Chicago Fan Expo Friday: Comic Creators and John Carpenter & Company!

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Just over a week after returning from my New Jersey trip, I learned of a startling convention announcement. The incomparable Kurt Russell was coming to Chicago and appearing at Fan Expo in my home city. This would be the actor’s first and, according to him, last such appearance. For a genre fan like me, it seemed inconceivable (as did the prices) while setting off every FOMO alarm in my nervous system. For the next 42 hours before his limited (another FOMO-triggering word) tickets went up for sale, I argued with myself about whether I should bite the bullet. Paying $400 for a signature made no logical sense, and the angel on my shoulder argued how stupid it was even to consider it. However, the devil on the other side proved the most influential. This wasn’t just some MARVEL actor or newly minted celebrity but one of my favorite actors of all time. The great McCreedy in The THING (1982), Snake Plisken in Escape from New York (1981), Stuntman Mike from Death Proof (2007), the wisecracking Jack Burton in Big Trouble in Little China (1986), Wyatt Earp in one of my favorite Westerns, Tombstone (1993), and Dean Proffitt from one of only a handful of comedies I’ll rewatch, Overboard (1987). At the end of the day, it wasn’t really a question of whether I would see him, but how to swing it financially. And nearly a month after this event, I’m still swinging!

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Visiting “Jay & Silent Bob’s Secret Stash” was a Religious Experience

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Jason and I met back up in the hotel lobby around 4 pm that Saturday, eager to get out some fresh air. We took a 30-minute drive from the New Jersey Horror Con in Iselin to the city of Red Bank. Our destination was Jay and Silent Bob’s Secret Stash, the comic book shop owned by the actor/filmmaker/writer Kevin Smith and featured in the AMC reality show “Comic Book Men” from 2012 to 2018. I’d visited them about ten years earlier and remember one of the guys from the show, Ming Chen, manning the register as I bought my youngest son, Luke, a Godzilla. It was a really cool place for a comic nerd like me.

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Svengoolie’s Friday at C2E2 was all about the Fans!

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Svengoolie greets his fans at C2E2

Svengoolie’s executive producer, Jim Roche, reached out to me in early February regarding the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2). Anticipating his request to assist the crew, I’d already cleared my calendar and quickly agreed. As the conversation continued, he casually mentioned that this year’s event would also feature the Svengoolie Squad – Gwengoolie, Imp, and Nostalgiaferatoo. Even more exciting, unlike their appearance at last year’s San Diego Comic Con, they’d all be in costume. My excitement level reached a fever pitch, as did my dread. After all, keeping things moving in Svengoolie’s autograph line while photographing fans can be challenging enough when serving just him, let alone three other cast members. These concerns, however, were for Saturday. Friday at C2E2 would feature a solo Svengoolie, albeit with a heavier schedule – two signings and a photo op. And this experience is what I’ll be sharing today.

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The Art of a Svengoolie Public Appearance

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I  arrived at Chicago’s McCormick Place around ten o’clock Friday morning. Once again, my job was to assist the national MeTV horror host, Svengoolie, as he tackled the pop culture extravaganza C2E2 (Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo). This year’s entourage included Executive Producer Jim Roche, Director Chris Faulkner, Cameraman Patrick Payne, and MeTV crew members Briana Janczy and Bill Rieck handling social media. In addition to meeting and interacting with his fans, Svengoolie’s objective was to gather interviews and footage for upcoming shows. The event organizers do not assist with these latter objectives, making all his C2E2 appearances unpredictable. To help strategize, Jim compiled a list of interview hopefuls, and then it was a matter of whether they’d be willing to talk on camera and if their schedules clashed with ours. Tracking them down was another matter, but more on that later.

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Svengoolie Goes Back (45 Years) to the Future at C2E2!

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Svengoolie’s second day at C2E2 promised to be a long one. In addition to his scheduled photo op and autograph signing, he’d also participate in a special “45th Anniversary of Svengoolie” podcast panel hosted by John Siuntress from Word Balloon. When Svengoolie and crew arrived, we quickly went through security and up the escalator to the main hall. It was fun watching people’s reactions to him – especially since many initially assumed he was just a skilled cosplayer.

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Assisting Svengoolie & Waiting for Chip Zdarsky at C2E2!

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My anticipation for C2E2 (Chicago Comics & Entertainment Expo) was elevated this year thanks to my renewed interest in comic books. Last year’s hunt for the “Svengoolie: Lost in Time” variant covers led to excavating my old collection and now taking regular trips to the local comic book shop. Instead of being brand loyal to MARVEL (as I was back in the ’80s and ’90s) I’ve now started dabbling with other publishers such as Image Comics, IDW Publishing, BOOM! Studios, to name a few. But more on that later. The main draw for C2E2, for me, was Svengoolie whom I’d been brought on to assist. Continue reading →