Recently I picked up a copy of Geek Monthly magazine while waiting in line at my local video store.  I like the idea of Geek Monthly, I am a geek, I want a magazine dedicated entirely to me and my interests - and, this magazine is proclaimed to be dedicated to "everything and anything geeks like to obsess about."  

Granted, I have yet to see a Doctor Who cover of this mag; but, they did have Tina Fey on the cover, so I consider them to be speaking my language overall.

The reason I grabbed this copy, though, was because of their cover story.  On the front of the May edition is a big-honkin' picture of J.J. Abrams with the proclamation that he has "made Star Trek cool again."

Um, what?  Did I miss a geek memo?  When did Star Trek - one of three historic, epic, multi-decade sci-fi universes (Doctor Who and Star Wars being the other two) that have spawned millions of rabid, loyal fans - become "uncool?"

Okay, so Star Trek is totally nerdy to most and as my friend Tim points out, "There are subsets of nerdom that even you wouldn't touch... Like furry sex parties... That seems to be everyone's limit... well, except Furries.  Star Trek isn't 'cool.'"

I suppose this could justify the argument that Star Trek isn't cool to some. But, in the Geek-a-verse Star Trek is a paragon.  Even Geek Editor-in-Chief, Jeff Bond says,

"[Star Trek] is ground zero for geeks.  Listen up Star Wars nerds - I was watching Star Trek when you punks were shitting mustard.  Star Trek fandom invented the entire concept of nerdy fans becoming a social movement."

So... someone explain to me how it is that Abrams has made Star Trek "cool again?"

I, personally, like J.J. Abrams - I am a huge Alias fan (mostly because I love Marshall Flinkman) and I think Abrams, himself, is pretty nerdtastic; but, it was curious to me (along with most of the known geek population) when a person who has stated often in public that he is "not a fan of Star Trek" was chosen to re-imagine this pop culture classic.

Says Abrams to Geek, "At a certain point it seems like the Star Trek films and series knew and embraced the fact that they were never going to get beyond that core audience."

Um, again, what?  I'm sorry, that's just wrong.  I speak from experience here, as I knew nothing of Star Trek or it's universe until 1982 when I saw Wrath of Khan; and, that movie converted me - at age nine - to a Star Trek fan.  And, I am just one story amongst what I imagine to be millions - Star Trek, along with Star Wars and Doctor Who, is directly responsible for me becoming a sci-fi fan (albeit a closeted sci-fi fan until I was out of high school.)

And, let's just consider the the empirical evidence: Anything that stands the test of 43 years is already cool in some respect.  As our fearless leader Cate says, "Like, hello. Why else would William Shatner be in fucking Brad Paisley music videos?  Mainstream much?"

Regardless of if you are sprung on Shatner (like we at BitchBuzz are,) or drawn in by the allure of the chrome dome of Jean-Luc Picard or hot for Seven of Nine, Star Trek clearly has enough mainstream content to lure even the least nerdy person into watching without needing to be made "cool again."  While we are all waiting for 8 May to roll around so we can see (and harshly judge) the re-imagined Star Trek, until then let's just call it as it is: Star Trek is once and always geek-chic.