C2E2 Is Coming!

C2E2 is a huge three day pop culture event held at McCormick Place. C2E2 starts Friday, April 6 and runs through Sunday, April 8. It is three days chock full of entertainment from every angle.

ReedPOP runs this awesome event. Debuting in 2010, C2E2 has gotten bigger and better every year. Last year, it drew over 80,000 attendees, including me. I have been going since the first show and I my friends and I wouldn't miss it.

Comic books and all things related to comics are a big part of the event, but C2E2 offers much more than just that. There are so many celebrities, events, items and activities involving various parts of the pop culture universe. There really is something for everyone. For me, the main draw is the lineup of celebrity guests and this year, that lineup is stacked again!

Dave Bautista will be making a rare appearance. The wrestler-turned-actor is now one of the biggest action heroes in movies. He is definitely going to be one of the most popular guests at C2E2.

Joining Bautista is wrestler-turned-MMA fighter and comic book fan CM Punk. The Chicago native is always a hugely popular con guest. Notorious for staying out of the public eye, Punk is extremely fan-friendly at C2E2.

Other big name celebrities include Brandon Routh (Superman), Charlie Cox (Daredevil), Gina Torres (Firefly), Milo Ventimiglia (Gilmore Girls), Kari Wahlgren (Rick and Morty), Justin Hartley (Smallville) and many more, including musician Henry Rollins. The list is almost at 50 and it is still growing.

Chicago icon Svengoolie will be appearing. Svengoolie has delighted television audiences for years and is always a hugely popular guest wherever he goes.

There will also be hundreds of creative folks in Artist Alley. My old favorites (turned into friends), Sara Richard (artist), James Finn Garner (author), Paul Erickson (author) and Dirk Manning (writer) are staples on my meandering through Artist Alley. Every year I make new artist friends and the list keeps growing.

Jane Labowitch is one artist I am looking forward to meeting this year. Nicknamed “Princess Etch,” she is a whiz with the Etch-A-Sketch.

C2E2 is about comics and such, but for me, it is also about friends. I see so many friends there every year. Some are close friends I see a lot, but it is cool to see them in this setting. Some are friends I usually only see at these events. It is especially fun seeing them at C2E2. It really is like a big, fun friend reunion at times.

In addition to all of this, there are panels, discussions, cosplay, vendors and much, much more. There is so much fun all weekend and I cannot wait.