This past weekend fans of everything Popular Culture converged on The Donald E. Stephens Convention Center for Wizard World Chicago. The geek collective were there not
just to buy everything from The Walking Dead back issues to Dr. Who’s Sonic Screwdriver they were there to have fun. They were in the right place.
I have been to several Wizard run conventions and I have never been disappointed. The guest list was a who’s who of artists, actors and legends. Included in this impressive rouge’s gallery were Stan Lee (Spider-Man’s father), William Shatner (Captain Kirk) and contingent from the wrestling world (Kevin Nash, Booker T.). This was truly four days of sensory overload and I wouldn’t have had it any other way!
Wizard World has the ability to pull in these big name stars at all of their conventions; which is great for those of us who can’t make it to San Diego for the show of shows. The best way to describe the weekend is organized pandemonium. Even though the place was crowded even on Sunday (which is usually a slow day for cons) it was organized and seemed to run smooth. I did hear a couple of complaints from dealers who were relegated to a corner off the main floor they referred to as “the garage sale.” The area may have looked off the beaten path but even though I heard complaints the area was getting large amounts of traffic. I think it would be fair to guess that the only people who left without money were the fans. It is a sure bet that they were happy to fork over every cent!
The one thing I noticed was the lack of comic book publishers. There were no massive booths touting Marvel or DC which surprised me. These booths are a big draw for fans and usually they are impossible to get close to at any point. Personally I was hoping for some sort of Wizard World exclusive Valiant books but cest la vie. Even without the book companies being there, it was still a good show.
Aside from the stars and the merchandise conventions such as Wizard World allow the fans to play dress up. The costumes range from simple store bought superhero suits to homemade Halo armor. The dedication that some of these fans have is just amazing. These aren’t just geeky little kids these are your bankers, your doctors and your neighbors. Check out the gallery below and witness the awesomeness that was Wizard World!
