Wizard World Chicago
The first comic book conventions I went to was the one Wizard hosted in Chicago in 1998. I was there as a guest to my friend who was interning for Wizard that summer. We stayed at the Hilton near the airport. He got me a free two day pass and then I was pretty much left to get soused in the evening while attending little parties. On the convention floor I remember being in awe at the booths, upon booths. The bar where my friend and I drunkenly tried to pitch an idea for a comic, a no-no I am sure considering some of the etiquette tweets I read before SDCC this year, was always packed with creators I admired. I also remember at least one cast member from Babylon 5 was on hand, and she was a little s$#tfaced herself by night’s end as we entered the elevator. It was funny to realize how human a person I religiously watched on television was.
Over-all it was a cool experience. It was the first time I ever saw Stan Lee in person and saw the big booths of Marvel and DC and before I remember hearing the buzz about San Diego. My buddies credentials probably made the trip a little more fun too.
Of course this remembrance was sparked by a recent opinion piece by Troy Brownfield on Newsarama and the accompanying comments about this years Chicago Con. With the two big publishers not there I’m personally sort of saddened by what seems like a shift in con schedules and popularity, while at the same time appreciating there is a verdant field for smaller publishers, alternative presses, and artists to bask in the exposure and con spotlight without having it lost in the loud roar of television and Hollywood. If anything I wish I had more cash and time to visit this con, Heroes Con, and the New York City con so I could make the call myself on what might play out and work better.
But I just know, as I look at the Superman for All Seasons poster I had signed at the DC booth in 1998, that Chicago might feel a little less without the booths of the big two.
