G-FEST XXIII and the Many Faces of Godzilla!

gfest-xxiii

Last month I attended Chicago’s G-FEST (Godzilla Festival) for the thirteenth year in a row – a lucky number for me as it marked the return of my eldest son, Alex, to the Godzilla fold. Back in 2004, when we first started attending, he was a six year old Godzilla-obsessed kid who’d later anticipate this event more than Christmas itself. That is, of course, until puberty reared its ugly head and whisked away all love of dinosaurs, spaceships, and the “King of Monsters” in favor of hanging with peers and militaristic video games like Call of Duty. Needless to say, I was taken aback when he requested to join my youngest son, Luke, and I for this year’s event. I’m thinking it might be his way of seeking past childhood comforts before he leaves for the Air Force Academy next month. Whatever the reason, it was great having him back as the Fuentes headed to Rosemont.

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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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Chicago “Days of the Dead” 2015!

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I was on my way to this year’s Days of the Dead Chicago when the first big, fluffy snowflakes appeared. Despite the local news crowing about it all week, I remained in denial until the evidence was sticking to my windshield and hindering my traffic time. Part of me was hopeful the bad weather meant dealing with fewer crowds at the event but those dreams were soon dashed after I arrived at the Marriott Hotel in Schaumburg and was immediately directed to a guest overflow parking garage. Never underestimate the devotion of a horror fan; not only does it defy the elements but remains strong even after Halloween.

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Svengoolie & the Costume Contest of Nightmare on Chicago Street!

Photo courtesy of Jim Roche

Photo courtesy of Jim Roche

Svengoolie was given new headquarters at this year’s Nightmare on Chicago Street, and a classier one at that. Side Street Studio Arts is yet another reason to love the city of Elgin, Illinois; providing residents an opportunity to express their creative side and a venue to display their work. Consequently, the national TV horror host would find himself sitting amid sinister, yet beautiful, works of art; all part of their Something Wicked: A Dark Arts Exhibit. The line outside to see him started forming almost as soon as the event began and for good reason as he’d only be signing for an hour before hosting the annual costume contest

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