Wizard World Chicago was one of the first comic book conventions that I ever attended. With the recent news that FanExpo has purchased the rights to it and 5 other Wizard World Conventions, it is an end of an era. Love it or hate, it, Wizard World Chicago was one of the longest running comic cons in the area, and a integral part of the early days of Around Comics as we were able to form many relationships with creators at and after the show.
Feeling nostalgic about the good times that Chris, Tom and I had, many a nights in the infamous Knuckles Sports Bar, hob-nobbling with some of the biggest names in comics.
Conventions have changed a lot in the past 15 years. What was once a safe-space for pasty, basement-dwelling nerds like me to dig through dollar-comics boxes, get sketches, gawk at toys and statues we couldn’t afford, and meet with our favorite comic book creators, turned into a mega-fan event with thousands of tertiary fans, cos-players and autograph hounds.
Facing new challenges with covid fears, vaccine protocols, and cancel culture making creators leery of fan interaction, what will comic book conventions look like going forward? I don;t know if I have the answers, but I go searching for them, and a lot more on another episode of The Big Geek Show. Listen to the show exclusively on Patreon.com/aroundcomics.