This past weekend, the second annual Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) took place at McCormick Place for three days of comics, real-time strategy, toys, cosplay and overall general nerdery. Last year's expo was a nice surprise and had its share of sights and sounds, but this year upped the ante. Thor's Chris Hemsworth was the guest of honor and was joined by a respectable list of entertainers, artists and authors including Eliza Dushku, Danny McBride and Patton Oswalt. There were a bevy of industry panels and film screenings, including the gritty, independent Boy Wonder. But while C2E2 continues to grow and make a name for itself among the comic industry's lengthy list of conventions, what makes the expo so entertaining is the people that attend. Dressed as superheroes, anime characters, fairies and wookies, it's the fans that will always be the lifeline of a comics convention. Have a look for yourself in our gallery. more ›

Hard as it is to believe, we're officially into October now and thus it's time to start planning our Halloween costumes. One shop has a pretty hair-raising suggestion that might or might not be all the rage this holiday: Blago. That's right, our former governor's visage may be a popular - and no less scary - option this holiday for the politically savvy party-goer. Fantasy Costumes had the masks made after apparently fielding tons of requests. The store's assistant manager Cathy Bunger told the Sun-Times, "We kept getting calls and calls and calls, and nobody had it; so we made something up." Of course, at a steep cost of $49, it'd better come with a Senate seat attached. But don't worry: Blago doesn't get a cut of any of the profits. more ›

Warm and sunny weather graced the fifth annual Chiditarod shopping-cart race, as over a hundred teams competed in what may be “the world’s largest mobile food drive” this past Saturday on the Near West Side. Chiditarod mimics the famous Alaskan Iditarod except the dogs are replaced by people in wacky costumes and the sleds are shopping carts. It is a one-of-kind event, incorporating a food drive, with a costume/talent contest, pub crawl and 5-mile race. Traffic was blocked for the starting point but after that racers had to use the sidewalks or alleys and adhere to all traffic lights. Many people were caught off-guard when they saw the teams race down the sidewalk in colorful, crazy outfits and pimped out shopping carts. One startled woman shrieked, “What on earth is going on?” while a young toddler kept asking her Dad if it was Halloween. The race began at Hubbard and Wolcott and included six check points at local bars in the area. Talent contests included karaoke, haiku, pole dancing and a cheer-off. Each team was required to cross the finish line with 40 pounds of food or more. Proceeds benefited the Chicago Anti-Hunger Federation. The prize list, race results and donation totals have not officially been announced yet but we did track down a few winners: more ›

Last week, we celebrated Halloween by looking at some costumes of Halloweens past. Now, as we move on past the spookiest of holidays, we look back at a few of this year's costumes seen around town. more ›

It's a slow day around the Chicagoist Office and the weather has us down. So a few of the braver souls decided to dig up some old Halloween costumes from childhood and share them with the world. Behold the glory of it all. more ›

In the midst of many Happy Halloweeners scrambling to find last minute costumes and the best deal on fun-size candy, today the Trib outed their crotchety counterparts - the Halloween Scrooges. Sure it's fun to get all gussied up, be someone else for the night and gorge on lots of sugary drinks and chocolately snacks, but sometimes we wonder if it's really all worth it. Isn't it really just a night out, but higher-maintenance? A lot of times Halloween is built up to be one of the most rockin' party nights of the year, but in the end all you have to show for it is a puked-on rental costume you can't return and a hangover. As Trib interviewee Alex DiGiacinto put it, "If you hate Halloween, people take that as an opinion that you hate fun..I like fun. I just don't have it on the 31st." In kicking our various Friday plans around the Chicagoist offices, we determined we have a love/hate relationship with Halloween hullaballoo. Should we get in the spirit and party hardy, or hole up in our darkened houses and whip water balloons at trick-or-treaters? Here's how our decision-making process went: more ›

Halloween is coming up quicker than Sarah Palin at a first-come, first-serve scrunchy sale at Marshall's, so it’s time to snag a costume before they all get picked over. Where to go? Here’s our list: more ›

Chris Verene knows that sometimes you just need to feel good, and his magical art show’s gonna get you there. The Self-Esteem Salon (note: one photo is NSFW) returns this weekend to the West Loop, a three-day live-in experience that’s one part performance art, one part role play, and one part therapy session, totaling one of the most elaborate games of make-believe you're likely to see, or experience, in an art space. more ›

Chic-a-go-go Host Mia Park more ›