Wizard World Chicago 2008
The Wizard World convention came a little sooner this year. And it was over far too fast. To use the tired, old phrase of yesterday, "Time flies when you're having fun."
That week was no exception to the fun quotient filled with the numerous guests appearing there along with writers/artists involved with the comic book field. Starting from June 26 up to June 29, the entire convetion offered scores of vendors and artists giving examples of their sketches. Some charged for it, others didn't.
What mattered most for me is not the buying or getting stuff from under the buried treasures that covered the convention from one side ot the other. I wanted to do something slightly different this year: meeting different writers and artists in an attempt to get further signings for books. I managed to get a few.
Despite the fact that I arrived a day later in the week on Friday. Which was fine. Thursday night was the Premiere Night that is most like a preview lasting three hours... it's a glimpse that gives the lay of the land to convention goers. Most likely not all the venues are set up yet.
No big deal.
The highlights of the convetion for me?
I was able to meet one of the Hellblazer writers which is always on the top of the list... I have been collecting the Hellblazer series for near twenty years now and have been a profound part of my collection. This series is about a trickster mage who walks the streets of London with his trademark trenchcoat and cigarette lighting habit. And the usual sarcasm fills his mood. The comic book is always done by British writers.
Except for one. He was an American writer by the name of Brian Azzerallo. He was very good hearted and decent person to me. And I managed to get him to sign one of the Hellblazer comics. I told him my name.
He said, "Just like the umm... just like...?" He didn't want to finish his sentance because he knew I heard the joke a thousand times over.
"Yep," I said.
He was pretty good about it and I told him that I thought his run is one of the best in the series.
I got my photo taken with Bruce Timm who is responsible for the commerical success of the Batman animated series. He produced the series regularly and made several writing credits. He was good enough to take a photo with me and I was very pleased with that. I have always been a follower of the Batman cartoons ever since it turned out in 1992 when I was a young pup in my college days. Timm seemed to be a very kind person.
And then there was Alex Ross. I waited for three hours in line to get his autographs... he's not one of my favorite artists truth to be told. But he is an amazing illustrator for the Kingdom Come and Marvels graphic novels... alway difficult for an artist to draw endless strings of characters to fill the pages and tell a straight story at the same time. I was really getting autograph for someone else who needed to be at another place.
But I manged to get a signiture from Ross in the process.
He was also a pleasant person to speak to and I was continously amazed by the jovial atmosphere the guest stars were in during the entire weekend at the convention. Despite alledged rumors from other fans who say this particular artist is big-headed and arrogant, I found Ross to be one of the most kindest persons I've met as I traded a few word with him. And got my photo taken with him.
"Thank you very much!" I said to him as I shook his hand.
I almost forgot to mention one of the biggest legacies out there... and one of the most kindest men out there was Bob Layton who had his own booth in the artist gallery that spanned like the cosmos, very colorful and sparkling with many guests. Bob Layton was well known for his wonderful work on the original Iron Man series... his layouts and art has been incomparable, always bringing the best out of everyone who worked alongside with him on the magazine of steel.
I wished I had asked him how he liked the Iron Man film that recently came out. I forgot about that entirely. But he was a gentle giant for sure that he showed no puffed up arrogance whatsoever... in fact, he was more like the guy sitting in the bar next to you and having a drink. He was very down to earth kind of guy.
There were a few shortcomings in the convention. A few guets were not able to make it to the convetion were Jeremey Bulloch of Star Wars fame and Sean Patrick Flannery of Young Indiana Jones. Neither of them were unable to make it to the convention... making for a slight disappiontment.
But that was okay because there was enough people to meet and see that it was really not that much of a loss. There will always be other times.
There was also the Lou Farrango sighting.
I managed to get his signature as well.
The convention whizzed pased in a short time. And it was nearly all over before it began. But it was a good hearted moments of meeting and gathering of creative people and the public. There seemed to be no notiable attendence change due to the gas mileage costs. The amount of people stormed through like a human flood, filling the corridors and rushing into the convention with a same, remarkable warmth as last year was.
But if you ever make it down to one of the Chicago suburbs, such as this one, don't forget to try one of the greatest offerings that Chicago has... get a piece of the deep dish Chicago styled pizza. If you can make it passed the first piece that is. They're bigger than Godzilla's foot is and a most fulfilling meal you're likely to have while visiting down in Windy City.
That week was no exception to the fun quotient filled with the numerous guests appearing there along with writers/artists involved with the comic book field. Starting from June 26 up to June 29, the entire convetion offered scores of vendors and artists giving examples of their sketches. Some charged for it, others didn't.
What mattered most for me is not the buying or getting stuff from under the buried treasures that covered the convention from one side ot the other. I wanted to do something slightly different this year: meeting different writers and artists in an attempt to get further signings for books. I managed to get a few.
Despite the fact that I arrived a day later in the week on Friday. Which was fine. Thursday night was the Premiere Night that is most like a preview lasting three hours... it's a glimpse that gives the lay of the land to convention goers. Most likely not all the venues are set up yet.
No big deal.
The highlights of the convetion for me?
I was able to meet one of the Hellblazer writers which is always on the top of the list... I have been collecting the Hellblazer series for near twenty years now and have been a profound part of my collection. This series is about a trickster mage who walks the streets of London with his trademark trenchcoat and cigarette lighting habit. And the usual sarcasm fills his mood. The comic book is always done by British writers.
Except for one. He was an American writer by the name of Brian Azzerallo. He was very good hearted and decent person to me. And I managed to get him to sign one of the Hellblazer comics. I told him my name.
He said, "Just like the umm... just like...?" He didn't want to finish his sentance because he knew I heard the joke a thousand times over.
"Yep," I said.
He was pretty good about it and I told him that I thought his run is one of the best in the series.
I got my photo taken with Bruce Timm who is responsible for the commerical success of the Batman animated series. He produced the series regularly and made several writing credits. He was good enough to take a photo with me and I was very pleased with that. I have always been a follower of the Batman cartoons ever since it turned out in 1992 when I was a young pup in my college days. Timm seemed to be a very kind person.
And then there was Alex Ross. I waited for three hours in line to get his autographs... he's not one of my favorite artists truth to be told. But he is an amazing illustrator for the Kingdom Come and Marvels graphic novels... alway difficult for an artist to draw endless strings of characters to fill the pages and tell a straight story at the same time. I was really getting autograph for someone else who needed to be at another place.
But I manged to get a signiture from Ross in the process.
He was also a pleasant person to speak to and I was continously amazed by the jovial atmosphere the guest stars were in during the entire weekend at the convention. Despite alledged rumors from other fans who say this particular artist is big-headed and arrogant, I found Ross to be one of the most kindest persons I've met as I traded a few word with him. And got my photo taken with him.
"Thank you very much!" I said to him as I shook his hand.
I almost forgot to mention one of the biggest legacies out there... and one of the most kindest men out there was Bob Layton who had his own booth in the artist gallery that spanned like the cosmos, very colorful and sparkling with many guests. Bob Layton was well known for his wonderful work on the original Iron Man series... his layouts and art has been incomparable, always bringing the best out of everyone who worked alongside with him on the magazine of steel.
I wished I had asked him how he liked the Iron Man film that recently came out. I forgot about that entirely. But he was a gentle giant for sure that he showed no puffed up arrogance whatsoever... in fact, he was more like the guy sitting in the bar next to you and having a drink. He was very down to earth kind of guy.
There were a few shortcomings in the convention. A few guets were not able to make it to the convetion were Jeremey Bulloch of Star Wars fame and Sean Patrick Flannery of Young Indiana Jones. Neither of them were unable to make it to the convention... making for a slight disappiontment.
But that was okay because there was enough people to meet and see that it was really not that much of a loss. There will always be other times.
There was also the Lou Farrango sighting.
I managed to get his signature as well.
The convention whizzed pased in a short time. And it was nearly all over before it began. But it was a good hearted moments of meeting and gathering of creative people and the public. There seemed to be no notiable attendence change due to the gas mileage costs. The amount of people stormed through like a human flood, filling the corridors and rushing into the convention with a same, remarkable warmth as last year was.
But if you ever make it down to one of the Chicago suburbs, such as this one, don't forget to try one of the greatest offerings that Chicago has... get a piece of the deep dish Chicago styled pizza. If you can make it passed the first piece that is. They're bigger than Godzilla's foot is and a most fulfilling meal you're likely to have while visiting down in Windy City.
posted by K.M. Paters at 2:23 PM
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