Is the reign of the Deadpool cosplay variants at an end? Is C2E2 truly Negan’s world now, judging by the 10,000 Negan cosplayers we saw this weekend?
It’s that time again! The eighth annual Chicago Comic and Entertainment Exposition (“C2E2″) just wrapped another three-day extravaganza of comic books, actors, creators, toys, props, publishers, freebies, Funko Pops, anime we don’t recognize, and walking and walking and walking and walking. Each year C2E2 keeps inching ever closer to its goal of becoming the Midwest’s answer to the legendary San Diego Comic Con and other famous cons in larger, more popular states. My wife and I missed the first year, but have attended every year since 2011 as a team.
In this special miniseries I’ll be sharing memories and photos from our own C2E2 experience, in all its vivaciousness and vexations. Caveats for first-time visitors to Midlife Crisis Crossover:
1. My wife and I are not professional photographers, nor do we believe ourselves worthy of press passes. These were taken as best as possible with the intent to share with fellow fans out of a sincere appreciation for the works inspired by the heroes, hobbies, artistic expressions, and/or intellectual properties that brought us geeks together under one vaulted roof for the weekend. We all do what we can with the tools and circumstances at hand. We don’t use selfie sticks, tripods, or cameras that cost more than a month’s worth of groceries.
2. It’s impossible for any human or organization to capture every costume on hand. What’s presented in this series will be a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of the sum total costume experience. Other corners of the internet will represent those other fractions that we missed, which is the cool part of having so many people doing this sort of thing.
3. We didn’t attend Sunday. Sincere apologies to anyone we missed as a result.
4. Corrections and comments are always welcome, especially when we get to Part 2, which will include a few anime and/or gaming characters we young geezers didn’t recognize. I do like learning new names and universes even if you’re more immersed in them than I am.
5. Enjoy!
First up: the heroes and antiheroes of Marvel, DC, and other comics, who made up just over half our costume photos. And as usual, we wound up spotting far above the FDA recommended annual allowance of Deadpool variants…
Ultimate Spider-Man and a funky fresh skateboard-dancing Deadpool welcome you to the show floor!
My Little Ponypool, or possibly WeirdSlumberPartyPool.
Westboropool thinks your favorite heroes are stupid and unholy.
Linkpool says Westboropool can cram it.
Steampunkpool with Victorian rubber chicken. Or something. Honestly, this one kind of lost us.
Tijuanapool is proud to tell you what an authentic chimichanga tastes like.
And now, back to anyone but Deadpool, already in progress:
Power Man and Iron Fist share a toast to friendship and Netflix residuals.
Angel from X-Men: Apocalypse.
Logan from Days of Future Past, smacking a dude down for trash-talking X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Black Panther, soon to be a major motion picture.
Aquaman, soon to be a major motion picture.
Doctor Strange, already a major motion picture.
Batman and Lego Batman, no slouch at the box office themselves.
Flash, Hawkwoman, Speedy/Arsenal/Red Arrow/whichever, and Nightwing.
Aquaman and Superboy straight outta the early ’90s.
Hellboy. I mean Hellgirl. Or Hellwoman! HELLPERSON. You get the idea.
The Tick, soon to be a major Amazon series. Voldemort in repose is not impressed.
Cosplayers of Wisconsin reminding you that cosplay in and of itself is absolutely never an open invitation to leering or groping, no matter how great or how minuscule the temptation.
My five personal faves from this section:
Squirrel Girl! Squirrel Girl! SQUIRREL GIRL!
Squirrel Girls! Squirrel Girls! SQUIRREL GIRLS!
Marvel’s Moon Knight. in his dapper yet unhinged “Mr. Knight” suit.
A more recent Moon Knight variant from the current hallucinogenic Jeff Lemire/Greg Smallwood run.
For fellow old-school fans of DC/Vertigo and Grant Morrison: Buddy Baker, a.k.a. Animal Man!
To be continued! Other chapters in this miniseries:
Part 2: More Cosplay!
Part 3: Comics Creators Cavalcade [coming soon]
Part 4: Who We Met and What We Did [coming soon]
