The Basement. Its the stereotypical joke about us geeks. We’re all living in our parents basements and hiding from the world while judging it. Well I got news for you! Basements can be cool. Lets look at four basements in which awesome people talk about pop culture and entertain us. You wouldn’t make fun of any of these crews. In fact, you would love to be friends with them.
Honorable Mention:
Gotham City (Batman).
Technically, Batman is a guy who never got married, dresses up in dark clothes, hangs out with his strange friends (or is all alone), spends way too much time with people younger than him, and does all of this from his parents basement.
4. Point Place, Wisconsin (That 70’s Show)
Lets hang out with our friends in the basement, get high, play some music, and talk about Star Wars. Oh yeah, Laura Prepon and Mila Kunis are going to be there too. Hey! Not all at once! There’s not enough room nor weed for all of you!
3. Aurora, IL (Wayne’s World)
Sure, Wayne lives with his parents still, but he has a killer cable access show – from his basement! Any basement that is cool enough for Tia Carrere and Aerosmith to hang out in is definitely cool enough for the likes of you! Also, any of us dreamers who are writing and drawing every day for free hoping to make money off of it one day can echo Wayne’s feelings. “But what I would really like to do is do Wayne’s World for a living.” Amen Wayne. And party on.
2. Brooklyn (Pete’s Basement)
Yeah its a bit of a cheat because they’re my boys. But fact is its maybe my favorite comic book discussion every week. (Well, besides Think About the Ink, but they are really two different shows.) Real comic book fans, real opinions, real New Yorkers. I have bought books because of them, and dropped books because of points they raised that I hadn’t considered. With special guests, crazy plots and a wealth of comic book information it is a must watch. Look at all the cool shit in the basement! Comics, graphic novels, statues and swords! Who could have a more elaborate basement?
1. Austin, TX (Ain’t It Cool)
Yes, its a set – but so is Wayne’s World and That 70’s Show and I didn’t hear you complaining earlier. EVERYTHING on the set means something. Posters, toys, props, everything is on the set and featured in the Basement for a reason. That reason is not so I can beg Harry to send all of it to me because everything looks so damn amazing. But I wish it was. Its the closest any of it will get to going through the Ackermansion now. Harry is the new Uncle Forry. His home, his basement, his love and passion for everything geeky is infectious.
Revealing the man behind the curtain here, Harry Knowles is one of my major influences as a writer and for this site. He was laid up at home and built this incredible franchise. Through mutual love of movies and all the wonderful things your parents hate (well, not Harry’s dad) he became friends with other like minded geeks and all of them have changed the world for the better. Thanks to Harry, the early internet, and the realization that none of us are alone film, TV, comic books – all of it has been changed for the better. Yes, I truly believe that without Harry starting Ain’t It Cool the geek community wouldn’t have found each other and then this new Golden Age we are in would not exist.
If you disagree, I’ll feed you to the Boiler.
HELLIONS TEAM 