Step aside, sports heroes, because it’s time to make way for the Geek a Week trading cards, a brand-new collectible series featuring 52 of the world’s biggest geek superstars.
In 2010, Len Peralta embarked upon a quest to interview a geek a week and then illustrate them as a trading card hero. And not just any geek; these were the best of the best, the elite, the headliners in their field, represented in Peralta’s work not as they are but as they should be: Wil Wheaton, Sci-Fi Actor and Evil Twin; John Hodgman, Minor Celebrity and Time Lord; “Weird Al” Yankovic, Comedic Songster and Devourer of Worlds.
Originally available only in virtual form, Peralta’s card set for the nerd set is now coming to life by way of ThinkGeek, which is turning his work into the real thing. The 2x 3 cards will be released in sets of eight, with Peralta’s art on the front and “vital nerd stats,” including mini-biographies and a breakdown of each characters special abilities and weapons, on the back. The first set, available now, includes such notables as Internet Rockstar and Zombie Killer Jonathan Coulton, Tech Hostess and Goddess of War Victoria Belmont and Nerdcore Rapper and Mad Scientist MC Frontalot.
To mark the launch, Peralta and ThinkGeek are holding a charity auction on eBay including many items donated by the weekly geeks. Among the awesome loot is a signed container of honey from Neil Gaiman’s private apiary, two Mythbusters road spikes signed by Adam Savage, a Chief Tyrol action figure signed by Aaron Douglas and an advance copy of Munchkin Zombies signed by Steve Jackson. Proceeds from the auction will be split between the Electronic Frontier Foundation and Child’s Play.
The first Geek a Week trading card set can be had for ten bucks at ThinkGeek or, if you’re feeling generous and charitable, you can try to snag one of the five signed sets up for grabs on eBay, where they’re going for considerably more. Peralta’s original Geek a Week project is still ongoing and can be seen in all its nerdtastic glory at geekaweek.net.
