On the Beat at the 2017 Motor City Comic Con

I have attended the Motor City Comic Con since 2007 and I can honestly say it just keeps getting better. This year, that trend continued.

The MCCC started with a Michael Rooker press session. Rooker was in great form, regaling us with stories and then answering questions from the audience. The highlight might have been when Rooker prodded fan into demonstrating "The Twist," while Rooker belted out a few lines of the legendary song.

From there, we hit the "Creators" area. I first met artist at one of my first MCCC events and I have been a fan of hers ever since. I always enjoy catching up with her at these events. She's always got something cool in the works.

Next we reconnected with our writer/creator friend Dirk Manning. He is a renaissance man, a man of "Mr. Rhee" and he is always also willing to discuss a little professional wrestling.

We also caught up with other friends, including artists Terry Huddleston, Jay Brant and Primo Cardinelli. It's always cool seeing their latest creations.

The MCCC isn't just about seeing old friends though. It's also about making new friends. This year, we met artists Cora Talkington, Sarah Wilkinson and Ali Cantarella. Then there was artist/author Brian Danhausen, dressed as The Joker, manning his booth. I am sure their booths will become regular stops as I wander through the convention floor in the future.

By the time I made my first pass through the creators, some celebrities started trickling in to their booths. Our first stop was Anthony Michael Hall. We talked to the actor about his role in 61. He commented that he really enjoyed acting under Billy Crystal.

Next up was Kelly LeBrock, Hall's former co-star in Weird Science. Despite an injured hand, LeBrock was in great spirits. We talked to her about her career, including working with Hall, Gene Wilder and John Hughes.

To whet my wrestling appetite, we talked to Amy "Lita" Dumas, Vader and Sting. The three legends are very different, but all were hugely successful. All three were happy talking about wrestling or other topics, like football (Vader), music (Dumas) and religion (Sting).

Another of our yearly staples is actress Jordan Trovillion. We met and interviewed her years ago and then again last year. We've proudly watched her career develop and we were happy to get another interview with her. That interview is at On the Beat With Jordan Trovillion. We are biased, but we just think she is the best.

Speaking of favorites and interviews, we caught up with actor/musician Thomas Ian Nicholas in an interview at On the Beat With Thomas Ian Nicholas. He's got a new movie project and the trailer has gone viral. We are also looking forward to his band performing in Chicago later this summer.

It was a pleasure and an honor to meet Barbara Eden. The former star of I Dream Of Jeannie is 85 and full of life. I loved her back in her Jeannie days and I was thrilled to finally meet her.

Another guest I was thrilled to meet was Marky Ramone, former drummer for the Ramones. The Ramones were one of "my" first favorite bands. I found them and was the first among my friends to follow them. They will always be special to me and Marky was as cool as could be.

Among the many other celebrities were Rob Schneider, Jason David Frank, Lou Ferrigno, Billie Piper, Amy Jo Johnson and so many more. This lineup might have been their biggest and best yet.

Of course, there also was the usual many fans in costumes. These cosplayers are one of the highlights. They are also a source of a little frustration for me. All I ask is to see Aquaman represented. I saw everything including Harley Quinn, The Joker, Buzz Lightyear, Chewbacca and several superheroes I didn't even recognize, but still no Aquaman. I am challenging any cosplayer to appear as Aquaman next year!

At least I did get some new Aquaman stuff from the vendors. They always seem to have stuff I never knew existed or could not find anywhere else At least the vendors satisfied my Aquaman needs.

An important part of any convention this big is the staff and I must commend the folks at the MCCC. The parking situation was smoother than ever. There either were more total; staffers or these ones were really sharp, because they seemed to be everywhere, ready to handle any situation that might arise. I really didnt see any problems at all.

I love the Motor City Comic Con and I plan on coming back every year. I always look forward to the earliest announcements of the first guests. I know they will have a packed celebrity lineup like always and I will be mingling among them.