A couple of weekends ago, I attended the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (aka C2E2) with my husband for the sixth year running. Our annual tradition started back in 2012 when we were looking for something different and interesting to do to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. We found that C2E2 was taking place the same week and decided to attend. Neither of us had ever been to a con before, and we loved it! We’ve attended for the whole weekend every year since.
Fast forward to 2017. This year we celebrated our 20th anniversary, and as an extra treat we decided to actually spend Saturday night in Chicago (instead of driving to and from our suburban home each day.) We stayed at the lovely and historic Renaissance Blackstone hotel in room with fabulous view of the lakefront.
This year, none of the convention guests or panels really excited us, so we spent most of our time enjoying the atmosphere – enjoying the cosplay, exploring the Artists’ Alley, and perusing the exhibit floor.
Goodies (Mostly Artwork)
I’m a big believer in supporting artists – especially with original art / characters. I picked up some great pieces, even though I’m not sure what I’ll do with it all. Here are some artists I met and whose work I purchased.
Autumn Frederickson (http://www.autumnfrederickson.com/). We actually purchased some of her beautiful watercolor images last year. The prints I picked up from her this year are much more whimsical. I love the pandas!
Nolan Nasser (https://www.nolannasser.com/). This is another artist we purchased from last year, which was his first year at the con. Other than his artwork, we both remembered his enthusiasm and charm – he was just so excited to be there and to be doing so well with his work. We were happy to pick up some prints from him this year.
Valentine Barker (http://www.valentinebarker.com/) I was so charmed by the whimsical style and powerful messages in Valentine’s pieces. I also like seeing women depicted with some curves. And, he was offering “buy four, get one free” special on prints, so of course I ended up with five.
In addition to artwork, I also picked up a beautiful pocket watch. I’ve actually been using it, too!
Cosplay
It’s always fun to see all the cosplay at a Comic Con. I like seeing all levels of work and dedication – from simple printed T-shirts to elaborate costumes and props, everyone is showing a level of devotion and spirit. I’ve never really been one to take many pictures – although maybe that will change – but you can find lots of great pics and videos of the cosplay from the C2E2 all over the internet.
However, I do like to dress up, and people seem to like taking pictures of me. I didn’t have time to put together any new cosplay for this con, so I brought out ones I’ve used before. On Friday and Saturday, I was Death from Neil Gaiman’s Sandman series, although this one has a very different style than the one I wore last time for Wizard World. While I didn’t get stopped for pics or recognized as often in this cosplay, I got reactions with so much genuine appreciation that it was totally worthwhile.
On Sunday, I cosplayed as Ursula from Disney’s The Little Mermaid. I debuted this cosplay, my first ever, last year at C2E2. This time, I had a much better idea of what to expect. I was stopped for pictures or compliments quite frequently. My favorite is still posing for pictures with the little kids – they’re so cute!
I also scheduled a photoshoot in my cosplay this year, and I got some great pics from it. I love that I was able to show off the costume (and extend and pose the tentacles) in a way I never really can while walking around at the con. So here are the photos by Kaminsky Kandids Photography.
Over all, I really had a fabulous and fun experience this year at C2E2!