C2E2 - Chicago's Own Comic-Con

Details

Parent Category: Expos and Conventions

Category: Previews

Published on Thursday, 17 March 2011 05:00

Written by L E Shannon

The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) is being held March 18-20, 2011 at the West Building, McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago, Illinois. (C2E2 = Second City, Second annual Event.)

C2E2 was launched last year and over 400 artists and guests were on hand to meet the thousands of fans who came to the inaugural event in Chicago. This year's event is even bigger.

"While the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo...include[s] guests from all parts of the pop culture universe, we will never stray too far from our primary objective, which is to provide thousands of fans with the opportunity to meet the absolute best and most respected comic book talent," notes Lance Fensterman, Vice President for ReedPOP and Show Manager for C2E2. "Comics are what we are all about and I am very grateful to these leading comic creators and artists for participating in our show."

Guests of Honor:

China Miéville,noted author and three-time C. Arthur Clarke Award winner
Paul Cornell (DC’s Action Comics and Batman and Robin)
Scott Snyder (Vertigo’s American Vampire)
Doug Mahnke (artist for DC’s bestselling Green Lantern series)

Over 250 artists will be on hand participating in C2E2’s Artist Alley. Artists include:

Franco Aureliani
Art Baltazar
Brian Michael Bendis
Katie Cook
Geof Darrow
Garth Ennis
Tony Moore
Mike Norton
Joe Quesada
Tim Seeley
Jill Thompson

From the world of film and television, attendees include:

Eliza Dushku (Buffy, Angel, Dollhouse)
Tahmoh Penikett (Dollhouse)
Mark Sheppard (Supernatural, Warehouse 13)
Chris Hemsworth (Star Trek (2009 film), Thor)

True Blood
Sam Trammell
Kristin Bauer
Brit Morgan

The Walking Dead
Jonathan Bernthal
Laurie Holden

Ghost Hunters
Amy Bruni (Investigator)
Steve Gonsalves (Investigator/Technical Manager)
Dave Tango (Investigator)

As well as these personalities:

Chris Hardwick (Web Soup, Nerdist Podcast)
Rick Bayless (Chef, award-winning author, and popular television personality)
C.B. Cebulski, (writer and talent scout for Marvel)
Ron Richards (iFanboy, A Taste of Comics)

Panels include:

• Chuck co-creator/executive producer Chris Fedak with a panel of fan favorite characters Joshua Gomez (Morgan Grimes), Ryan McPartlin (Dr. Awesome), Vik Sahay (Lester Patel) and Scott Krinsky (Jeff Barnes) ("Jester"!).
• The Vampire Diaries executive producer Julie Plec with series stars Candice Accola (Caroline Forbes) and Michael Trevino (Tyler Lockwood) for a discussion on all things Mystic Falls.
• Food and Comics
• China Mieville Spotlight
• The Walking Dead Q & A
• True Blood Q & A
• Marvel: Cup O’ Joe
• Garth Ennis Spotlight

In addition, Patton Oswalt headlines an evening of comedy at the celebrated Comedy Death-Ray (CDR) in the IGN Theater. Other comedians performing include Joe Mande and Dan Telfer.

CDR regularly features up-and-comers as well as comedy greats including Aziz Ansari, Zack Galifianakis, Bob Odenkirk and Sarah Silverman, among many others. CDR was created by former Mr. Show writers and performers Scott Aukerman and B.J. Porter. Aukerman hosts CDR at C2E2.

Other events include

• Daily Costume Contests
• Droid Hunt
• Comics Pipeline Dinner
• Evangelion Screening
• Ink-Fusion Tattoo Festival
• Marvel Dinner
• Nerd City Rocktacular
• Quidditch at C2E2
• Sandtroopers Battle Station
• Speed Dating (Speed Dating??)
• Saturday Night Masquerade
• Portfolio Review

as well as the usual TableTop, Console and Battlefield Gaming.

The Hero Initiative: Avengers 100 Project
The Hero Initiative, a charity dedicated to helping older comic creators in medical or financial need, has created The Ultimate Spider-Man 100 Project, The Hulk 100 Project, and The Wolverine: Weapon X 100 Project -- collections of 100 original covers enlisting the aid of 100 top-flight artists.

This year, The Hero Initiative reprises the program with Marvel's premier super hero team: The Avengers! The call went out to create The New Avengers 100 Project, and artists across the world put pen to paper to contribute.

Marvel Comics generously donated 100 blank-covered cardstock copies of New Avengers #1 to The Hero Initiative, with artists, including well-known stars such as Howard Chaykin, Ian Churchill, Mike Deodato, Terry Dodson, Steve Epting, Dave Gibbons and Adam Kubert, raising their hands to contribute.

All 100 original New Avengers #1 covers will be on display for the first and only time at C2E2, and all visitors are invited to attend this very special unveiling.

ABOUT REEDPOP:
ReedPOP is a boutique group within Reed Exhibitions exclusively devoted to organizing events, launching and acquiring new shows, and partnering with premium brands in the pop culture arena. ReedPOP is dedicated to producing celebrations of popular culture throughout the world that transcend ordinary events by providing unique access and dynamic personal experiences for consumers and fans.

The staff at ReedPOP is a fan based group of professionals producing shows for other fans, thus making them uniquely qualified to service those with whom they share a common passion.

For more information, visit www.c2e2.com and www.mediumatlarge.net.

Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2)
March 18-20, 2011

West Building
McCormick Place Convention Center
2301 S. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL
(312) 791-7000

• < Prev
• Next >