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C2E2 recommends that fans wear masks in showrooms on August 6, 2022. (Yahya Salem/WTTW News)
Whether comic cosplayers, movie buffs or wrestling fanatics, Chicago’s pop culture buffs are going all out in the McCormick Place lobby at this year’s Chicago Comics & Entertainment Expo (or C2E2) August 5-7 to go.
Billed as the largest pop culture convention in the Midwest, the annual fair is attended by 400 artists and more exhibitors, many of whom are local, dedicated to different areas of pop culture such as comic books, video games, and anime.
“I think the show is all-encompassing,” said Chicago comic book collector and exhibitor Johnny Werner. “It’s a great party for geeks, nerds and anyone who likes pop culture.”
This year’s C2E2 took place in the summer, less than eight months before the 2021 iteration, as organizers gradually reverted to the event’s original spring calendar, which was interrupted by COVID-19 restrictions. According to Chris D’Lando, events manager for ReedPOP, which organizes C2E2, organizers worked hard to establish health and safety protocols with McCormick Place, which included recommending face masks, as well as implementing sanitation and filtering protocols in crowded areas of the showroom.
D’Lando said this year’s attendance has picked up significantly from the 2021 event, as more fans are willing to attend large gatherings in public spaces. However, this year’s 65,000 attendees were about 30,000 fewer than the record attendance at C2E2 2020, which occurred two weeks before the COVID-19 lockdown.
C2E2 fans browse comic book boxes on August 6, 2022. (Yahya Salem/WTTW News)
Despite talent booking issues caused by conflicts with summer production schedules and holidays, the expo drew guests from screen personalities to comic book creators. Over 140 panelists, autograph sessions and group photos, including famous headliners like Billy Dee Williams and Rosario Dawson
“The Mandalorian” and WWE’s Undertaker.
“Chicago is one of my favorite cities,” said Barry Gordon, best known for his voice in “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.” “It was just an explosive scam. It was an amazing scam.”
Gordon, who is also a past president of the Screen Actors Guild, has encouraged actors and entertainers to engage with fans through events like C2E2, citing his own excitement about engaging with fans post-pandemic. However, he also acknowledged that new COVID variants could continue to pose health risks to the cast and fans alike.
Werner agreed with Gordon, admitting that he looks forward to a more crowded show in the future, which could help exhibitors network and build their fan base, but more importantly, boost their presence as they recover from the fallout of the pandemic. business and profit.
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