I’ve been a comic book fan for many years and have always wanted to go to a comic con.
I usually remember that it’s happening after the fact, missing out and thinking next year.
After that happening again when I missed another San Diego comic con I was determined to get in the next one I saw coming up. Any where.
Found Wizard World in Chicago. Near by drive, happening this year, done. Booked it.
When I went there this weekend I had an idea of what to expect from things I’ve seen.
This is different when its in front of you. The fact of walking around a corner in a hotel and coming face to face with person fully decked out as Captain America.
Is it OK to laugh? I mean you can’t just pretend when you see that and act like everything is all chill right?
After heading to convention I realized that they will stop to pose with anyone. So being noticed is expected. It’s just not something my brain is used to having to figure out.
Aside from that, I had only a few goals I wanted to accomplish when I got there. On the roster there were a couple people appearing that I wanted to meet.
First one was artist Dean Haspiel. I discovered him years ago.
Before it was so easy to create a webcomic online he started a collective called Act-i-vate.
It was a collaborative with other artists that made some amazing webcomics and his was a series called Billy Dogma. I really dug his style and wanted to meet him.
Found him right away. He signed a book for me. I told him I was from Madison. He had an interesting story he told me about a kid he knew growing up from here.
Dean is from New York, when he came to visit his friend he took him to a Woolworths store.
He was all excited to show him that it had an escalator. Which was pretty funny. I’d like to think we’ve gotten a little more with the times since then, I hope.
Next was Jodi Sweeten, aka Stephanie from Full House.
My son was a big fan of this show growing up. When she asked who to make the autograph out to, I told her to sign it for my son. I said I really wanted to meet her just to make him jealous.
Burt Reynolds was there as well but sadly any opportunities to see him were all sold out. I was pretty bummed about that.
After a full day of seeing other things, headed back to the hotel.
Walking towards the side entrance I looked at a guy standing there and recognized him and pointed like, ‘hey aren’t you?…’
His first facial expression was that of someone thinking he should run. Then I just said, “You’re from the show The Wire, right?”
It was Seth Gilliam.
My wife and I are currently in the middle of season 4 of the show right now. Saying that he then looked relieved and said yes and talked with us for a bit.
I have not watched The Walking Dead, and I guess he is on that show right now.
After telling people I know that do watch that series I understand why he was first thinking to run. I guess from what I’ve heard his character is not a very liked man.
After talking a bit I thanked him, shook his hand and went inside.
Later thinking back on this day I realized something. I felt weird about wanting to take a picture with any of these people as I met them.
I thought it would seem intrusive. So I never did.
Is that weird?
I’m happy with my stories that I have about meeting these people. But everyone asks why I didn’t take a picture. The entire event is about taking pictures of things.
I guess I just felt it would take away from talking to them as a person I think.
But I did get a kick ass picture with the Knight Rider car. I mean that’s just a cool thing to do right!?
