I’m sick and tired…and incredibly grateful for it. Last weekend, Bryan and I had the privilege of attending what is becoming one of the best experiences of the Fall. Stan Lee’s Comikaze is billed as a show for the fans, and it delivered. The celebrity guests were magnanimous with their time and presence, the artists were delightfully interactive, and the panels were all about creating experiences for the fans.

We’ve already wrapped our time at Comikaze on our Podcast (episode 24); so, if I’m being honest, this is more of a letter to the Editor, a letter to say thank you. Thanks for believing that we’d come. Thanks for inviting guests who wanted to be there, and not just for the money, but to connect with people who respect their work and want to wish them the best in the future.

So Say We All!

Among the highlights was Stan Lee kicking off the event with his big reveal of The Zodiac coming soon through Disney Press. It’s a new venture for Lee, who promised that it’s like nothing we’ve seen before! Edward James Olmos, who followed our Generalissimo on the Hot Topic Main Stage was inspiring, especially his rousing call of “So say we all!” as he finished his panel, which made the whole day a little less exhausting. And the most uplifting panelist of all was the sweet and sassy presence of Tara Strong. She’s the hardest working guest at Comikaze. She held two panels on the main stage on top of three days of signings and photo ops. And she did it all with resilient joy and enthusiasm.

Bryan was beat up immediately following this.

I was particular impressed with the sheer volume of Cosplayers. Everything from Doc Ock to Amalthea and everything in between. There were suits of armor and princess gowns and unicorns. A little something for everyone. I also enjoyed the Star Trek uniforms milling about the USS Navras. Perhaps the best Cosplayer, at least the most over-enthusiastic, was the unlikely but likable Skeletor. By Grayskull, his antics were infectious! But that’s just it. The whole point of this expo was a place where fans could enjoy their world with others who thoroughly enjoyed it with them. Kudos, Skeletor. If you have a chance, check out the video.

Finally, we wish to take a moment to thank a few guests and exhibitors who made this a very special Expo. First on our list is the beautiful and talented Cerina Vincent. She generously gave us her time to talk about all the amazing projects she has lined up, including a very special Hallmark channel feature called, The Thanksgiving House. She’s also the star in a horror-fying (yes, I just made that word up) short called Skypemare that harkens back to the stylings of the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. We’d also like to recognize Bongo Comics for their benevolent gift of their time to talk to us about their work. Special thanks to Nathan Kane and Max Davison for the interview. Love the Simpsons and Futurama, and we were super excited to hear that Futurama, though canceled on Comedy Central, would live on in the comics! Check them out! And last but certainly not least, thanks to Queen Mab for the sweet connections to other great Nerds doing wonderfully nerdy things. Your loyal subjects thank you!

 

All-in-all, this was a memorable convention that brought fans closer to their icons and the artists behind some of the greatest works in horror, gaming, and comics. And that’s what we want. So say we all!

Now onto getting over this cold…

The Bad Nerd