How I went to 2017 Chicago Comics and Entertainment Expo (for work-related reasons)
Ever since I started writing for Cook County Chronicle, it's been a constant exercise of "surely, they can't possibly accept that pitch?" A look at a recent Pace suburban bus service expansion? An article delving into the ins and outs of connections between suburban Metra train lines? An in-depth look into Chicago's Russian community? Surely that's a bit too esoteric? But so far, they've accepted everything I've thrown at them, and they paid more, per article, then even Pioneer Press did.
So I figured that it wouldn't hurt to try to pitch an article about the Chicago Comics and Entertainment Expo. Well, not about the convention itself, but about the artists and writers who exhibit at the Artist Alley. And, amazingly, that got approved, too.
Once I got a go-ahead from the editor, I applied for a press pass. I didn't think it would be too big of a deal - I applied for plenty of press passes, and I've never had any problems. But C2E2 actually rejected my application. Thankfully, I had enough money to buy my own ticket (thanks to the aforementioned Chronicle assignments), and now, I will get to write it off on my taxes.
If you are interested in comics, and how comics get made, I would recommend checking out the resulting article.
I am sure it would surprise no one that, while at the con, I took way more photos than the article required. Here is the link to the entire set - and here as some highlights.
A V from, well, V for Vendetta - whose appearance is almost charmingly quaint, because, after the success of the film adaptation of that graphic novel basically created the Anonymous as we know them, it became a popular costume for a few years, until Anonymous faded from the popular zeitgeist.
Some nifty steampunk costumes
Not one, not two, but three Star Butterflies (Stars Butterfly?). I suppose that since this is one cartoon whose network put out an official cosplay tutorial, that shouldn't be entirely surprising.
On, and the second Star is a member of the Cosplay Culture magazine staff.
I never would've guessd this one, but according to the cosplayer herself, she's portraying a Rule 63 Jack Skellington, from Nightmare Before Christmas. (For those who don't known, "Rule 63" is when a cosplayer portray an opposite-gender version of a character, while crossplay is when a person of one gender depicts a character of another gender)
Yennifer and Geralt, from Witcher novels and video games. I mostly took this pic for itsmegamanda. When I thought aloud that it was unusual to see a Yennifer cosplayer, the cosplayer went on a long rant about how unappreciated the character is which is... fair. If you were introduced to Witcher through videogames, she was, for better or for worse, vastly overshadowed by Triss, but if you read the original novels, Yennifer is way more prominent.
Dee from Rat Queens - mostly here because it's one of the more obscure cosplays at this con, and, as someone who cosplayed as Grifter from WildC.A.T.s several times, I appreciate it when people go with less then obvious characters.
Speaking of unexpected appearances - a Daria.
A pretty nifty Man-Thing
A cosplay dance party
This one was for sirius20_81
Late on Saturday, I came across a group of cosplayers who depicted Therminans, the aliens from Galaxy Quest who accosted random cosplayers and asked if they were the captain (it makes sense if you saw the movie)
Like a Buzz Lightyear
And a Skeletor
And cosplayer Ivy Doomkitty, who had a booth nearby.
(Incidentally, one of the cosplayers in the group was supposedly BelleChere, making a low-key visit to Chicago, but I'd be damned if I knew which one (and I've actually seen her in person once))
"Historical documents!" (again - it makes sense if you've seen the movie)
I don't know who that character is, but she has nifty wings that move up and down
And finally - I think this is a Colonial Marine (from Starcraft) version of Deadpool. If not, it's still a neat costume.
So I figured that it wouldn't hurt to try to pitch an article about the Chicago Comics and Entertainment Expo. Well, not about the convention itself, but about the artists and writers who exhibit at the Artist Alley. And, amazingly, that got approved, too.
Once I got a go-ahead from the editor, I applied for a press pass. I didn't think it would be too big of a deal - I applied for plenty of press passes, and I've never had any problems. But C2E2 actually rejected my application. Thankfully, I had enough money to buy my own ticket (thanks to the aforementioned Chronicle assignments), and now, I will get to write it off on my taxes.
If you are interested in comics, and how comics get made, I would recommend checking out the resulting article.
I am sure it would surprise no one that, while at the con, I took way more photos than the article required. Here is the link to the entire set - and here as some highlights.
A V from, well, V for Vendetta - whose appearance is almost charmingly quaint, because, after the success of the film adaptation of that graphic novel basically created the Anonymous as we know them, it became a popular costume for a few years, until Anonymous faded from the popular zeitgeist.
Some nifty steampunk costumes
Not one, not two, but three Star Butterflies (Stars Butterfly?). I suppose that since this is one cartoon whose network put out an official cosplay tutorial, that shouldn't be entirely surprising.
On, and the second Star is a member of the Cosplay Culture magazine staff.
I never would've guessd this one, but according to the cosplayer herself, she's portraying a Rule 63 Jack Skellington, from Nightmare Before Christmas. (For those who don't known, "Rule 63" is when a cosplayer portray an opposite-gender version of a character, while crossplay is when a person of one gender depicts a character of another gender)
Yennifer and Geralt, from Witcher novels and video games. I mostly took this pic for itsmegamanda. When I thought aloud that it was unusual to see a Yennifer cosplayer, the cosplayer went on a long rant about how unappreciated the character is which is... fair. If you were introduced to Witcher through videogames, she was, for better or for worse, vastly overshadowed by Triss, but if you read the original novels, Yennifer is way more prominent.
Dee from Rat Queens - mostly here because it's one of the more obscure cosplays at this con, and, as someone who cosplayed as Grifter from WildC.A.T.s several times, I appreciate it when people go with less then obvious characters.
Speaking of unexpected appearances - a Daria.
A pretty nifty Man-Thing
A cosplay dance party
This one was for sirius20_81
Late on Saturday, I came across a group of cosplayers who depicted Therminans, the aliens from Galaxy Quest who accosted random cosplayers and asked if they were the captain (it makes sense if you saw the movie)
Like a Buzz Lightyear
And a Skeletor
And cosplayer Ivy Doomkitty, who had a booth nearby.
(Incidentally, one of the cosplayers in the group was supposedly BelleChere, making a low-key visit to Chicago, but I'd be damned if I knew which one (and I've actually seen her in person once))
"Historical documents!" (again - it makes sense if you've seen the movie)
I don't know who that character is, but she has nifty wings that move up and down
And finally - I think this is a Colonial Marine (from Starcraft) version of Deadpool. If not, it's still a neat costume.