If you read comic books by the issue, you have undoubtedly seen the advertisements everywhere: “C2E2: THE CON CHICAGO NEEDS. THE CON YOU DESERVE!” From April 16-18, C2E2, or the Chicago Comics and Entertainment Expo, celebrated its maiden year in the Lakeside building of the McCormick place to the tune of 28,000 attendees, according to the C2E2 blog. Exact numbers aren’t out yet, but taking into consideration the price of admission ($30 for one day, $60 for all three), this means the show made anywhere between $84,000 and $1.68 million.
Upon entering the convention floor, one is inundated with fellow attendees dressed up as their favorite characters, not just from comic books, but also from popular movies and television shows. Superman stands in the corner talking with Link from LEGEND OF ZELDA while Princess Leia shares a soft pretzel with her son, who is dressed as Spiderman. Meanwhile, over by the DeLorean from BACK TO THE FUTURE and the Batmobile from the Adam West BATMAN TV show, the Joker and Harley Quinn are inviting any passers-by to stop in and get their pictures taken with such Hollywood icons . . . for $10, of course. It is, after all, a convention.
Shills leap out from every booth, eager to sell their products, whether they be bootlegged DVD’s, their latest CD, a web comic, or even memorabilia, like old movie posters and autographed photographs of Hollywood stars. There are contests everywhere, and when one walks through Artists Alley, they are confronted with hopeful faces and an array of brand new, independent possibilities.
In short, it’s just like Wizard World Chicago. In fact, some skeptics have questioned as to whether or not C2E2 is necessary, since WWC, while actually located in suburban Rosemont, has ruled this roost for 20 years. However, attendees of C2E2 saw a few differences. For one, there is a lot of space to move around, whereas WWC is practically impossible to navigate through. There are the same smells of body odor and flatulence, but it’s not so bad when the person emitting these fumes isn’t rubbing up against you. And whereas WWC is closed off from the outside world like the inside of a casino, C2E2 has windows, and the crowd is actually exposed to sunlight. Granted, near the end of the day, it becomes blindingly bright, but at the same time, it is nice to be reminded that the outside world still exists. The panel rooms at McCormick Place are nicer, too.
But there is one key difference between the two conventions: WWC has, in recent years, been overtaken by pop culture in general, whereas C2E2’s clear loyalty is to comics. There is overlap, of course, but WWC’s guests last year were composed almost exclusively of wrestlers, television and movie stars, and something called a “reality TV star,” which probably doesn’t really exist. Comics writers and artists took a back seat.
So C2E2 had to up the ante by inviting practically everyone in the comics industry, from the folks usually found in Artists Alley to web comics creators to hot new talent to seasoned professionals to writers of actual books to the people who run everything. Jim Lee has been a regular, but Karen Berger and Joe Quesada? What about Peter Straub and George R.R. Martin? Does the name Neil Gaiman ring a bell? And how long has it been since Garth Ennis came to Chicago?
At a glance, the DC booth looks as it always has. The corners have been relegated to their separate properties, Wildstorm and Vertigo, with another corner dedicated to the toys they produce. Free comics are stacked up all over the place (more on that later). But who is that sitting at the Vertigo table? It’s none other than FABLES writer Bill Willingham! [Sidebar interview.]
Later in the day, crime writer Brian Azzarello has taken Willingham’s place. [Sidebar interview.]
Not all companies have had it as easy as DC, but there are some who keep kicking against the pricks and do so rather well, with a stable of amazing talent, no less. Take Avatar, for example. They started publishing in 1996 and were mostly known for their “bad girl” characters, like Pandora and Hellina. However, Avatar grew up quickly when it started publishing creator owned books with no content restrictions. Garth Ennis, Warren Ellis, Alan Moore, and other greats answered the call, and Avatar has been producing some of the most interesting, mind-blowing books on the market. In fact, some of their writers and artists are so dedicated to their company and their craft that they have decided to sign at the booth for the entire time C2E2 is open.
Take Jacen Burrows and Mike Wolfer, for example. [Sidebar interviews.]
And then there is comics legend, Brian Pulido. [Sidebar interview.]
Even LAW AND ORDER: SVU and NUMB3RS writer Christos Gage can be seen hanging out at the Avatar booth, signing books and pimping his most recent releases, including the first ABSOLUTION miniseries and the graphic novel from Vertigo Crime, AREA 10. [Review of AREA 10 will be posted soon.]
On Saturday, Garth Ennis sits at the Avatar booth, ready to sign. If you spend $30 or more at the booth, you get VIP status for this signing. This means that you get to go first, before the non-VIP signing, and you can have more things signed. Three items from other publishers, and anything else Avatar has published. As Ennis signs, he’s willing to talk about anything at all, from the final PREACHER story that will probably never be published (as reported elsewhere, it is the story of the Sexual Investigators; if you want to read it, it is recommended that you let Vertigo know, or in the words of Ennis himself, “Give them shit about it.”) to the reason why it’s been five years since a new issue of DICKS has been released (because they’re not big money makers; SHAME ON YOU, AMERICA!) to the search for good American beer (which has been a bit more successful than some would think).
No matter how much these talented individuals have to do at this show, it pales in comparison to William Christensen, the head of Avatar. He moves around the booth with sweat gleaming on his forehead, making sure that everything is running smoothly, that product is always on display, that product is moving, and trying to organize the big signings, namely Garth Ennis, George R.R. Martin, and Max Brooks. Of all the folks at the Avatar booth, he is the only one who turns down an interview, and one can hardly blame him. It is clear that C2E2 has wiped him out, that he is probably looking forward to sleeping for a week after the convention, and yet he somehow manages to stay on his feet. Through the virtue of Avatar’s amazing books, the publishing company has managed to get a lot of attention. One look at Christensen shows that a lot of hard work has gone into this, and the battle has been uphill the whole way.
In fact, it looks like the only ones who have had it easy (or at least easier than most) are DC and Marvel, and maybe Image. The convention is saturated with publishing companies desperate for your attention. For example, during the last half-hour of the first day, Archaia declares that anything on the center table of their booth is for free. The booth is inundated with customers, most of whom have come in to get their free books and not to look at the rest of their selection, which is a shame, considering the quality of these free books. Not one of them is much good. ARTESIA BESIEGED and ROBOTIKA are incredibly awful, and STARKWEATHER IMMORTAL barely qualifies as mediocre. SOME NEW KIND OF SLAUGHTER tries to educate, but it’s bogged down in a stiff style and awkward sideways printing. Only THE KILLER seems decent, but it’s hard to tell for sure because they only gave away issues four, nine, and ten. This makes judging the story impossible, as it is a book that needs to be read in order.
However, those who just came by to get their free books and not browse probably missed a book simply called TUMOR. [TUMOR review will be posted soon.]
All in all, Archaia could have taken a lesson from DC’s booth. In the Vertigo section, they are giving away the first issues of DAYTRIPPER, JOE THE BARBARIAN, and DEMO, which makes getting into a sequential book much easier. Sadly, these three titles do not amount to much, and neither do THE AUTHORITY and WILDCATS books they are giving away in the Wildstorm corner. SPARTA #1 is a bit more promising, but the true star of the free books DC are giving away is VICTORIAN UNDEAD. [VICTORIAN UNDEAD review will be posted soon.]
If comic books aren’t your thing, there are plenty of other products on the floor to choose from. Do you want autographed photos of celebrities? They’re here. Toys? They’re everywhere. Pithy t-shirts? A stone’s throw away. Old pulp magazines? You got it. Hell, do you want a tattoo? You can find several artists ready and eager to go to work on you. For those with the money, there is an IRON MAN auction going on, in which you can buy props used in the actual movie.
Then there are the DVD’s. If you want a bootleg, they’re all over the place, but the true attraction for movie lovers are the imports. You can find practically any movie you want in the world, including one of the worst films ever made, Ed Wood’s NECROMANIA. [See NECROMANIA review previously posted.]
Every once in a while, you might come upon a booth selling something a little more interesting, like Retro-a-Go-Go. They have t-shirts with old pulp fiction covers depicted on the front. They only fit the ladies, but some of you guys will probably like them enough to buy at least one, just to have it. They also sell flasks, lighters, key-rings, and picture frames with retro art on them. Is it no surprise that they have an undying love for all things Bettie Page? For those of you who can’t wait until the next C2E2, you can check them out at www.retro-a-go-go.com.
Walking around this convention, seeing all that it has to offer, can take a lot out of a person, especially if that person is lugging around a lot of books to be signed and recently purchased products. You can either spend a fortune on a Pepsi and pizza (or churros, or nachos, or whatever), or you can stop by one of the many booths offering free samples of energy drinks. Rockstar, Venom, Amp, they’re all here, and they’re here to help you stay on your feet.
And for those who want to know the state of their favorite publishing companies (or for those who want to take a load off), there are the panels. The very first of the show was the Vertigo panel with Karen Berger, Peter Straub, Scott Snyder, Cliff Chiang, Bill Willingham, and others. Here are a few things they discussed:
--THE UNWRITTEN. This awful book, sadly, shows no sign of being cancelled. Somehow, it collected three Eisner nominations, and one of the panelists said, “It’s kind of like if Garth Ennis wrote WINNIE THE POOH.” This is a selling point, but as anyone who has read the book can tell you, it’s a bit of a stretch.
--THE GREEN WOMAN. This is why Peter Straub is here today. There was a character from his novel, THE THROAT, by the name of Frank Belknap (fans of the Lovecraft circle will recognize this name). He was a very nasty serial killer who was quickly killed off with very little explanation as to his character. Vertigo has convinced Straub to create an alternate universe version of Belknap and put him in a home for spectacular serial killers. “It’s horror at its meanest and most powerful,” Berger said.
--AMERICAN VAMPIRE. This is number one reason for most people to attend this panel; since Stephen King is the co-writer, this is not surprising. Scott Snyder is tired of the Anne Rice-type vampire. He says the romantic vampire is simply not scary, that vampires are supposed to be your loved ones and neighbors come back from the grave to kill you. He cites ‘SALEM’S LOT as a major influence. Since he is friends with King, the master was invited by Vertigo to be a part of this book. [AV review will be posted soon.]
--Good news for JACK OF FABLES fans: #50 has been referred to as a “game changer.” Readers know that the book has recently focused on Jack Frost, the good son of Jack Horner (the title character). While it is interesting to see his adventures, they just don’t compare to his father’s. Why? Perhaps it’s because Jack Horner is a scoundrel and it’s a lot more fun to watch him in action. They did not go into details as to what might change this game, but keep an eye out for #50.
--Were you a fan of SHADE THE CHANGING MAN? Hell, do you remember the title? Not many do, but it was one of the first books on Vertigo’s roster back in their beginning days. If you enjoyed the series, then you’re in for good news: he’s coming back. After a short reintroduction in HELLBLAZER (which is only fair, considering the time that John Constantine guest-starred in Shade’s book), he will be returning with his own series.
--They also talked about a lot of brand new projects, including Christos Gage’s AREA 10. They discussed REVOLVER, a graphic novel in which the main character goes to work, expecting the usual boring day only to be confronted by the end of the world. He slogs through the destruction and makes it to the end of the day, but the following morning, everything is back to normal. The story switches off between days, and there is even a third story in a scroll at the bottom of each page. From the writer of HELLBLAZER: PAPA MIDNITE and INCOGNEGRO, we have DARK RAIN, a graphic novel using Hurricane Katrina as a backdrop. Two convicts decide to take advantage of the hurricane to rob a bank in New Orleans. In THE EXECUTOR, a man comes back to his hometown to be the executor of the will of a girl he doesn’t know. Denise Mina has SICKNESS IN THE FAMILY for us, the tale of a twisted family that gets killed off one by one. GREENDALE is a graphic novel written by Joshua Dysart and illustrated by Cliff Chiang, based on the Neil Young album. Women in a small town are changing and disappearing when they reach a certain age. The protagonist is a female who is approaching this age, but she’s disappointed in the state of our world. This is the story of what she does as a result. Lastly, we have two books, CUBA MY REVOLUTION and HOW TO UNDERSTAND ISRAEL IN 60 DAYS OR LESS, the first of which is about a woman who had to grow up in Cuba during Castro’s regime, and the latter about one American woman’s visit to Israel to see firsthand the horrors and the disadvantages of both the Israelis and the Palestinians.
--During the Q&A session, Straub was asked about the future of his own work with comics. Specifically, Stephen King has had a lot of luck with his work being translated into comic books lately. In fact, King and Straub’s THE TALISMAN is being published by Del Ray now, and the questioner was wondering if any of Straub’s older work, perhaps SHADOWLANDS or FLOATING DRAGON, would be published in a comics format. Straub said that at the time, there were no plans. As far as Del Ray goes, they just send him and King images for them to approve.
The Marvel panel is a lot more crowded, but not as interesting. Joe Quesada is a dynamic speaker who isn’t afraid to tell the truth. For example, he admits to enjoying DC Comics more than Marvel at one point in his life, even though he’s the big man at Marvel now. The problem is, Marvel’s ideas aren’t that exciting. He describes a new CAPTAIN AMERICA project helmed by Ed Brubaker, one of the greatest writers working in the industry, but there’s nothing about it that seems to leap off the page. Not even Warren Ellis’ new IRON MAN motion comic is exciting (but motion comics really aren’t that great, anyway, so that battle was lost from its conception). The highlight, though, is when a small, bespectacled woman meekly approaches the microphone during Q&A and suggests that Marvel comics is guilty of creating unrealistically proportioned women as the heroines of their female comics.
Most people would stare back in surprise with deer-in-the-headlights eyes, but Quesada is ready with a reply right off the bat. At first, he acknowledges her agenda, and then he systematically disproves it, while at the same time admitting that this kind of thing does happen in comic books. He also mentions that the same thing happens to men in comics, as well. He cites examples of 100% realistic women and the artists who render them, and with his point proven, he waits for her rebuttal. All she can say is, “Um, thank you.” And she walks away.
Back to the convention floor. The one thing that C2E2 has that WWC does not is an area dedicated to web comics. One gentleman is handing out bookmarks with his website on them, www.1977thecomic.com. The tagline: “Life, one toke at a time . . . .” Upon going online, though, this is a bit of an exaggeration. It’s the story of a young man in Lombard, IL, who decides that he’s going to be a rock star. He answers an ad in the paper and rents a room in a stranger’s house. Wacky PERFECT STRANGERS/ODD COUPLE hijinks ensue, sometimes involving weed, but more often than not involving mystic toads, magical sex changes, failed rock gigs, and the like. You know, with the exception of the failed rock gigs, these are all things that the year 1977 actually lacked. It’s not super funny. The jokes are usually kind of lame, but if you’re bored, it will get you through the day.
Speaking of hijinks ensuing, C2E2 was graced with the appearance of web comic HIJINKS ENSUE, where they are pimping their first collection, GODSPEED, YOU FANCY BASTARD. Do you like jokes about how the Ewoks used the Care Bear Countdown to blow up the Death Star? How about any joke about Iron Man, video games, THE MATRIX, and . . . and just about every pop culture reference you can think of? If the answer is yes, head over to www.hijinksensue.com at your earliest possible convenience. Only then will you find out about JURASSIC PARK 4: FREAKIN’ DINOSAURS WITH FREAKIN’ LASER BEAMS. And did you know that Darth Vader and Stephen Colbert made it to the birth of Christ via the Tron car? You will . . . .
And now for a stroll down Artists Alley. This is the corner of the convention that most people don’t visit, mostly because they’re not interested in finding something completely new. They have come to C2E2 to meet some of their favorite creators, a few celebrities, and to look for some of the more hard-to-find products they’ve been thinking about for a while. No, the browsers you find down on AA are the hardcore comics readers. They’re the ones looking for the up-and-comers. They’re ready to think outside of the major comics companies. They’re the ones who want more from a convention.
Going up and down the aisles of AA, the usual faces are seen. You know the ones. They have a table at every WWC. There are a few illustrators from DC and Marvel down here, looking to sell original art pages, but for the most part, the creators you meet down here are trying to get their indie books off the ground. Sadly, there isn’t much of a selection down here this time around. The familiar faces are too familiar, and nothing really jumps out at you and demands your attention.
Wait. There is a sign over one table with a picture of a large bearded man in wrestling gear shouting, “PLATO SMASH!” The book? ACTION PHILOSOPHERS! [ACTION PHILOSOPHERS review will be posted soon.]
Sadly, the only other attention-grabber is ONE YEAR IN INDIANA. The symbol for Kurt Dinse’s book is the black outline of the state of Indiana with a giant pentagram in the middle of it. They are pimping a new issue in addition to Dinse’s latest project, HURR. [ONE YEAR IN INDIANA and HURR reviews will be posted soon.]
All things considered, was C2E2 the convention Chicago deserved? According to rumor, the event coordinators were disappointed with the number of attendees. They wanted 30,000 at the least. Not only that, but McCormick Place is kind of a pain in the ass to get to, and the cost of parking is absurd. When the chips are down, and all the cards have been turned over, C2E2 is pretty much the same as WWC. Will Chicago convention goers want two conventions a year? Will they have the money for them? Time will tell for sure. Chances are, one of these two conventions will die out in the next few years, but which one will it be?
One thing is for sure: C2E2 is already planning to be here next year. Will you be there?
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