to us. Movies, TV Shows, Video Games, Comics, you know, the basic pop culture stuff. It wasn't anything extremely important. We were awaiting the midnight release of Stephen Kings The Stand in its comic book form. The funny thing is that only one of the eight people actually bought the comic. In fact the comic was possibly the least important part of this outing. This was about the ritual.

Sometimes I think MIdnight should be called "Nerd-O-Clock". Is there any subculture, besides perhaps Vampires, that care so much about Midnight? Speaking as a self -proclaimed Geek; I can say that it seems after years of mockery, the Nerd culture has finally become a phenomenon. 

Why do you think people go to Midnight showings of Rocky Horror Picture Show every Month? Is it because they love the movie? Probably not, it's not really that great of a movie after all. It's for that feeling of acceptance, to know that someone else likes the same thing that you do. THis isn't really a new concept, I mean it's not like we're friends with people that we have nothing in common with. Buy why is that Nerds feel the ned to celebrate their unity at the same time Cinderella's carriage turned back into a Pumpkin?

As the cliche' goes... the proof is in the numbers. Dark Knight is now the 2nd highest grossing movie of all time. Other movies in the top ten include two Star Wars movies, two Pirates films, two Lord of the Rings and a Harry Potter film. On top of that, the other Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and Potter movies hang on that "almost in the top 10" grouping. Oh and a little comic book hero named Spiderman. These movies all experienced the midnight release where  every single screen in the theater was showing The Dark Knight, or Spiderman, or Lord of the Rings and thousands of people came as early as three weeks in advance, dressed as their favorite Marvel or DC characters to yell with excitement when the Joker performs his pencil trick or boo at the screen when we were disappointed at how bad X-men 3: The Last Stand was. This is what the Midnight experience is all about.

So perhaps the eight of us discussing why Arrested Development should have never been cancelled while chugging cans of Pepsi at the Effin' Comics shop in Drexel Hill isn't exactly what the midnight experience is about all the time. but the central focus of the midnight experience is the unity that you feel from being around people who are just like you. People who listen to MC Chris and want to discuss things like "Why isn't George McFly upset that his son Marty looks exactly like his old high school friend Calvin Kline?" Chances are the mysteries of the Midnight release won't be answered anytime soon. But to be honest, I'm glad that it's mine and that no one can take it from me.