C2E2 is one of the major conventions in the Midwest and is a headliner event. It is arguably the most important of the geek conventions in the Chicagoland area. C2E2 has the connotation that if you’re a geek and you’re in the Midwest, you absolutely have to be there. It makes itself huge by choosing the location that proclaims that it’s a significant convention–McCormick Place in the city of Chicago. McCormick Place is a venue that Chicagoans and Midwesterners can be proud of. It’s a state of the art facility that hosts Chicago’s biggest and most renowned conventions. It’s also host to the famous Chicago Auto Show, among other headline grabbing events. Reed Pop, the parent organization of C2E2, knows location lends its aura to the perception of how “big” a convention is and has played this to the hilt.
C2E2, which stands for the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo, has always been at McCormick Place. At this convention that took place over the weekend of April 26-28, the main action is in a gigantic hall. Though it can be overwhelming, C2E2 is always a good time mostly because of the people you encounter by spending just a day at the convention. People are known to make good friends from C2E2, and some are even known to have met there and married later on. At C2E2 this year, there was a proposal and an acceptance on Friday.
To celebrate the convention’s Fifteenth Anniversary, there was a prom held on Friday night. It went for two hours and while people were wearing formalwear with geeky embellishments, conventioneers arrived in regular clothing or the cosplay of their choice. There was, of course, a live deejay, along with a pan and scan of the crowd projected on an enormous screen. For those who opted not to go to their high school prom, this was a chance to go to prom but with a more congenial crowd. This prom was far less stressful than an actual high school prom and probably a lot more fun.
The time traveling DeLorean of Back to the Future fame was there all three days and the DeLorean actually had a longer line for photo ops than any celebrity at C2E2 on Friday. The DeLorean is a celebrity in itself, as we all know. The Gregula crew had their photos taken with the DeLorean, a car that is available for rental nationwide. The owner of the Back to the Future car at C2E2, Jason Alspaugh, stated that the other famous car in fandom he’d like to own is the Batmobile. It is certainly the dream to possess these iconic cars.
The convention’s attendance is so large that though you expect to run into all of the people you know that are going, there is a chance that you won’t run into them because of the enormous size of this convention. Therefore, running into someone you know at C2E2 is made all the more special.
Comic books and graphic novels were everywhere and serious collectors browsed through long box after long box in search of treasures. Though C2E2 is heavily based in the comic book reading and collecting world, the convention has become a catch-all for many tribes of geekdom. Here, you’ll find fans that align with you, whether you’re into horror, anime, Star Trek, Star Wars, steampunk, furry, DC, Marvel, wrestling, Disney, or more. It’s all here, and even the most obscure fandoms can be found. There is the implication that C2E2 is all fandoms now, though with the understanding that comic books are the top draw.
Some clever costumes seen include someone cosplaying as the Picasso Daley Sculpture, the infamous rat hole, Colonel Sanders and Wendy, and Bozo the Clown. There was a presence of costumes that represent the icons of Chicago. C2E2 conventioneers take great delight in being Chicagoan and they show it well.
The Crypt Crew also met Austin St. John, otherwise known as the Red Power Ranger in the original cast of The Mighty Morphin Power Rangers. We had a good time taking photos with him and talking to him. Voted the most popular Red Ranger of all, Austin is also a paramedic on the East Coast. Austin auditioned for the role of the Red Ranger because of a dare from a friend. He holds black belts in more than one martial art and also dreamed of playing professional baseball for the Boston Red Sox.
Team Gregula also met artist, animator and cartoonist Bob Camp who worked on animated series such as ThunderCats, Silverhawks and TigerSharks. He is most well known for being one of the creative forces of the Ren and Stimpy Show.
The next C2E2 will be held April 11-13, 2025 at McCormick Place and we hope to see you there! It promises to be another wonderful time!
If you like Deadly Dex’s articles, check out his books on Amazon! Published with Airship 27, he writes science fiction, mystery, and sports stories.
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