Wizard World Rocked Chicago
Comic Con...you seem so long ago. It's been only a mere days since Wizard World packed up their bags and left Chicago, but the after affects will be long lasting. I am man enough to admit, this was my first Comic Con. And, in that vein, I was more than a little overwhelmed. Thankfully, all the staff and vendors were more than amazing. As were the celebs.
So, how does one evaluate a comic convention in the realm of SocialTechPop's scope? Let's break it down:
SOCIAL
The social aspect of the convention was superb. It is simply amazing how comic culture has infused itself into mainstream so well. Comic nerds, movie geeks, art fiends, and scantily dressed women all came together for nurturing and encouraging event. Actually, in comparison, I saw more drunk fights at Renaissance Fair than here.
The staff provided more than ample assistance in navigating the groups and the center. The event offered everything you could want, which is what I expected. With four days available to check out the show, a mini-society emerged, and friendships forged.
TECH
In my opinion, the tech portion of Comic Con is what really helped elevate the show. Starting with the launch of the show app, Wizard World set the tone for what one could expect from the show. In the past, navigating was restricted to maps and memory. With the app, you had easy access to the location of vendors, celebrity schedules, and other important information.
Beyond that, Wizard World partnered with Belkin to provide a crap-load of charging stations. The majority of all people at the show had some sort of technological addiction. So, offering a place where one can recharge their gear on the run was just awesome.
Many of the vendors also catered to fans by offering and displaying a variety of new technology and gadgets. I was happy to see a lot of affordable or free offerings for attendees including giftcard giveaways from Toynk.com in exchange for email address, and green screen photo opportunities.
POP
Ah yes, the reason why we all went. Pop culture. This years convention was teeming with chances to get your pop rocks off. The lineup, which ranging from Star Wars stars to wrestling stars, really catered to a number of tastes. For me personally, I had the chance to sit down and speak with Hercules star Kevin Sorbo (interview coming soon), as well as Lou Ferigno, and Dean Stockwell.
Some of the stars stayed true to the stigma that they only attend sci-fi conventions for the money, and not the fans (you know who you are chewie). But in retrospect, I can understand their dilemma. But in reality, a smile and a kind word will go a long way.
I want to include a shout out to all the artists as well. There was a really great variety of art mediums that captured the heart and essence of both comic and sci-fi in fresh/interesting lights. A big shout out especially goes to artist Terry Huddleston from Indiana. A great artist with a great personality. Thanks T.
Well, that's it. Hopefully Norm Macdonald will be there next year. Stay tuned for the Hercules interview. In the mean time, head over to LagSpike TV, and catch some footage of yours truly laying down the law on Sorbo.
t
Justin DiSandro joined SocialTechPop at its inception in 2010. He has been integral in growing the blog by working closely with the technology and the pop culture community. His sarcastic wit and charm has earned him numerous writing awards and accolades, and his absurd knowledge of all things "pop" has earned him recognition throughout the entertainment industry. His writings have appeared in countless magazines, literary journals, and documentaries, as well as being quoted by a variety of scholarly studies and film fests.