www.ambiente.us AUGUST |AGOSTO 2010
PAUL STAFFELBACH | Interview with the Gay Comic Geek
by Mike Korbini
Gay Comic Geek's webpage says:
Hi. I'm Paul, and I'm a big dork. That's it. I like comic books, sci-fi, fantasy and
a lot of different cartoons, including Anime and American, and all the stuff in
between. I'll review anything geeky or gay-related. I'm an equal opportunity
Gay Comic Geek. Occasionally, I'll even v-log about myself and what's
happening in my life, too.
Thanks for checking out the site! Feel free to comment and let me know
what's on your mind. Namaste.
- Paul
I recently had the opportunity to chat with Paul Staffelback - the Gay Comic
Geek - for Ambiente, and this is how it went:
MK | How did you end up living in Miami and how do you like it? If you could
change one thing about MIA, what would it be?
PS | Well, honestly I ended up here because my mother abandoned me as a kid
and my dad was in prison, so grandparents came up to Alabama to get me
when I was 12, and they lived in Miami. I think Miami is a great place, too hot
sometimes, but still it has a great vibe that I like. If I could change anything, it’d
have to be traffic. I hate it. A lot. Like seriously, the rage comes out of me like a
faucet when I’m driving.
PAUL STAFFELBACH | Interview with the Gay Comic Geek
by Mike Korbini
Gay Comic Geek's webpage says:
Hi. I'm Paul, and I'm a big dork. That's it. I like comic books, sci-fi, fantasy and
a lot of different cartoons, including Anime and American, and all the stuff in
between. I'll review anything geeky or gay-related. I'm an equal opportunity
Gay Comic Geek. Occasionally, I'll even v-log about myself and what's
happening in my life, too.
Thanks for checking out the site! Feel free to comment and let me know
what's on your mind. Namaste.
- Paul
I recently had the opportunity to chat with Paul Staffelback - the Gay Comic
Geek - for Ambiente, and this is how it went:
MK | How did you end up living in Miami and how do you like it? If you could
change one thing about MIA, what would it be?
PS | Well, honestly I ended up here because my mother abandoned me as a kid
and my dad was in prison, so grandparents came up to Alabama to get me
when I was 12, and they lived in Miami. I think Miami is a great place, too hot
sometimes, but still it has a great vibe that I like. If I could change anything, it’d
have to be traffic. I hate it. A lot. Like seriously, the rage comes out of me like a
faucet when I’m driving.
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Seriously.
MK | Who is your favorite super hero and why?
PS | Everyone asks that. I really don’t have a favorite. I have a favorite of the
month. If I had to pick a reoccurring hero, it’s Robin (Tim Drake version). I’ve always
loved him, but lately he’s been so much cooler. I started reading comics when Tim
became Robin, so I can relate to him a little more than others.
MK | What is your all time favorite comic book and why?
PS | I can read the Infinity Gauntlet series over and over again cause it’s the first
cosmic tale that I read back in 7th grade and it was just so memorable to me
cause most of the heroes actually died in it and it freaked me out! But they all
came back to life at the end of the story, so I guess it didn’t really matter.
If I could have any super power, it would be... Telepathy.
I would love to do a Professor X thing and make all of these
religious fanatics that hate gay people suddenly start to like the
same sex. That would be so incredibly cool to have all of these
Westboro Baptist Church fanatics suddenly become gay.
MK | How did you get into comics? How many comic books do you have?
PS | I have thousands of comics. I have a storage facility that I rent to house the
majority of them. I think I buy close to 8-10 new comics each week. I got into it
when I was really young and learning to read. I moved all the time and I never
MK | Who is your favorite super hero and why?
PS | Everyone asks that. I really don’t have a favorite. I have a favorite of the
month. If I had to pick a reoccurring hero, it’s Robin (Tim Drake version). I’ve always
loved him, but lately he’s been so much cooler. I started reading comics when Tim
became Robin, so I can relate to him a little more than others.
MK | What is your all time favorite comic book and why?
PS | I can read the Infinity Gauntlet series over and over again cause it’s the first
cosmic tale that I read back in 7th grade and it was just so memorable to me
cause most of the heroes actually died in it and it freaked me out! But they all
came back to life at the end of the story, so I guess it didn’t really matter.
If I could have any super power, it would be... Telepathy.
I would love to do a Professor X thing and make all of these
religious fanatics that hate gay people suddenly start to like the
same sex. That would be so incredibly cool to have all of these
Westboro Baptist Church fanatics suddenly become gay.
MK | How did you get into comics? How many comic books do you have?
PS | I have thousands of comics. I have a storage facility that I rent to house the
majority of them. I think I buy close to 8-10 new comics each week. I got into it
when I was really young and learning to read. I moved all the time and I never
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bothered to learn the alphabet or even try to learn cause I didn’t see the
point if I was just gonna go to a new school every other month. But I finally
met a genius school counselor that gave me a comic book and I fell in love
with the images. I wanted to learn what was being said on the pages so I
took the effort to learn. Before knew it, I excelled and surpassed a lot of my
fellow 6th graders in reading. I just needed the right motivation, and this
worked.
MK | What makes u smile?
PS | Puppies. I love puppies.
MK | What are the top 5 things on your Bucket List?
1. Get married legally…in Florida
2. Watch Gone with the Wind all the way through to the end
3. Actually meet Stan Lee in person and not be directed away by
security (why do they all think I’m a stalker?)
4. Get my masters degree (2 more years)
5. Design my own superhero for a comic book
MK | Are comic books popular in the Gay Community, why?
PS | They don’t seem that way. Whenever I talk about geeky stuff with my
fellow gay brothers, I’m looked down on. It’s like being a geek in gay society
is it’s own closeted orientation. I was secretly in the closet about being a
geek to my boyfriend when we first started to date cause I didn’t wanna
scare him away at how extreme I could be. I had to slowly come out to him
as being a complete geek, which even to this day he can’t completely cope
with everything. Not that I keep secrets from him, but I do try to give him
geeky news and updates in a slow fashion so I don’t overwhelm him too
quickly. But comic books themselves, I really only know 1 other gay guy that
reads comics as much as I do and he lives in San Diego. I know they exist, but
I think they’re afraid to come out of the closet…the geek closet.
point if I was just gonna go to a new school every other month. But I finally
met a genius school counselor that gave me a comic book and I fell in love
with the images. I wanted to learn what was being said on the pages so I
took the effort to learn. Before knew it, I excelled and surpassed a lot of my
fellow 6th graders in reading. I just needed the right motivation, and this
worked.
MK | What makes u smile?
PS | Puppies. I love puppies.
MK | What are the top 5 things on your Bucket List?
1. Get married legally…in Florida
2. Watch Gone with the Wind all the way through to the end
3. Actually meet Stan Lee in person and not be directed away by
security (why do they all think I’m a stalker?)
4. Get my masters degree (2 more years)
5. Design my own superhero for a comic book
MK | Are comic books popular in the Gay Community, why?
PS | They don’t seem that way. Whenever I talk about geeky stuff with my
fellow gay brothers, I’m looked down on. It’s like being a geek in gay society
is it’s own closeted orientation. I was secretly in the closet about being a
geek to my boyfriend when we first started to date cause I didn’t wanna
scare him away at how extreme I could be. I had to slowly come out to him
as being a complete geek, which even to this day he can’t completely cope
with everything. Not that I keep secrets from him, but I do try to give him
geeky news and updates in a slow fashion so I don’t overwhelm him too
quickly. But comic books themselves, I really only know 1 other gay guy that
reads comics as much as I do and he lives in San Diego. I know they exist, but
I think they’re afraid to come out of the closet…the geek closet.
MK | You are in pretty
good shape for a
geek......have u heard
that before?
PS | Well, I have heard
that, but honestly I still
feel completely out of
shape. In high school I
was so small, I hated it.
Then I gained some
weight when I was 19,
but that was all fat. So I
decided I needed to
change my
appearance slightly
and started to work
out.
MK | If you were going
to let you fans know
ONE personal thing
about you, what would
it be?
PS | I can’t sleep with
my closet door open
cause the closet
monster will get me.
good shape for a
geek......have u heard
that before?
PS | Well, I have heard
that, but honestly I still
feel completely out of
shape. In high school I
was so small, I hated it.
Then I gained some
weight when I was 19,
but that was all fat. So I
decided I needed to
change my
appearance slightly
and started to work
out.
MK | If you were going
to let you fans know
ONE personal thing
about you, what would
it be?
PS | I can’t sleep with
my closet door open
cause the closet
monster will get me.
MK | What's next for the Gay Comic Geek?
PS | I’m hungry, I think I’m gonna get a pizza.
MK | What are the details about the Comic
Geek Contest to draw a gay super hero?
Prize, deadlines, etc.
PS | Well, the rules are simple. Draw a dirty
or nice costume with the base pic that
Patrick Fillion drew of me. The contest ends
in just a couple weeks in August. The person
drawing has to be 18 years old of course
cause it’s strictly for adults. Patrick will be
giving the winner a whole load of comics
and I’ll be giving a
couple
different
geeky toy
prizes for
the nice
drawing.
Plus Patrick
will draw the
character
himself with
the costume
that’s designed. It’s a pretty unique
contest in terms of gay geekyness. www.
classcomics.com has all the answers to any
questions that may come out of it.
Copyright © AMBIENTE MAGAZINE. Do not reproduce
without citing this source
PS | I’m hungry, I think I’m gonna get a pizza.
MK | What are the details about the Comic
Geek Contest to draw a gay super hero?
Prize, deadlines, etc.
PS | Well, the rules are simple. Draw a dirty
or nice costume with the base pic that
Patrick Fillion drew of me. The contest ends
in just a couple weeks in August. The person
drawing has to be 18 years old of course
cause it’s strictly for adults. Patrick will be
giving the winner a whole load of comics
and I’ll be giving a
couple
different
geeky toy
prizes for
the nice
drawing.
Plus Patrick
will draw the
character
himself with
the costume
that’s designed. It’s a pretty unique
contest in terms of gay geekyness. www.
classcomics.com has all the answers to any
questions that may come out of it.
Copyright © AMBIENTE MAGAZINE. Do not reproduce
without citing this source
How often do you have the chance to create a superhero?
Well, this is it! Help us to Gear Up the Gay Comic Geek!
The Gay Comic Geek, Fanboys of the Universe and Class Comics have
teamed up to bring you one super contest that will get your (creative) juices
flowing!
Your job is to design your vision of a unique costume for the Gay Comic Geek
in whatever format you work best in!
Use Photoshop on the computer, print the entry out and use pencil, ink and
markers, blow it up on a canvas and paint in oil colors, or sew, knit and stitch
together felt, leather and feathers!
The only catch is you have to use the Official Contest Images as the basis for
your costume and submit it electronically.
It’s not just about getting the right color of spandex! There is so much more
for you to be creative with. It’s about developing the alter ego and all the
possibilities that come with it!
Think of the costume emblem, the utility belt, the cape, the rocket launcher,
the mask, the boots, the Geekmobile, the sidekick, the trained pet and all
the accessories we never thought of that would go with the action figure!
There are two contest categories you can enter: “Naughty” and “Nice.” Plus,
we have some wicked prizes up for grabs! But that’s not all! The winning
“Naughty”
Well, this is it! Help us to Gear Up the Gay Comic Geek!
The Gay Comic Geek, Fanboys of the Universe and Class Comics have
teamed up to bring you one super contest that will get your (creative) juices
flowing!
Your job is to design your vision of a unique costume for the Gay Comic Geek
in whatever format you work best in!
Use Photoshop on the computer, print the entry out and use pencil, ink and
markers, blow it up on a canvas and paint in oil colors, or sew, knit and stitch
together felt, leather and feathers!
The only catch is you have to use the Official Contest Images as the basis for
your costume and submit it electronically.
It’s not just about getting the right color of spandex! There is so much more
for you to be creative with. It’s about developing the alter ego and all the
possibilities that come with it!
Think of the costume emblem, the utility belt, the cape, the rocket launcher,
the mask, the boots, the Geekmobile, the sidekick, the trained pet and all
the accessories we never thought of that would go with the action figure!
There are two contest categories you can enter: “Naughty” and “Nice.” Plus,
we have some wicked prizes up for grabs! But that’s not all! The winning
“Naughty”
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entry will be illustrated by Patrick Fillion, and the winning “Nice” entry will be worn
by the Gay Comic Geek in a future Fanboys of the Universe photo shoot!
Download the OFFICIAL 300 DPI NAUGHTY or NICE images here!
Please submit your creation along with an official entry form. You can
RIGHT CLICK and SAVE the PDF VERSION to send as an attachment, or the
TEXT VERSION to fill out and copy & paste into an email.
Submit your entry by August 15, 2010 to CONTEST@CLASSCOMICS.COM
PRIZES:
The Naughty Prize: A print of the winning costume design as rendered by Patrick
Fillion and autographed by both the Gay Comic Geek and Patrick Fillion. PLUS, a BIG
LOAD from Class Comics which contains all 43 of their current titles!
The Nice Prize: The winning “Nice” costume will be created, then the Gay Comic
Geek will wear it in a future Fanboys of the Universe photo shoot. PLUS, a Gay Comic
Geek Super Bundle of awesome rare collectibles.
The Second Chance Prizes: Each person who submits a qualifying entry will also be
entered into a random drawing for one of the following prizes: One Greatest Hits
Pack from Class Comics; a Gay Comic Geek Mini Bundle of Fun; one of five
autographed copies of the trade paperback Boytoon Adventures; or one of five
multi-packs consisting of a dozen Class Access Digital Comics!
by the Gay Comic Geek in a future Fanboys of the Universe photo shoot!
Download the OFFICIAL 300 DPI NAUGHTY or NICE images here!
Please submit your creation along with an official entry form. You can
RIGHT CLICK and SAVE the PDF VERSION to send as an attachment, or the
TEXT VERSION to fill out and copy & paste into an email.
Submit your entry by August 15, 2010 to CONTEST@CLASSCOMICS.COM
PRIZES:
The Naughty Prize: A print of the winning costume design as rendered by Patrick
Fillion and autographed by both the Gay Comic Geek and Patrick Fillion. PLUS, a BIG
LOAD from Class Comics which contains all 43 of their current titles!
The Nice Prize: The winning “Nice” costume will be created, then the Gay Comic
Geek will wear it in a future Fanboys of the Universe photo shoot. PLUS, a Gay Comic
Geek Super Bundle of awesome rare collectibles.
The Second Chance Prizes: Each person who submits a qualifying entry will also be
entered into a random drawing for one of the following prizes: One Greatest Hits
Pack from Class Comics; a Gay Comic Geek Mini Bundle of Fun; one of five
autographed copies of the trade paperback Boytoon Adventures; or one of five
multi-packs consisting of a dozen Class Access Digital Comics!
RULES:
1. Costume entry must incorporate the original contest illustration by Patrick Fillion.
2. There are two categories, Naughty and Nice, with separate prizes based on the
image used.
3. Entries may be submitted to Naughty or Nice, or both categories, if a variant is
created. All entries will be entered into a Second Chance drawing.
4. Costumes may be hand drawn, computer generated or physically crafted from
real-world material as long as they incorporate the official contest entry image.
5. Contest entries must be sent to CONTEST@CLASSCOMICS.COM by August 15, 2010
to be eligible.
6. Submissions will be reviewed independently within each category by a panel of
YouTube judges, as well as representatives of Class Comics, the Gay Comic Geek
and Fanboys of the Universe.
7. All decisions are final and not subject to review.
8. The winner will be announced by the Gay Comic Geek in a special webcast
around August 25, 2010.
9. We reserve the right to decline or remove any entry at any time.
10. By sending in your entry, you warrant that you are 18 years of age or older as of
June 10, 2010 and have read “The Fine Print” of the contest details.
1. Costume entry must incorporate the original contest illustration by Patrick Fillion.
2. There are two categories, Naughty and Nice, with separate prizes based on the
image used.
3. Entries may be submitted to Naughty or Nice, or both categories, if a variant is
created. All entries will be entered into a Second Chance drawing.
4. Costumes may be hand drawn, computer generated or physically crafted from
real-world material as long as they incorporate the official contest entry image.
5. Contest entries must be sent to CONTEST@CLASSCOMICS.COM by August 15, 2010
to be eligible.
6. Submissions will be reviewed independently within each category by a panel of
YouTube judges, as well as representatives of Class Comics, the Gay Comic Geek
and Fanboys of the Universe.
7. All decisions are final and not subject to review.
8. The winner will be announced by the Gay Comic Geek in a special webcast
around August 25, 2010.
9. We reserve the right to decline or remove any entry at any time.
10. By sending in your entry, you warrant that you are 18 years of age or older as of
June 10, 2010 and have read “The Fine Print” of the contest details.
THE FINE PRINT:
“Gear Up the Gay Comic Geek” is a contest run by classcomics.com,
gaycomicgeek.com and fanboysoftheuniverse.com, who shall be referred to as the
Contest Hosts.
By submitting your entries(s) to the Contest Hosts, you agree that such images(s)
and the accompanying information will become the shared property of the Contest
Hosts, and you grant the Contest Hosts royalty-free permission to publicly display,
reproduce and use the images in any form for any and all purposes.
You also warrant that the image(s) is(are) your original work, created by your own
self, and does not violate the copyright of any other person or property right of any
third party. Your submission also allows the Contest Hosts to edit, crop or adjust the
colors of the image(s) on an as-needed basis.
The Contest Hosts are not responsible for any lost or miss-delivered contest entries.
The Contest Hosts reserve the right to decline or remove any entry at any time at
their discretion. The Contest Hosts reserve the right to alter or replace the prize
packages and offers, if necessary.
By sending in your entry, you warrant that you are 18 years of age and older as of
June 10, 2010.
Contest Entries must be sent to CONTEST@CLASSCOMICS.COM by August 15, 2010 to
be eligible.
Fanboys of the Universe celebrates the diversity and dedication of the
gay/lesbian/bi/trans fan community. Whether it's science fiction, fantasy, gaming,
collecting, films, books or TV, Fanboys of the Universe brings you the unique gay
perspective on pop culture and the fun and philosophy of being a fanboy.
Copyright © AMBIENTE MAGAZINE. Do not reproduce without citing this source
“Gear Up the Gay Comic Geek” is a contest run by classcomics.com,
gaycomicgeek.com and fanboysoftheuniverse.com, who shall be referred to as the
Contest Hosts.
By submitting your entries(s) to the Contest Hosts, you agree that such images(s)
and the accompanying information will become the shared property of the Contest
Hosts, and you grant the Contest Hosts royalty-free permission to publicly display,
reproduce and use the images in any form for any and all purposes.
You also warrant that the image(s) is(are) your original work, created by your own
self, and does not violate the copyright of any other person or property right of any
third party. Your submission also allows the Contest Hosts to edit, crop or adjust the
colors of the image(s) on an as-needed basis.
The Contest Hosts are not responsible for any lost or miss-delivered contest entries.
The Contest Hosts reserve the right to decline or remove any entry at any time at
their discretion. The Contest Hosts reserve the right to alter or replace the prize
packages and offers, if necessary.
By sending in your entry, you warrant that you are 18 years of age and older as of
June 10, 2010.
Contest Entries must be sent to CONTEST@CLASSCOMICS.COM by August 15, 2010 to
be eligible.
Fanboys of the Universe celebrates the diversity and dedication of the
gay/lesbian/bi/trans fan community. Whether it's science fiction, fantasy, gaming,
collecting, films, books or TV, Fanboys of the Universe brings you the unique gay
perspective on pop culture and the fun and philosophy of being a fanboy.
Copyright © AMBIENTE MAGAZINE. Do not reproduce without citing this source
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