C2E2 comics and pop-culture convention returns to Chicago
It's time again for Chicago-area pop-culture fans to get their collective geek on.
The second annual Chicago Comics and Entertainment Expo, or C2E2, returns to McCormick Place this weekend. The three-day event, which runs March 18-20, gives fans a chance to meet the most popular stars of the comics industry, as well as celebrities from movies and television.
“This time around, we tried to bring a greater diversity of guests, especially from the movie and television worlds,” said Lance Fensterman, group vice president of Reed Pop, the Connecticut company that organizes the show. “Chicago is a fantastic market for this kind of event, and we're looking forward to it.”
When C2E2 arrived last year, it gave downtown Chicago a major comic convention for the first time in decades. The region's other major pop-culture event, Wizard Entertainment's Chicago Comic-Con, is held in Rosemont.
More than 30,000 people — many of them wearing superhero masks or wielding lightsabers — attended the 2010 event, Reed Pop officials say, and they expect at least as many this year.
“The event obviously draws from the whole Chicago area, but it's also becoming a key event for the Midwest,” Fensterman said.
The comics industry talent scheduled to appear includes popular creators like Matt Fraction, writer of “The Invincible Iron Man” for Marvel Comics, and Ivan Reis, artist of the “Brightest Day” series for DC Comics. Plenty of local pros will be on hand, including Streamwood cartoonist Art Baltazar and Chicago-area residents Gene Ha and Jill Thompson.
On the Hollywood side of things, fans will get a chance to see stars of the popular television series “The Walking Dead” (Jon Bernthal, Laurie Holden), “Dollhouse” (Eliza Dushku), “Chuck” (DuPage native Ryan McPartlin and Joshua Gomez) and “The Vampire Diaries” (Candice Accola and Michael Trevino). Actor Chris Hemsworth, star of the upcoming superhero flick “Thor,” will also make an appearance.
Local television favorite Rich Koz, a Morton Grove native and Maine East High School alumnus, will appear as the Svengoolie character he plays each week on WCIU Channel 26. He'll sign autographs from 3 to 5 p.m. Saturday, March 19.
“Yeah, I'll be in full regalia,” Koz said with a laugh. “I like doing these kinds of shows, though. It's a treat to meet the fans.”
Koz has played the character, originally known as Son of Svengoolie, on local television since 1979. He said people come up to him at shows and tell him that they grew up watching Svengoolie and now watch it with their children.
“It's always great to hear that,” Koz said. “I feel lucky because there are almost no shows like mine on the air anymore — locally produced entertainment programs.”
Despite a bigger presence from television and movie folks, comic books and their creators remain the main draw.
All the major comic-book companies will have booths at the show. Panel discussions with comics creators and company executives will take place all weekend. More than 250 artists will set up shop in Artists Alley, where they will chat with fans and do some sketches.
And of course, there will be comic-book dealers — dozens of them, from all over Illinois and beyond. They'll be selling prized (and pricey) antique comics from the '40s, '50s and '60s along with more recent back issues that could go for mere pennies each.
One of the biggest exhibitors will be Graham Crackers Comics, a nine-store chain with suburban stores in Naperville, Downers Grove, Wheaton and St. Charles. The company will occupy 800 square feet of space on the floor; only Marvel and DC will have bigger spots.
John Robinson, co-owner of the chain, said it's important for Graham Crackers Comics to have a large presence at local conventions.
“Most employees dread the week of (C2E2) since our workload is massive, staffing is stretched thin, and the hours are insanely long to haul the product, unload, set up, reload and unpack,” Robinson said via e-mail. “(But) each year we tend to pick up a few new customers who simply had no idea we had more than one store, or a store 15 minutes from them, etc.”
Graham Crackers Comics also maintains a strong presence at the Rosemont convention, but Robinson said he's glad that downtown Chicago has a successful show now.
“With Chicago being the third-largest city in the United States, it was needing an actual convention that the majority of the Chicago population could easily attend via public transport,” he said. “We've raised our presence at the show this year and are excited by the prospect of how big this convention is going to be within five years.”
<b>Chicago Comics and Entertainment Expo (C2E2)</b>
<b>What: </b>A massive comics and pop-culture convention
<b>When: </b>1 to 7 p.m. Friday, March 18; 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, March 19; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, March 20
<b>Where: </b>West Building at McCormick Place, 2301 S. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago. (Free shuttle service will be in effect between McCormick Place and key downtown locations, including Graham Crackers Comics at 77 E. Madison and the Hard Rock Cafe at 63 W. Ontario.)
<b>Tickets: </b>$30 per day, $'60 for a weekend pass; available at the door and online
<b>Info: </b><a href="http://www.c2e2.com" target="_blank">c2e2.com</a>