May 25 is a day that many have marked on their calendar. The world has been honoring lovers of sagas such as 'Star Wars' or 'Star Trek' with Geek Pride Day (known in Spain as "Día del Orgullo Friki").
The date is no coincidence: on May 25, 1977, "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope," the first installment of the galactic saga was released on the big screen. A decade later, in 1987, but also on May 25, the first role-playing game of the galactic saga was released.
Geek Pride Day: a celebration of Hispanic origin
These were the reasons that Spanish blogger Mister Buebo (whose real name is Germán Martínez) cited to create an initiative to commemorate people who are fans of certain types of comics, series, movies or books.
He was the day's creator, but the official Geek Pride website reports that the idea came about in 2006. That year, a group of forum members within the UniversoMarvel thread decided that it was necessary to create a name for all the people who were passionate about science fiction, fantasy, comics and manga. All genres form part of what is known as "popular subculture."
As a result, on February 22, 2006, Mister Buebo presented the first design of the official website. It was just that, a design that did not become a reality until the domain was obtained on May 9. Days later, on May 25, the first event took place. It was held at the Callao Cinemas (Madrid, Spain) and was attended by 300 people dressed as characters from the Pac-Man video game.
The most remarkable representatives of "geekism" on television
Years later, Geek Pride Day is celebrated not only in Spain but all over the world, even having its own followers on the small screen: Characters like those from "The Big Bang Theory" or "Friends" that perfectly represent the "geek." Here are some of them:
Ross Geller, "Friends"
Ross Geller, Monica's brother and Rachel's eternal lover, is a reference for everyone in the popular subculture. His fascination with dinosaurs demonstrated that a geek doesn't have to wear glasses, carry a stack of books and have a distinct look but can be anybody.
His love for dinosaurs wasn't the only thing that proved Ross Geller was a true geek; many fans will remember his immense love for Marcel, the capuchin monkey, how to relax through Unagi, the importance of the armadillo in Hanukkah, why you should never wear leather pants, or that pauses in romantic relationships can lead to unexpected but also hilarious situations.
Hiro Nakamura, "Heroes"
Hiro is a geek who fulfills his greatest dream: to become a hero. He begins the "Heroes" series as an office worker tired of always living the same life, taking refuge in comics, specifically in a samurai hero, to escape from routine.
As he becomes what he craves, his passion for superheroes intensifies, as does his love of comics and anime, leaving moments as remarkable as these:
Steve Urkel, "Family Matters"
He is considered by many to be the original nerd. A supporting character in "Family Matters," Steve Urkel was always dressed in his suspenders, big glasses and had a funny way of talking, laughing and even walking. His phrase "Did I do that?" will go down in history, and others have used it on multiple occasions. It's worth highlighting all the inventions that Steve Urkel made while being one of the first nerds of the small screen:
His character in "Family Matters" made him a 90s icon and landed him small cameos on television in shows such as "Full House" even after the end of the series that catapulted him to fame.
Comic book guy Jeff, "The Simpsons"
"The Simpsons," the most famous yellow family on television, includes a character that represents every person in American society. The mother dedicated to taking care of the home? That's Marge. The unruly child? Bart. And so we could go on and on with all the characters of the animated series.
Of course, the geek character is also present through several different characters. We could talk about Mr. Smithers since his devotion to the Stacey Malibu doll makes him a great representative of this culture, but if there is a geek par excellence in fiction, that is the comic book guy, Jeff Albertson.
Owner of The Android Dungeon, the comic book clerk is a social misfit who will not hesitate to take any opportunity to show how much he knows about the world of comics and collecting, even despising anyone who does not share the same level of wisdom as he does. In his store, it is common to find the latest issue of Radioactive Man or baseball cards signed by the most unlikely sports stars. He is in a relationship with an Asian girl who is almost as geeky as he is, and among his greatest achievements is translating "The Lord of the Rings" into Klingon, the language used in "Star Trek."
Sheldon Cooper, "The Big Bang Theory"
If there exists a geek character par excellence, it is Sheldon Cooper. "The Big Bang Theory's" protagonist meets all the requirements to be a geek: he is a scientist, a superhero lover and a devotee of "Star Wars" and "Star Trek," even knowing the gestures and the different languages of both movie sagas.
But that's not the only thing; Sheldon is a diehard lover of trains and all things technological. His devotion to geek culture is such that the house he shares with Leonard is filled with role-playing games, comics, figurines and collectibles.
It is also common for him to visit the comic book store with the rest of the gang in an attempt to expand his already huge collection. His collection of costumes is just as impressive as his collection of figures, and it is common to see him showing them off at home and at important events for geek culture, such as Comic Con.
