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A C2E2 2018 Roundup

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C2E2 is a convention I’ll probably always attend. It’s the “main base” for my squad, if you will. A few of them live in Chicago, another in St. Louis. It’s pretty central for us and for that reason it’ll always hold a special place in my heart. If you’re looking for a show that’s a nice mix of celebrities and comics, this is the one. The comic guests are a nice mix of old and new, Artist Alley is filled with some amazing talent, both local and from far away. The entertainment guests cover everything from voice actors to authors to your favorite stars from TV and movies. I really do feel like there’s something for everyone, without the overbearing crowds.

This year I took it pretty easy. I didn’t plan on spending much and only booked one photo op. When the show added Charlie Cox from “Daredevil,” I knew I had to get his photo. I’ve sworn off certain conventions which means getting to meet celebrities is getting harder for me personally. The photo was on Sunday and when I lined up I wasn’t that nervous at all! But then as the line moved closer and I heard that accent, I almost melted. You never know what you’re going to get when meeting a celeb. Are they going to be nice? Will you feel rushed? What about those running the photo op? I’m happy to report that Charlie was a doll. He asked everyone their names, he complimented my dress (said it was fantastic), and after the photo I asked if I could have a hug and he said of course. And not once did those in charge of the op rush myself or anyone else (that I saw anyway). It really was a great experience even if it only lasted a few minutes. Plus I think I look pretty good in this photo? I’ve finally lost that “deer in the headlights” look that seems to happen in every photo op I do. It took long enough!




While wondering around the booths, I came across the Batman Returns Catwoman Living Dead Doll. It’s been on my radar since it was shown at the Toy Fair and needless to say, I grabbed it. Luckily the price wasn’t jacked up and by buying it in person, I saved money on shipping. This doll is really adorable and has a good amount of details for being such a small thing!


I made sure I took it easy in Artist Alley this year. I’m trying to be a grown up which means not just throwing money at all at things. This year I only walked away with two new pieces. I snagged a Valkyrie by Karl Slominski and a Catwoman in my sketchbook done by Nooligan.



That’s about it for spending! I did preorder a “This Is What A Geek Girl Looks Like” top from Jordandené that was a show exclusive. When I got home I realized I didn’t take any photos of the floor at all. I was just having such a great time it didn’t cross my mind! I’m not sure that’s happened before. I did take some photos with my favorite people though and have those to share.



And that’s it! I had a blast and my group already has their room booked for next year! Also, I want to do a nice C2E2 post for everyone where I answer any questions people have about the show. I don’t know everything obviously but I’ve attended enough times that I feel confident in answering most, or being able to find a friend who can. If anyone has any questions about the con, please leave them in the comments and I’ll get to them in a future post!

My Batman Returns Catwoman Cosplay Finally Happened

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It’s only been in the works since last year but I finally wore her to C2E2! It was a bit of a long road to get here. At first, I was just going to stock up on suits and try adding the stitching myself. I didn’t have the money this time around to commission someone for it. It’s easily a $1,200 costume depending on different things. But then I came across Mico Costumes who offered it for around $80. I’ve never actually seen a “mass produced” option before. I’ve searched on and off a bit over the years so I was really surprised when this popped up! Plus I figured it was cheaper/easier than ruining a bunch of suits I got off Ebay. I went with a Medium and prayed it would fit. A few weeks later my costume which included the suit, corset, whip, mask, and claw-less gloves arrived! I tried it on and it fit! I mean, it’s a bit long but I’m super short. It’s not really an issue though since it’s worn with boots. I wasn’t too impressed with the mask portion of the costume. That’s why I upgraded mine and ordered a cowl from Reevz FX. It was $150 but worth it. I feel like it really upgraded the entire look of the costume. Then the hunt was on for claws. I knew I wouldn’t be happy just half assing them or skipping them. I started contacting places I knew had sold them before but a few shops were on breaks. Then I came across Kitana Store on Etsy. She actually sells the entire costume with the gloves. I reached out asking if she’d be able to sell just the claws and she said yes! Since she’s located in Russia, shipping was a bit more but I paid a total of $65. The boots I bought off Ebay which helped save money because these things can easily be $80+. Instead I paid $35. That means I spent a total of $330. That sounds like a lot but when you start looking at the prices of custom costumes, it’s not horrible. Plus I did everything over months which made it easier to pay for. I am preparing though to upgrade the corset. It’s not bad for something that costs a total of $80 but it’s not a real one and doesn’t really lay like it should during certain poses. I’m not in a rush though since I’m not sure when I plan on wearing her again. I’m just throwing some feelers out there with a few commissioners. As far as how comfortable it was? I was really surprised that it wasn’t that bad! It was pretty easy to move in, I didn’t get too hot. I was always a little worried something would rip or bust but it never happened. I was able to kneel, bend, sit, with no real issues. In all I think I wore the costume for about 4 hours which honestly isn’t too shabby. I had people asking for photos which felt really great and all of you online who’ve been commenting as I’ve shared things on social media have been wonderful land mermaids. I want to thank all of you for the super kind comments and support. It really does mean a lot, especially with a costume like this. Now onto photos!

The following were taken by Butter Half Cosplay Photography. She was fantastic to work with. If you’re in her area, or she’s offering photos at a convention/event near you, I highly recommend booking her. She has very reasonable rates but more importantly she really put a lot of work into prepping for the shoot. Then the day of she was great with helping me pose and feel comfortable. You can also find her on Instagram



And here are a few random photos that were taken by my friends over the weekend. I need to send a huge thank you to my squad. They did everything from rubbing me down in baby powder, to carrying my bags, to fixing my lipstick when I couldn’t because claws. They kept an eye out for creepers as well which is always appreciated.



And this one gets highlighted because I love it.



And that’s it! I only wore her Saturday but would have worn her again on Sunday if the day was longer. If anyone has any issues just let me know and I’ll try my best to answer them! And be sure to give Butter Half Cosplay a follow! Also, I’ll do another General C2E2 post later in the week!

And That’s A Wrap On C2E2 2017

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As always I had a great time. I will say that Saturday was crowded as hell. I’ve been going to this show for about six years now and that was the most crowded I’ve ever seen it. Saturday is always a big crowd day, no matter the con, but it felt extra tight this year. I probably got nailed in the head by bags at least three times while walking the floor. I definitely got stuck going with the flow of traffic and probably never made it to certain areas of the floor. I mean, it’s great that C2E2 is catching on but I also want to yell “get off my lawn” to everyone. I only made it to one panel and that was the Marvel True Believers Marvel Unlimited Plus panel. It was nice to see what’s coming up, and we got a sneak peak at the new Spider-Man cartoon. It’s totally taking a page from the Spider-Man: Homecoming. There’s no mistaking that. It’ll be interesting to see how this Sony/Marvel relationship plays out.

I did manage to add some art to my sketchbook though! I put myself on a pretty solid budget since I have NYC this coming weekend but I left the convention with two new pieces. First is Black Widow by Brian Level. Isn’t she amazing? He does such an amazing job. If he’s every at a show near you, he’s 100% worth the money. The next is Hela by Monica Gallagher. I knew I needed a Hela in my book after the new Thor trailer dropped. I’m totally in love with this sketch! She’s perfect.

Of course I had to stop and visit good ole’ Chip Zdarsky! If you’re not reading Sex Criminals, you should be. And be sure to pick up his Star-Lord trade when it hits stores. Sadly, it’s been canned but it was a really great book. If you enjoyed the Fraction/Aja Hawkeye, this book is right up your alley. And yes, that’s Job from Sex Crimz with some crazy abs that would make Kris Anka jealous. It resulted in my most liked tweet yet! Thanks Chip!



I had my Stan Lee photo op as well on Friday! It went pretty quick but I’m glad I did it again because who knows how much longer he has. I mean, the dude is almost 100 years old.

I ran into Agent M as well at the Marvel booth! He’s such a great guy and I love chatting with him when I get the chance. I’m glad he does shows like C2E2 since I don’t know when I’ll get back to San Diego and NYCC kinda gives me nightmares.

And while chilling in the lobby on Sunday I ran into DMC of Run DMC. He talked about the convention, breakfast foods, how the elevators weren’t working, and other random stuff. He was super nice! I felt weird asking for a photo but he was totally cool with it! He left before my ride showed up and he wished me safe travels. Just goes to show you never know when you’ll run into someone during a convention.

And really that’s about it. Normally my squad is a bit bigger for this show but life gets in the way sometimes. I missed having them there, that’s for sure. I didn’t take a lot of photos because I just kinda forgot or it was just too packed to really stop and take any. But hey, enjoy a few outfit photos since I don’t normally do that kinda thing!



FYI, the Raptor and Baby Groot shirts are all from Hot Topic. The “bad ass bitch” outfit is all Black Milk Clothing. Oh and how could I forget that I got to see Pink Bunny and Jordan of the lovely Jordandené clothing company!



Whew, now that’s it. I’m sure I’m forgetting something but this post is getting long and image heavy. If I think of anything else important I’ll just make another post! Did anyone else hit up C2E2 this year? And if you’re thinking about next year, it’s April 6th-8th!

It’s Alright ‘Cause I’m Saved by the Bell!

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Back in June, my friends and I made reservations for Saved By The Max. It’s the Saved By The Bell themed pop up diner in Chicago and over the weekend, the time finally came! Guys, it was amazing. The amount of details in this place was out of this world. I really expected to see Slater and Zack walk through the door any second. It was like being transported through time! Of course the place was packed but they had everything down to a science. You pay ahead of time when you make your reservations which is really nice. You get an appetizer, main course, plus a dessert. They have other items you can order off the menu too like drinks or milkshakes. But it’s kinda nice to know that everything is paid for and you won’t be sitting there trying to figure out the bill. When your waitress (or waiter) takes your order, they take your order for everything. Like I said, it’s a well oiled machine. And the food was outstanding! Sometimes at a themed place you have no idea what to expect but the serving sizes were perfect and everything I tried tasted great. It was a perfect birthday dinner and I’m beyond glad my friend and I have no impulse control and booked this when we did! Now onto the photos!



Yes, we wore matching shirts. And yes, we basically did cosplay. Look, if you’re going to go to a place like this, you just have to dress up! It’s part of the fun! But seriously it was a great time and the people behind this idea did a fantastic job bringing it all to life! They even tell you when you’re waiting for your food to get up and take photos. It’s super encouraged and the staff have no issues taking photos for you. It was super fun keeping an eye on different areas, waiting for people to leave so we could rush over and take pictures. It was just really the fucking best.

My C2E2 FAQ, Tips, & More Post

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I am going to do my best to cover everything that I can. If there’s something you still have questions about, leave them in the comments and I’ll answer them there!

Basics:
What: C2E2
Where: Chicago, McCormick Place Convention Center
When: April 21-23 2017
Hours:
Show Floor Hours

Friday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Saturday: 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Sunday: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Panel & Screening Hours

Friday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Saturday: 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Sunday: 10:45 AM – 5:00 PM

Your Questions:

Desiree asks:

This is one of the cons I really want to get to. Is there a list of hotels you can recommend? Any tips you could provide to someone who has never booked a “convention trip” would be great. I’ve only been to local conventions, so other than a train I never had to really plan a real out of state trip.

They do offer a list of hotels! Just like many conventions, they have blocks of rooms booked at hotels around the convention and offer shuttles! The hotel I always suggest is Hyatt Regency McCormick Place. It’s attached to the convention center which can be a blessing for taking breaks, or if there’s bad weather. You never have to go outside to get from the hotel to the convention. Since it’s attached, this is the hotel that sells out first. The nice thing is, you don’t pay when you book. You pay once you check out/arrive! So even if you aren’t sure about attending, I recommend booking a room. It’s better to be set then to end up at a hotel farther away. Plus it’s a good place for celebrity/talent spotting and the bar is always packed at night! I’ve stayed here I think four times and would never stay anywhere else. They just really get into the spirit and go above and beyond for guests. Now, because it is popular, sometimes there’s a wait for the elevator or at the restaurants. But it’s never been a big deal personally. If you’re traveling from out of town, they even offer an airport shuttle! I think it’s $15 but I’d double check with them. At the moment hotels aren’t open for booking but just keep checking their website and social media for when it goes live.

As far as the traveling part, I always fly Southwest. The nice thing with them is if you book a flight now, and the price drops later, you can get a refund/credit for the difference. I recently had that happen and now I have $74 waiting to be used for my next flight! Of course when picking your airline, you need to do what works for your location and budget. When I fly into Chicago for whatever reason, I always fly into Midway. I hate O’Hare and avoid it when I can. Honestly, traveling for a convention isn’t much different than “regular” travel. If you’re flying with cosplay, be sure to check the rules about what can be in carry on and what needs to be packed away. If you have friends in the area, look into maybe shipping things to them ahead of time instead of packing them.

C2E2 2016

Usagi Asks:

I know it’s in Chicago but how is the area in terms of drugstores/food/etc? This girl doesn’t drive so I need to see if things are around accessible by public transportation!! And yes! I need hotel recs!!

And are photo ops just like other cons? Do C2E2 ones sell out fast? I have Stan Lee’s signature but I want to try for a photo op!

I don’t want to say it’s in the middle of nowhere but it’s not in the middle of Downtown Chicago but it’s still easy to get around via cab or public transit! Here’s the Chicago Transit site. We’ve even used Uber a few times. There are plenty of restaurants that deliver as well. I know there’s a Target sorta nearby too for those that want to maybe stock up on snacks/food to save some money. It’s not that far from Navy Pier and other tourists areas. You just can’t walk to a lot of places is all!

The photo ops work just like at other conventions! You can buy them ahead of time. I don’t recall any photo ops selling out but since it’s Stan Lee’s last C2E2, I expect them to sell quickly. I’ve done a photo at C2E2 a few times and each time the staff were super nice and I never felt rushed. The photos print right there and you grab them as you exit. In the past, Epic Photos handled the ops! You can purchase autographs online as well! Plus I think you can buy them in person too. I’m someone who tries to have everything purchased before hand just to make my con easier. As far as prices go, it really depends on the celeb. I’ve seen photos/autographs from $30 to $100+ for a group or duo photo op.

C2E2 2016

I reached out to Melinda since she’s a local for more information on the area and on the transit options! She threw in her two cents about hotels as well.

Mel’s Hot Take

So Barb asked me to do a quip on hotels and/or transit in and around C2E2. I’m not sure if this is what she was looking for…but I can enlighten some of you.

HOTELS:

First and foremost – if you’re going to pick a hotel based on distance to the con and nothing else ABSOLUTELY pick Hyatt Regency McCormick Place. It’s attached to the convention center and for those of you who hate stepping out into daylight will NEVER have to do so. But don’t let that be the only reason you choose this one. HRMP (which I will now call it from henceforth) is an amazing hotel and extremely accommodating during C2E2. Their crew and staff get really into it and they are THE place to stay. I honestly cannot say enough awesome things about them. And it’s not just C2E2. I’ve stayed there for concerts as well and they’re just as welcoming and awesome. Highly recommend. There’s also a bar, a restaurant, a quick convenience area and places outside your room to hang out with friends who are just in for a day of the convention… it’s really perfect.

Another close by option is Chicago South Loop Hotel. Granted it’s in the middle of nothing (the area is going through a rebuilding/re-growing stage) and it’ll seem isolated. We did stay there one year and it fit our needs. It was low cost and close. If you really wanted, you could walk to McCormick Place – but after a long day of walking the floor, who wants to do that. They were friendly…but it’s just a hotel. There’s nothing else there or nearby. Parking is an issue. (Barb here, it’s true. We drove around the block a few times before finding parking. They have a lot but it’s super small)

Being that this is Chicago, there are other options within two to five miles from the convention center. Especially along Michigan Avenue. If you’re looking at coming to Chicago and exploring more than just the convention I’d recommend staying there as well. There’s not only the great shopping area on Michigan Avenue (Water Tower), but there’s also restaurants, museums, Grant Park, and “The Bean” – all located within walking distance. I’d recommend (if money is not an option) checking out the Palmer House Hilton … or if you want something more along the River, the Swissotel Hotel. Both are beautiful hotels with great staff.

If you are looking at booking sites like Trivago or Booking.com remember to check the map. “Chicago” can be a very loose-ended description of the area and can include a 40 mile radius. Look for hotels along Lake Michigan, or “South Loop”, “The Loop”. This should help narrow the search and ensure that you’re not staying out in Rosemont or by O’Hare Airport (unless you want to stay there).

One thing I would not recommend is doing a vacation rental. Most of the condos in the immediate walking-distance area are full-time residents and have strict laws governing sub-renting and vacation renting. Beyond that, most are a further distance and the neighborhoods could be dangerous. Unlike Comic-Con in San Diego, this convention center isn’t plopped in the middle of a cute district with lots of little shops and high-rise apartments. So bear that in mind. Plus, it’s still cheaper to stay at HRMP.

TRANSIT:

Chicago is a very public-transit friendly city. We have not only a Metra Train that can take you from pretty much any suburb right into downtown, but we also have an inner-city train system lovingly called “The L”.

Union Station is the main hub for our Metra trains – but there’s also Oglevile Station. Neither are very close to McCormick Place, but there are several buses that travel all through Chicago that pick up at both stations. The #130 would probably be your best bet.

If you’re staying somewhere in “The Loop” you can hop on the L – there is a Green Line stop not far from the convention center and a Red Line stop as well – or you can take the #3 bus which would drop you nearby.

If you need more options, I’d recommend a site like http://rtachicago.com/ to help map out and plan your travel!

You can also use taxis, Uber, or Lyft. But be aware of upcharges or surge rates because of the con.

Or you can do what I’ve done and have your mom drop you off…right at the front door. Thanks mom!

OTHER STUFFS:

There is a Target store, about a 10 minute drive from the convention center located on Clark and Roosevelt Roads. There is a CVS drug store about five minutes away (both walking and driving…but be aware of having to walk under the highway and it may not be traversable.

If you’re staying at HRMP – Papa John’s does deliver. Pro-tip: If you don’t mind cold pizza – order earlier than you’d expect. When we stayed there recently for the Coldplay concert, we knew we’d be hungry when we got back afterwards, so before we left we ordered the pizza to be delivered so that we could eat when we got back!

There’s also an Aurelio’s Pizza not far from the area (probably not walkable) that has good pizza. Of course there’s always fast food and the like in the area as well.

/End Hot Take

I hope this post answered some of the questions you might have about the convention! I always suggest checking out their website as well. They have a great little FAQ section that can be really helpful. Plus as the convention gets closer they’ll be announcing more guests, photo/autograph info, and more. Plus liking/following them on social media will be a huge help to your planning! If you have any other questions that weren’t covered, leave them in the comments! I’ll try and answer them the best I can!

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