Today we’d like to introduce you to Matt Morrison.
Matt, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Looking back, I’d say my entire life has been defined by superheroes and libraries. Given my current position, it is ironic that while I was allowed to have action figures and watch all the popular superhero cartoons as a kid, my mom wouldn’t let me collect comics because they were “low literature”. I read everything else I could get my hands on but pounced on the rare novelizations of comic book storylines like Batman: Knightfall or The Death of Superman.
I started collecting comics after getting my first job in a bookstore after I stumbled across a copy of Green Lantern #90 while unpacking magazines and started reading to figure out why his costume was so different from what I remembered from Superfriends. That, coupled with a superhero-themed roleplaying game I became involved with on-line, led to me doing a lot of research into comic book history and unintentionally becoming an expert in the process. Reading comics also led to me writing about comics and I’ve been writing about comics for a variety of online magazines, journals, blogs and websites for two decades now.
In short, I found a way to make my unique form of nerdiness pay off. Somewhere along the way, the quiet kid who preferred hiding in the library to running around the playground at recess found his way on stage and got a theater degree by working with electronics behind the scenes when he wasn’t in the spotlight doing silly voices. I then returned to the library after feeling a calling to work with the next generation of quiet kids.
My newfound expertise in illustrated literature also coincided with comic books suddenly becoming acceptable literature in libraries and there being a need for librarians who knew the difference between Manga and Anime. I found employment (if not acceptance) and had to contend with a lot of close-minded administrators who didn’t see much value in my work or my “crazy ideas.” Despite this, I became acknowledged as one of the foremost librarians in my areas of expertise and established a miniature comic-con at my library that quickly outgrew the library and became a full-fledged city festival for several years before I sought new opportunities.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
The trouble with writing honest criticism is that few people want to hear honest criticism and the Internet has made it harder for honest critics to stand out among the hordes of trolls who just tear stuff apart. Most creative types I know have developed a thick skin as a result, but occasionally, I do run into creators who take any criticism of their work as a personal attack. One particularly sad specimen tracked down where I worked at the time and tried to get me fired from my day job.
Beyond that, I’ve had issues as a librarian with administrators who either didn’t appreciate the value of what I brought to the library or who wanted me to put my personal ethics aside in the name of politics. Work in public service often does require compromise, of course, but there are certain standards I refuse to betray when it comes to putting the interest of business over the public good. This attitude has made me several enemies in my life, but, like Winston Churchill, I like to think I’ve made the right enemies by standing up for what is right.
Please tell us about My Geeky Geeky Ways – what should we know?
Today, I continue to wear many hats. I’m a Public Services Librarian for Tarrant County College and am in the middle of building a world-class graphic novel collection and gaming library. I’m a freelance writer employed by several companies and I’m also the Managing Editor of Kabooooom.com, for which I write reviews and attend events as a cosplay photographer when I’m not editing the work of other writers. Occasionally, I don a costume myself and attend events as my favorite heroes and villains. Most of this is chronicled through my personal website, MyGeekyGeekyWays.com – a play on Errol Flynn’s autobiography, My Wicked Wicked Ways.
My business card used to read “Have Blog, Will Travel” and that sentiment is still at the core of what I do. I’m separated from other writers in my field by a witty and eclectic spirit and expertise in a wide variety of fields. Anything I don’t know about, I can research and go on to write or speak about in some detail. In this capacity, I have spoken at a number of professional events, discussing American comics, Japanese comics, costuming, specific television series special-effects make-up, video-making and the craft of writing. A few centuries ago, I would have been a Renaissance Man. Today, I think I’m a Renaissance Fan.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I owe who I am to far too many people than I could ever hope to list, but I’ll try. First and foremost would be my parents – my mother for instilling a love of learning in me and my father for being a better example of what a good man should be than any costumed crime-fighter. My professors in the Theatre Department at UT Arlington and Dr. Elizabeth Figa at the SLIS school of UNT for keeping me on the path. Gail Simone, for being the first professional writer to share my work with her readers. All the actors and technicians I shared a stage with. All the people who posed for photos. All the readers who took a moment to say they loved my work. All the pros who thanked me for a review. All the people who thanked me for helping them in the library. All the loves I lost. Most of all, I’d like to thank all the friends who keep me sane, endure my ranting and inspiring me to be better.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.mygeekygeekyways.com/
- Email: starmanmatt@gmail.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MyGeekyGeekyWays/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/GeekyGeekyWays
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/user/STARMANMATT
Image Credit:
Jeremy Williams, Scott LastRyghtz Van of Cosplay Illustrated
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