Costumes, comics and heavy metal: What we saw on C2E2's opening day
A Ghostbuster sips soda from a giant copper goblet. Deadpool looks at some new weapons to add to his arsenal. And Captain Marvel is just about everywhere you look.
That's the scene Friday inside the Chicago Comics and Entertainment Expo, commonly called C2E2, the weekend-long pop culture convention back at Chicago's McCormick Place for its 10th year.
The massive show floor on Level 3 of the South Building gave thousands of costumed attendees the chance to buy comics, get a personalized sketch and take pictures with celebrities.
Among the famous faces on hand was actor Breckin Meyer - today he'll appear on C2E2's main stage with his "Clueless" castmates Alicia Silverstone, Paul Rudd and Donald Faison. Friday, though, he was having as much fun as the paying customers, playing online games with audience members at the SyFy Wire stage on the show floor.
The same stage was later graced by Megadeth frontman Dave Mustaine, who is collaborating with Heavy Metal Comics on a graphic novel that adapts 35 of his band's "timely and timeless" songs for the page.
"'Peace Sells ... But Who's Buying?' is as relevant today as it was when I wrote it in 1983," said Mustaine, who listed Iron Man, The Punisher and Captain America as the comic-book heroes he enjoyed as a kid. The "Death By Design" graphic novel hits stores in June and marks the band's 35th anniversary.
On the show floor, artists and exhibitors from across the country hawk comics, pins, shirts, jewelry and just about anything you can put a Batman symbol on. Among them is Evan Scola, a Massachusetts artist who draws travel posters for make-believe destinations such as Middle-earth and Tatooine. His best-selling destination? Derry, Maine, the setting for multiple Stephen King stories, including "It."
Scola said he travels for 12 to 15 conventions a year. Last week he flew with his artwork to Seattle, but he said driving to C2E2 from Massachusetts was much easier, "even if it was 14 hours."
C2E2 continues Saturday and Sunday at McCormick Place. In addition to the "Clueless" crew, the weekend's lineup of celebrity guests includes "Doctor Who" actor David Tennant, Marvel heroes Clark Gregg and Ming-Na Wen, Chicago wrestling legend CM Punk, and "Cobra Kai" stars Ralph Macchio and William Zabka.
Visit C2E2.com for a full list of panels, events and appearances.
C2E2 convention
When: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday
Where: McCormick Place (South Building), 2301 S. Martin Luther King Drive, Chicago
Tickets: $55 today, $45 Sunday. Buy at the door or online at <a href="http://www.c2e2.com">C2E2.com</a>.
Parking: $36 at McCormick Place. Satellite lots and free shuttles available; check <a href="https://www.c2e2.com/About/FAQ-and-Policies/FAQs/">FAQs at C2E2.com</a> for locations.