A Fan-Filled Friday at C2E2 (Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo)!

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This year the Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) arrived a month early but, so far as we fans were concerned, not a moment too soon! In my humble opinion, this is the best comic fan expo the Windy City has to offer and one that my entire family pines for. That’s not surprising as it caters to all facets of fandom; comics, horror, science fiction, and so much more! It also attracts some amazing cosplay and I was so happy that my daughter, Jade, was there all weekend to assist with picture taking. Despite thousands of people showing up, it’s organized so well that it runs like a well-oiled machine which means less griping and more shopping. In previous years I’ve always attended Saturdays only but 2016 would have me showing up on it’s opening Friday evening. Ideally, you should devote multiple days to C2E2 as each day has its pros and cons (which I’ll delve more into later). I wasn’t sure what to expect when we arrived at the McCormick Place at 3:30pm and eagerly made our way inside.

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Joe Hart’s GATE-FEST: 30 Years to Hell and Back!

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A few years ago I had the honor of covering THING-FEST  at Days of the Dead Indianapolis where Canadian super-fan, Joe Hart, brought his immense assortment of props and collectibles associated with John Carpenter’s The Thing. Joe has a heart of gold and his enthusiasm for the movie, coupled with his enviable collection, made for one unforgettable weekend! Many of the actors from the film were on hand as well and one of my favorite moments was getting a photo with Thomas G. Waites (“Windows”) along with the actual microphone prop he’d used in the movie. I’ll always be grateful to Days of the Dead for hosting Mr. Hart as it was the magnetic pull of his collection that inspired me to cross state lines and attend!

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Ace Frehley’s Q&A at the 2015 “Days of the Dead” Chicago!

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Despite his elusive reputation, legendary KISS guitarist, Ace Frehley, has been a guest of Days of the Dead several times. In fact, it was their first event in Indianapolis back in 2011 that I was finally able to add his signature to my KISS Marvel Comic (Story HERE). The fact that this event is able to feature him so consistently is pretty amazing in and of itself. But getting him to do a Q&A panel? Now THAT was really impressive. Regardless of the odds, it took place at Days of the Dead Chicago on Saturday November 21st, 2015; a date I’d later learn was already an important one in KISStory. What follows below are highlights from that experience, courtesy of my trusty digital recorder…

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“Days of the Dead” Chicago Women in Film Panel!

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On the afternoon of Saturday November 21st,  Days of the Dead Chicago treated fans to a special “Women in Film” panel featuring guests PJ Soles, Rae Dawn Chong, and Sandahl Bergman. Below are excerpts taken from that experience which, despite the event tent being freezing cold, was a lot of fun! These ladies were both informative and entertaining; dishing on their film’s leading men and experiences while holding nothing back.   So, without further adieu…

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Jay Langley and those Bloody Amazing Scarebears!

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While checking out the vendors at this year’s Days of the Dead Chicago, I was pleased to see that Jay Langley and his signature Scarebears were among them! I love sinister toys and particularly enjoy gruesome Teddy Bears which a few amazing artists out there have been crafting; and each with their own unique touches. We’ve featured a few of them on this site but, after spotting Jay and his latest batch, I realized (to my great shame) that the Scarebears had yet to be one of them. That’s pretty surprising since I was an instant fan when I first saw them a few years back; enamored with their EC Comics’ style gore and signature skulls with eyeballs! They’re also affordable by convention standards and obviously a big hit with many of my fellow horror buffs who I often see walking around with one at events. I own two of them myself and look forward to adding more of them before my Terror Dave days are over.

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Cassandra Peterson (Elvira) Q&A at “Days of the Dead!”

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After the great autograph signing experience, I had with Cassandra Peterson, a.k.a. Elvira Mistress of the Dark, I was anxious to attend her special Days of the Dead Q&A panel later that same night. We walked through the hotel, past an indoor swimming pool, and outside to an enclosed tent set up for panels and events. This wasn’t the most ideal situation considering the snowstorm and frigid temps made the tent pretty cold despite additional space heaters. I felt particularly bad for a couple of attendees dressed as Frank n’ Furter and the half-naked “Rocky” from The Rocky Horror Picture Show.  It wasn’t long after we took our seats that Cassandra made her way on stage. Below is taken from an audio recording that night…

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