On the Beat at Wizard World Chicago 2017

The pop culture extravaganza known as Wizard World Chicago 2017 is in the books and it just might have been my best Wizard World experience yet. I have gone to so many Wizard World events here and in other cities that it is hard to truly compare them, but this one was definitely a ton of fun.

The funny part of this experience for me was that I did not meet as many celebrities as I usually do. I did meet WWE superstars Roman Reigns, Charlotte Flair and Matt and Jeff Hardy, Loni Anderson, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Lou Ferrigno and Barry Bostwick. That is an elite eight of celebdom, but I usually spend more time in the celebrity area.

I did spend my usual time in the artist area. I reconnected with my creative friends including Nerd Parodist Paul Erickson, author James Finn Garner, caricaturist Tom Richmond, writer Dirk Manning, author Genese Davis, artist Robert Kraus, writer Mike Pankow and entertainer David Vox Mullen. We might only usually see each other at comic cons, but I consider these folks to have crossed the line into real fr4iendships.

I also met many new creative folks and furthered burgeoning relationships with many others. Artist Chris Ehnot, artist Terry Huddleston, cartoonist Guy Gilchrist, artist Tim Vigil, artist Rob Schamberger, writer K. Lynn Smith are just a few people I really started to enjoy at Wizard World.

Like usual, I took several pictures with cosplayers (attendees dressed in costume). This year, I got fans as The Nasty Boys and Macho Man Randy Savage, but I also got cosplay legend Brit Bliss and special cosplayers Zombie Bit Me, Sin Twisted and Bianca Beauchamp. Of course, I also got my buddy Rob Fury, of The Age of Geeks, but I lump him in with close friends more than cosplayer only.

Two new additions for me were Kato Kaelin and Krista Green of WCIU TV. Kato was there as “Celebrity Host” and he was a riot all weekend, engaging everyone as they entered the event. He was electric all weekend and many said he was one of the highlights. He even included me in on some of his bits, although he referred to me as Geraldo Rivera, which I found extra funny, since many make a Jay Leno referenced.

Krista was at Wizard World for WCIU and the Jame TV Show. I did invite myself into a couple of her segments. When the chance is there, I had to take it. Krista was as sweet as she was beautiful though. It was a lot of unexpected fun just in those short moments.

I also got an interview with Thomas Ian Nicholas and an interview with Zombie Bit Me. Those will also be on my Johngy's Beat Wizard World YouTube playlist. Just looking at that playlist, I again realize how many fun entertainers I have met at these events!

I think friends were the key at this year’s Wizard World. I enjoyed the company (long or short) of so many of my friends. The Baron family, the Fleigel family (including young Cassie at her first Wizard World), Ashley Prester, Rich and Sheri Samson and Chris Bejcek (fellow fans of the Chicago Bandits), Tully Bertorelli, Ty Wasilk, Eugene Cresto, Dick Griffiths II and probably more that I am forgetting right now. We shared laughs, conversations and memories, while soaking in the atmosphere of pop culture greatness.

Before ending this recap, I heard the usual complaints from some attendees. No event is perfect. I understand everyone wants everything to go right, but nobody wants that more than the Wizard World staff. They’d rather have perfection all around. When you are running an event of this size and magnitude, there will always be some issues, but I can honestly say I had no issues at all this year. The staff seemed more helpful and knowledgeable than ever.

I do not work for Wizard World. I have no financial gain in defending them, but I am trying to give a fair review. As I have written in previous recaps, I enjoy Wizard World so much, I have traveled to experience it in other cities, including Columbus, St. Louis and New York. Chicago will always be my staple though. It will be hard for them to top this year, but then again, they always seem to do just that.