26 June 2008

So Long, Stink Town

In a few short hours from now, my family and I will be en route to Chicago and the big comic book festival therein known as Wizard World or The Con. We won't actually be in the city, but in one of the northern suburbs conveniently located near my mother-in-law's home.

The Con is something we attend every year. We plan our vacations around it and we have a routine: Friday the kids stay with their Oma while Frank and I traipse off to go through long boxes and people watch, Saturday the kids come with us (this year they are dressing up - Evan as a Star Wars Clone Trooper and Flynn as Supergirl) and we usually meet up with my good friend Tim and go to lunch. This year we'll head out to Tim and his wife's home in Oak Park after we're done with the convention to gab and grill out. Sunday we usually don't attend the convention and this year we'll be going to a birthday party then heading home.

A busy weekend for sure.

In years past, when it was just Frank and I, it seemed that I was in the minority (it was rare to see just a "regular" girl there - someone not dressed up in Sad Girl goth gear or some skimpy Japanese School Girl/Sailor Moon get-up). Now there are tons of families mixed in with the Goths and "alternative" teens, who are fun to watch. As comic fans have aged and had families, the convention has grown to accommodate us yet still caters to the teenagers the industry believes are its core demographic. Its a nice mix.

And plenty of people in costume. I'm sure we'll see tons of Star Wars people and the Trekkies come out as well (any excuse to dress up as a Klingon, I suppose). Superheroes are a given (some of the costumes are really well done, some not so much).

I'm anxious to see what artists will be there. Alex Robinson, one of my favorites, has a new book out so I'm hoping he'll be there. And the kids are desperate to meet Andy Runton, creator of the superb Owly books (we all adore this comic).

Well, time to pack up the van and head out. Wish us happy hunting for the comics missing from Frank's collection and I'll tell you all about it Monday.

Have a great weekend, I know I will.

4 comments:

Quigs78 said...

Have a super fab weekend! That's so cool that you've found a hobby that the whole family can get into. I love family traditions - especially the non-traditional types like comic book cons.

I miss living in Schaumburg - we were so close to all of the cool activities/conventions/expos without having to plan a whole weekend around it. Wave at Woodfield and IKEA when you go by and tell them Quigs said hi!

Jenna said...

Have a great time. We are headed up tomorrow for yet another wedding..and the kids want to go to the beach. Fun and family.

Anonymous said...

and then from there you are heading dt for gay pride parade? no? yes? you are SO in trouble for not tellling me you were going to be in the sort-of-vicinity!

Lavender Lemonade said...

Sounds like an awesome place to people watch...especially with one of those radar gun looking things that lets you hear what people far away are saying..."hey, look at that guy wearing the spiderman costume from Vol.1, you the one with the round ladybug looking spider on the back"...