This past weekend we had the opportunity to attend WIZARD WORLD CHICAGO COMIC CON at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center in Rosemont, IL. To begin, the location is terrific. The venue is literally right off the interstate across from O’Hare International Airport. (There are some toll fees to exit so be prepared with some change.) Once we exited, it was merely a few blocks to reach the parking deck. I knew we were in for a great experience because it was packed. It took some maneuvering and some patience, but we finally got a spot and were ready to roll. Our teenage daughter came with us and was ready to do some serious CosPlaying. She went the Anime route this time (Ouran HighSchool Host Club), but pretty much anything goes.
As we approached the main entrance, we saw people representing Doctor Who, Star Trek, Star Wars, Marvel superheroes, The Walking Dead “walkers” and main characters, Jake and Finn from Adventure Time, SpongeBob, Ghostbusters, Transformers, and more. The list could go on and on. My favorite was “Carl” from The Walking Dead who was carrying around a huge can of pudding. (If you do not watch the show, that will make no sense to you, but believe me it was outstanding). I also loved the guy dressed like the Rick Moranis character in Ghostbusters. So clever! I actually felt pretty simple in my t-shirt and shorts. It is clear from the first few moments that we found “our people.” Others may think Comic Cons are nerdy or for weirdoes who dress up, but if we judge it by the crowds, this Comic Con would outnumber many of the largest sports and music events in the country. Clearly there is something pretty cool going on here. After doing some people watching we stopped by the official merchandise booth and picked up some t-shirts, a sticker for our van travel topper, and a koozie (Herds of Nerds!). The prices were reasonable and the selection was good.
Security did a quick scan for our passes and we were in the main hall. WOW! There was awesomeness as far as the eye could see. We did our best to stay the course and go row by row in an orderly route, but with so much cool stuff to check out, we ended up doing some twisting and turning and double- backing. It was so worth it. We took photos with other CosPlayers, saw incredible artwork, met some up and coming authors, and spent some cash. The trick is to try not to spend it all in the first five minutes! In other parts of the venue there are opportunities to attend panel discussions on all sorts of topics. There was also a horror film festival throughout the weekend. Celebrities appear at various times for autograph and photo sessions. These often included an extra cost so if you plan to attend next year, start saving up now for your favorites like Stan Lee, William Shatner, Matt Smith, Norman Reedus, Dave Bautista, and John Cena.
WIZARD WORLD CHICAGO COMIC CON is so much more than just a bunch of stereotypical nerds hanging out together. It is an experience for all walks of life. It is a chance to become someone else for the day,and have strangers ask to take a selfie with you because your CosPlay is so amazing. It is the opportunity to view outstanding fan art and original characters. It is something that you might not understand at first, but then come to respect and love. Comic Cons can bring people together who may not always fit in with the “norm” at work or the “populars” at school. Comic Cons have taught our artsy daughter that it is ok to be yourself and to march to your own beat. WIZARD WORLD CHICAGO COMIC CON is an event that both young and old, rich and poor, cool and geeky can all share some pretty amazing moments. Check one out in your area. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
