C2Preview: A Look At What To Do At C2E2
By Marielle Shaw in Arts & Entertainment on Apr 22, 2015 3:00PM
Cosplayers at C2E2 2014. Image provided courtesy C2E2
Spring has finally sprung in Chicago, despite this blast of cold weather, and that means a few things. One: You can remove at least a few layers and lose your gloves. Two: It’s Con season! C2E2 hits McCormick Place this weekend and we’re already pumped. There are all kinds of guests, games, parties and shows happening and once you've got tickets, you’re going to need some time to get a schedule together to pack in as much fun as possible.
C2E2 has grown a lot since its inception in 2010 and we’re happy to see how its guest list has shaped up this year. It’s an exciting year for Dr. Who fans, as the Doctor will be in. Sylvester McCoy will be signing autographs and making appearances all weekend. Game of Thrones fans can expect to see a few familiar faces with Jason Momoa and Finn Jones appearing, and Walking Dead fans can meet Chad Coleman. Jewel Staite a.k.a. Kaylee from Firefly will be there to draw in the Browncoats (Firefly fans), and so will much of the cast of Orphan Black. And true believers can count on getting a glimpse of Stan Lee. Local guests include the Cards Against Humanity team, Revolution Brewing, who created a special beer for the event, CM Punk and Svengoolie.
If you’re a podcast nerd, you’ll find some of your favorites here, too. Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes will be at the show doing signings and a live edition of Jay and Silent Bob Get Old to a sold-out crowd.
We’re also beyond thrilled to see Ben Acker and Ben Blacker bring the Thrilling Adventure Hour back to C2E2, with special guests like Janet Varney and Timothy Omundson again joining the already stellar cast. We thoroughly enjoyed their presence here last year, from signings to stage shows and our own chance to interview the creators. It’s a bittersweet year for this ‘new time podcast in the style of old time radio,’though, as they've recently announced that the monthly live show they record in Los Angeles is coming to an end. We’re happy about their new endeavors though, including a tour to Australia, a graphic novel and a comic book series and we’re excited to attend the events they've set up throughout the weekend. There will be an improv experience, signings, a screening of the concert film put together during a Kickstarter project and a live show offsite at the Chop Shop & 1st Ward in Wicker Park that we can’t wait for.
If cosplay is up your alley, you can look forward to walking the floor in costume and making a date to see the Crown Championships of Cosplay on Saturday night. We should be seeing some of the brightest and best at this competition, as it is the last stop on a global circuit and features cash and prizes valued at $10,000. We’ve seen some pretty intricate work at C2E2 in the past and can’t wait to see what this year’s competition looks like. Cosplayers can also attend various meet-ups throughout the weekend which have been organized by fandoms, from Star Trek to Legend of Korra and video game characters.
It’s a packed weekend and we’ve barely scratched the surface. But if anything we’ve mentioned here sounds interesting, we recommend getting your tickets soon. If you’ve never been to a con and aren’t sure what to expect, we’d encourage you to check it out. C2E2 is a manageable size and has a much more personal feel than its more corporate counterparts. Most of its events are free to attend and we feel like there’s a lot of value in the ones that require separate tickets. C2E2 is easily our favorite con of the year and we‘d love to see you there too.