What was the last thing you purchased that excited the nerd inside you? Don’t just take a picture of your latest favorite thing for your Facebook page, bring it to our Nerd Show & Tell event!

This Show & Tell occurs right after the events of the last day of the C2E2 Expo and it is open to nerds of all ages. Maybe you will even find something there that is worth sharing.

You will have 5 minutes to tell us about your nerdy item – and hopefully even pass it around. Bringing an item is not required, but it is encouraged. Nothing is insignificant; if it matters to you, we want you to share it with us.

When: Sunday, April 18, 2010 – 6:00pm – 8:00pm

Where: Dolce Casa Cafe – 4947 N. Damen, Chicago, IL

Cost: Free

We had such a fun time when we did this in January, we had to do it again. The Chicago Nerd Social Club is joining a mashup of Meetup.com groups at Mystic Celt.   All the groups merge together and take over the backroom of Mystic Celt playing boardgames or Magic, while meeting and hanging out with other like-minded nerds. You can bring your own boardgames from home or feel free to join an active game. This is truly a fun and very social event.

We will be joined by groups such as:

Chicago Board Games Meetup

RPG Chicago

Chicago Horror Meetup

Empire of Chivalry and Steel Meetup

Chicago SciFi/Fantasy Meetup

Chicago Boardgames Design Group

Chicago Browncoats

When: Tuesday, April 6, 2010 – 7:30pm-10:00pm

Where: Mystic Celt – 3443 N. Southport Chicago, IL

Cost:Free

Bar Specials:
$3.50 Blue Moon & Sierra Nevada Pints
$5 Margaritas
$3 Bushmills shots
$5 Celt Burger and Fries

Yes, you read that correctly – comics are increasingly becoming part of our academic landscape, and providing an important
perspective. So we’re encouraging not just comic nerds, but nerds of all kinds (history, literary, academic) to attend our Comics 301 event. Our guest is Cord Scott, a doctorial canddiate in american history at Loyola University and has written numerously on various comic-related subjects, including

• Teaching history through comics
• Portrayals of the concept of eugenic in comics
• A chapter in “Captain America & the Struggle of the Superhero”

Cord will be discussing the role of comics in an academic as well as giving recommendations

• Comics and academia – tied into historical or lit aspects for academic
• Academically challenging comic books
• The precursors to the Graphic Novel

When: Monday, March 22nd, 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm

Where: Challengers Comics – 1845 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL

Cost: FREE

As seen in A.V. Club Chicago

Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) is the quintessential game for nerds.  Because of it, people have slain dragons, rescued villages, saved the cosmos countless times and adventured in innumerable worlds without ever having to leave the house.  Dozens of video games, novels and movies have been inspired by Dungeons & Dragons – including Bioware’s recent award-winning epic “Dragon Age: Origins.”

A D&D game is like a really good movie: it has danger, intrigue, action, romance and comedy. But it’s better than a movie because you direct all of those elements.  Even better still is that your friends are helping you do all of it.  At its heart, D&D is a social exercise – it’s meant for groups of people and the basis of the game is interaction between people.

D&D 101 is designed both for people who have never played Dungeons & Dragons are interested in learning more about it as well as experienced players willing to help the newbies.  There will be a short introductory discussion covering the (abridged) history, what the game is about and why it has captured imaginations for over thirty-five years.  After the discussion,  attendees will be split into small groups and given a chance to actually play D&D.  Each attendee will take the role of a young adventurer seeking excitement and challenge.  Experienced dungeon masters will run the adventures and help the new players bring their characters to life.

Chicagoland Games: The Dice Dojo will be hosting the event.  They have space for a number of groups to adventure at the same time.  There are a number of restaurants in the area for anyone who would like to get dinner before the event.

When: Sunday, February 21, 2010 – 5:30pm-8:30pm

Where: Chicagoland Games: The Dice Dojo – 5550 N Broadway, Chicago, IL 60640

Cost: $2.00 FREE

Throughout time nerds have been loved and tormented by robots. From the beginnings with Rosie Jetson, all the way to our favorite governor, The Terminator. Which robot will you build?

The Chicago Nerd Social Club is putting together our very first Robot Workshop. We’ll be working with the folks from Robot City Workshop to help us during our construction project. We’ll be using their intermediate level kit, but don’t worry, there’s no soldering required.
It should be a fun time had by all, so if you’re interested be sure to register because seating is limited. If the response is strong enough we’ll be try to schedule another class for later in the day. Tickets are $60 which covers your kit charge and your workshop fee for the instructor.

We’re looking forward to see what type of spirit Chicago puts in its robots!

When: March 28th, 2010 — 2:00pm – 5:00pm

Where: Robot City Workshop — 3226 N. Sheffield Chicago, IL 60657

Cost: $60 – includes robot kit and workshop fee

Well we’ve spent a few months prepping for this next event. We laid the ground work down with our Comics 101 event a few months ago. What good is a 101 event without a follow up 201 event?
The Chicago Nerd Social Club and Third Coast Comics are teaming up again to bring you Comic Book 201! We’ll be digging deeper into the comic book genre including publishers, explaining that wacky thing called “continuity” and the history of comics. (What’s all this bronze, silver, golden age stuff about anyways?)

Do you have specific questions you’d like to ask? Feel free to e-mail jeff@chicagonerds.com and we’ll do our best work those questions into the presentation. No question is too noob, no question too leet. Ask away!

When: January 28th 2010 – 7:00pm
Where: Third Coast Comics – 6234 N. Broadway Chicago, IL

Can’t make this event but you’re still interested? Don’t worry, we’ll be repeating this event one more time as well as a slew of comic book related events in 2010 so stay tuned!

Be sure to sign up at our Eventbrite page