As I type this, the fifth annual Chicago Comic and Entertainment Exposition (“C2E2″) is wrapping up this year’s three-day run, April 25-27, 2014. Each year C2E2 keeps expanding, attracting more attention, inching ever closer to its goal of becoming the Midwest’s answer to the legendary San Diego Comic Con and its other coastal ilk. My wife and I missed the first year, but have attended every year since 2011 as a team.
Over the next four entries, which I’m hoping to crank out as quickly as possible without forming a symbiotic attachment to our PC, I’ll be sharing memories and photos from our C2E2 experience. The first three entries will be costume pics; the fourth, a sampling of the creators, actors, and curios we encountered. Several attendees may find themselves strolling through backgrounds as living, walking, oblivious Easter Eggs.
Caveats for first-time visitors to Midlife Crisis Crossover:
1. My wife and I are not professional photographers, nor do we believe ourselves worthy of press passes. These were taken as best as possible with the intent to share with fellow fans out of a sincere appreciation for the works inspired by the heroes, hobbies, artistic expressions, and/or intellectual properties that brought us geeks together under one vaulted roof for the weekend. We all do what we can with the tools and circumstances at hand.
2. It’s impossible for any human or organization to capture every costume on hand. What’s presented here will be a fraction of the sum total costume experience. That being said, please note MCC refutes the popular notion that everyone attends in costume. We appreciate those who do, but the general public believes it’s a mandatory masquerade and I’m kind of burnt out on confronting that cute but inaccurate perception.
3. We didn’t attend Sunday. Sincere apologies to anyone we missed as a result.
4. Corrections and comments are always welcome, especially for Parts 2 and 3, where You, the Viewers at Home, will have the opportunity to step up and name some anime and/or fantasy characters we old fogies didn’t recognize. I like learning new things, especially when I’m trying to write about characters and series that are beyond my particular geek foci.
5. Enjoy!
Booster Gold (in his short-lived armor), Blue Beetle (Jaime Reyes edition), Batgirl (Barbara Gordon), and Batgirl (Cassandra Cain) represent for the DC Universe. Many DC cosplayers in the house; very, very few from the New 52.
Deathstroke, the Joker, Harley Quinn and Gambit prove inter-company crossovers don’t hurt.
Another Gambit, teamed up with the Green Power Ranger. Gambit just can’t pick a side.
If Warner Brothers had said yes, Christopher Nolan’s fourth Batman film would’ve seen our hero, Catwoman, and Bane rebuilding Gotham City with the help of the Jedi Order.
X-Men united! The later Charles Xavier summons to his side Jean Grey, Cyclops, Jubilee, Magneto, and, uh, the Penguin.
Variant heroes in action: “Wings of Redemption” Spawn vs. the protagonist from Mark Millar’s Superman: Red Son. Hiding in the background: Effie Trinket in one of her dozens of outfits.
Wolverine variant #1: “Weapon X” Wolverine and his worst pal Cyclops, with special guest Green Lantern John Stewart.
Wolverine variant #2: Cobra Kai Wolverine vs. Deadpool. On a related note, I’d love to see Deadpool pop up in the next Karate Kid remake.
Wolverine variant #3: Oompa-Loompa Wolverine is the best he is at what he does…and what he does is pure imagination.
Another Deadpool hangs out with a soldier from the Resident Evil Umbrella Corporation, both mercenaries protesting their corporate employers. You knew the job was dangerous when you took it, guys.
Cosplayers frequented pretty much every room, nook, cranny, and wide open space in the con, turning every panorama into a “Where’s Waldo?” puzzle. See if you can spot Wonder Woman, a Biker Scout, and Patriot from the Young Avengers!
The mighty Thor wields the power of the Tesseract. Or the Cosmic Cube, if you’re old-school like me.
J’Onn J’Onzz, the Martian Manhunter, in one of his final costumes before the New 52 swept his old life away.
Wonder Woman, that beloved, inspirational Amazon heroine who vexes villains and filmmakers alike.
A Poison Ivy far superior to the one that thought Mr. Freeze would make an awesome teammate.
Green Arrow! Or Arrow. Whichever you kids call him today.
Scarlet Spider, circa Ben Reilly’s early days on the run.
The Beast, preparing to school someone.
Props to Zatanna for complete old-school accuracy, including those heels.
Yes, an actual hero: Color Kid, from the Legion of Substitute Heroes. One of the two most original choices of the day in my book.
Another Harley Quinn, this one realizing explosives are much more reliable and less volatile than her beloved Mistah J.
Captain America’s sidekick Bucky was originally much younger and consequently made different costume choices than the movie version. It’s cool to see this one brought to life again.
My other favorite of the day, and the only Vertigo character I saw: Morpheus a.k.a. Dream from Neil Gaiman’s Sandman, complete with helmet, ruby, and sand pouch.
To be continued! Coming up in our next installments:
Part 2: Costumes on the Show Floor, Not-Comics Division
Part 3: Costume Contest Entrants
Part 4: Creators, Actors, One Panel, and More!
