Gay Geeks Are Coming to LA Comic Con

LA Comic Con is BACK! After a two-year absence due to COVID, LA Comic Con returns to celebrate its 10-year anniversary as LA’s biggest all-things comics, gaming, sci-fi, eSports, and pop culture event. In addition to headliners Shazam’s Zachary Levi, Star Trek’s Walter Koenig and Nichelle Nichols, The Mandalorian’s Ming-Na Wen, Evil Dead’s Bruce Campbell, and the cast of Arrow, cosplayer and stylist Julian “Jetson” Chaix will moderate the Gay Geeks and Where To Find Them panel featuring digital artist and filmmaker Timo Reese, podcaster and journalist Alexander Rodriguez (On the Rocks: Where Celebrities & Cocktails Mix), publicist and podcast Chandler Poling (X-Reads), and drag queen Ember Vain to geek out about favorite fandoms, the LGBTQIA+ community, and their careers. The panel commences Saturday, December 4^th at 1 pm and is sure to be the perfect mix of geekdom, gay, and sass.

Julian “Jetson” Chaix was born and raised in Palm Springs, California, and currently works as a stylist, panel moderator, and event producer. A self-declared gay geek, Julian has produced and moderated panels for the likes of San Diego Comic-Con, WonderCon, LA Comic Con, and the former Comic Con Palm Springs. He is also an avid cosplayer showcasing his talents on Instagram.

What was the inspiration for putting the panel together?

Gay Geeks and Where To Find Them was initially started by Chris Riley and Chandler Poling several years ago. They have been gracious enough to me over the years to be involved and moderate them at several conventions. Last year, I was honored to have Chris and Chandler pass me the proverbial torch. I love being able to shine its bright flame to showcase the LGBTQIA+ family within the geek community and the industry. Visibility is very important to me.

Do you think the geek world is becoming more welcoming to the LGBTQ market?

Absolutely! We still have a long way to go, but we have made amazing strides these past few years. Seeing LGBTQIA+ represented in comics, tv shows, and now even movies makes me ecstatic.  It’s all I ever wanted as a young geek, and I’m very happy that there are finally characters for queer youth to have as heroes. Not to mention all the amazing heroes like writers, artists, etc. who contribute!

Why do you love doing cosplay so much?

For as long as I can remember, I’ve always loved dressing up. I love doing what I call everyday cosplay. I use real, everyday clothes to create a cosplay or a look based on a character’s outfit. It’s great because it’s super comfortable, which is key for me when I’m at a convention all day long.

Follow Julian on IG: Julian_Jetson

Chandler Poling is the Co-Founder of White Bear PR, a public relations firm specializing in publicity for composers, songwriters, music supervisors, and film & music festivals around the world.  Throughout his career, Chandler has run successful Oscar, Golden Globe, Grammy, BAFTA, and Emmy campaigns securing nominations and wins for his clients. As a part of the geek world, he co-hosts the X-Reads podcast, recapping classic issues of X-men, commenting on the outfits, dialog, & storylines while featuring creators, artists, and celebrity guests.

What do you love the most about X-Men?

I love how inclusive the X-Men are. Growing up queer in the Midwest and attending Catholic grade and high school, you get convinced early on that there is a certain way to live your life.  The X-Men taught me that there is a diversity of characters that were born with special gifts into a society that wants them to be different.  The characters taught me early on there was nothing wrong with me and everyone else was scared because they didn’t understand.  It gave me empathy and understanding at an early age and I think the X-Men truly shaped me into the person I am today.

How has being a geek supported your role as part of the LGBTQ community?

Gay geeks are the best.  I love how we come together from all walks of life in different shapes, sizes, colors, and identities and we unite under the love for a certain fandom.  I did not fit into what would be considered the “regular” gay culture.  I always felt like I had to be fit, be catty, be over the top, etc.  I am a subdued person that is none of those things, and the LGBTQ Geek Community is where I belong.

What do you think the future of the LGBTQ community in geekdom looks like?

The future looks bright! I see more and more queer geeks creating content, being their true selves, and we all benefit from it. The stories, art, and culture I watch develop are very inspiring.  

Follow Chandler on IG: @ChandlerPoling

Timothy “Timo” Reese is a gay digital artist and filmmaker. He is a long-time fan of sci-fi and horror and his artistic mission is to contribute to media representation of queer people in the genre, or as he puts it: “Putting Gays in Space.” He lives in Los Angeles with his boyfriend and their two dogs, Fozzie and Gonzo.

What do you think the most powerful component of Comic Cons is?

Geeking out and being earnest and joyful together in a physical space. (I’ve missed that the last few years)

What makes a geek a geek?

Being unapologetically invested in something, whether that be your favorite movie franchise, video game deep lore, or new scientific explorations. As long as no one can stop you from loving what you love, you’re a geek.

Your art captures the best of gay and sci-fi worlds…have you ever felt any pushback from either community towards the other?

Honestly quite the opposite! I think there’s a core “proudness” at the center of both the queer experience and the nerd experience. Of course, there’s an overlap – we have more in common than one might think.

Follow Timo on IG: @TimoMakesFilms

Alexander Rodriguez is the queen of the podcasts. His original, filmed podcast, On the Rocks: Where Celebrities and Cocktails Mix, has been on the air for over five years. In addition to hosting On the Rocks, he hosts the U.S. of Gay and Metrosource Minis podcasts and co-hosts Bear With Us, Gurrrl and Sexy Funny Raw podcasts. In addition to podcasting, he emcees a number of events and served as Media Grand Marsal for Palm Springs Pride, and is the lead writer for Metrosource Magazine, GED Magazine, and the Andrew Christian blog. He has been a Trekkie from birth and owns way too many Star Trek uniforms.

What is your fascination with Star Trek?

Growing up, I was a fish out of water…an alien so to speak. I was chubby, one of the only Latinos in my school, dealing with my sexuality, and raised by a single mom in ultra-conservative Orange County. I never really got along with kids my own age and so my solace was watching movies over and over. My mom, also a Trekkie from her childhood, would literally take me out of school to see each new Star Trek movie as they came out – even through high school. The Star Trek characters became my family, my friends, and that Universe showed me that no matter what you looked like or where you came from, you could be a hero, have a family made up of friends, and save the world. It was less about the special effects and more about the message. Plus, the uniforms are super sexy.

Were you bullied as a kid because of your geekdom?

Sad to say I was horribly bullied because of my fascination with Star Trek. It wasn’t cool at the time – at all. I would wear Star Trek pins on my school uniform, I would have photos from the movies all over my binder, and I would constantly be reading the Trek novels. I was a nerd! The more I was bullied, the more I retreated into the Star Trek Universe. Looking back, it actually help shape my confidence, in a weird way, as I became less and less concerned about what people thought… confidence that has greatly helped my success in the entertainment industry. With the J.J. Abrams films and the new iterations of Trek on TV, Star Trek has become cool…oh, the irony! With the franchise becoming more popular, it has been able to expand its storylines to finally represent the LGBTQ community in a number of characters and history-making first representations.

You can follow Alexander on IG: @AlexanderisOnAir

Ember Vain is a Southern California Drag queen dancing across the convention circuit. She enjoys costume making and long walks down the runway. She can be found at various nightclubs in the Inland Empire and Palm Springs, her favorite being Hunters Nightclub where she performs with other fabulous queens like Rusty Waters and Alexa Steal. She has won several competitions such as Queen of the Holidays and Spotlight: Allstars! You can usually find her behind her sewing machine or fighting crime.

How did you first get into the geek world?

I’ve been a geek since I was a kid! I’ve been a huge fan of comic books, cartoons, and video games my whole life. Growing up I loved watching Batman and  X-Men, I played all the Tomb Raider and Final Fantasy games, and collected more than my fair share of Legos and action figures. As an adult, I’ve enjoyed getting into the convention scene and sharing my interests with other fellow geeks. Cosplay has also been a fun way to express my creativity. Blending drag with the many worlds I’ve fallen in love with has been amazing!

How does being a geek inspire/affect your drag?

I take a lot of inspiration from various characters of the 80s and 90s to create my own drag persona. A little Jessica Rabbit, a little Elvira, mixed with Poison Ivy and Rogue. The sass, the sexiness, the villainy. They’re badasses and I get to pretend to be one too.

What part of the geek world do you ascribe to the most?

Cosplay has definitely been the best part. It’s one of the reasons I got into drag. I’ve had an affection for the female characters I grew up watching and reading about. Getting to turn into them to perform or attend a convention is really cool. I get to bring them to life and make them my own. It’s not just getting to be them, but getting to recreate them. Why would they wear what they wear? All the little details. That challenge is always a lot of fun. Getting to show off my work to fellow cosplayers is always rewarding.

You can follow Ember on IG: Goodnight_Sugah

Gay Geeks and Where To Find Them panel:  Saturday, Dec 4^th at 1 pm:

https://www.comicconla.com/event/gay-geeks-and-where-to-find-them/