Posted in: Comics, Recent Updates | Tagged: c2e2, Comics, entertainment, Marvel Heroes Panel, Marvel Puzzle Quest, Original Sins Panel

A Bleeding Cool Reporter Tests His New Cochlear Implant At C2E2

Published Fri, 23 May 2014 22:00:00 -0500

by Hannah Means Shannon

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By Kirk Staley

At this Chicago Comics and Enterainment Expo, I had three reasons main reasons for attending this expo. First, it was to beta test my new cochlear implant upgrade.

The reason I was beta testing my new cochlear implant was in order to get ready for the big time–San Diego Comic Con. I went to a panel with NO Interpreters, and was able to understand 80% of what the panel was talking about. This was a big improvement over the last time I went to New York Comic Con, where I could understand only 30% of what was said, and that was with interpreters.

My second reason for going was to visit a good friend of mine who had moved up there about a year ago. My third reason was to take in the sights of Chicago.

Now with that said, let's start our adventure. I went to Chicago on April 23^rd, and I flew in at 11pm at night. I was so tired, that I went to bed at my hotel, the Blackstone Renaissance Hotel. The next morning, I woke up, decided to walk around the shoreline of Chicago, and took in some sights. I also stopped by the Apple Store, because my LTE iPad was stuck on "SEARCHING". They could not fix it. I had my lunch at the restaurant right by the hotel. The food was very good-I had a small Steak Sandwich. For dinner that night, I went to Giordano's, a famous pizza chain only based in Chicago, and I ordered the stuffed pepperoni pizza. My god. I could only eat two slices of the pizza, before I was full. It was that good! I still have a picture of the pizza.

I went to some clubs, but I was too early. They told me clubs typically get busy after midnight, which I found interesting. So with that, I went back to my hotel and went to sleep. I had to have walked 10 miles on Thursday.

The next day, my friend and I had a brunch at Wildberry Restaurant. The food was delicious! They actually had banana cream pie pancakes, which is one of my most favorite foods that I have never tried. Banana Cream Pie sure, but not the pancakes version. I took a picture of the pancakes. After we finished our brunch, we took a picture together, then I went straight to C2E2.

The shuttle was on time. Originally, I signed up to cover two panels on Sunday, but I wanted to beta test my new cochlear implant, so I took some cosplay pictures.

I walked around the Marvel Booth, and they were overjoyed to see me there. There was no TV shows signings unfortunately, but I decided to get some of the swag they were giving away like the Watcher's "Eyeball".

There was a funny reaction to them. One person picked up the eyeball, then automatically threw it back in the box. I went to the Marvel Heroes Panel, for one reason. I knew that they were working on the Mac Version of Marvel Heroes, and I wanted to ask them how they were importing the game, because I had some experience beta testing Macintosh games a while back. They were talking all over each other, so I could not understand the answer. I did get some free posters, and a Marvel Heroes T-Shirt. I did discover one thing, which is that Dark Horse Comics is now accepting credit cards. In the past, they didn't accept credit cards and it was cash only, so for people who loves Dark Horse Comics, future comic conventions is where you can use your credit card to buy Dark Horse Comics.

Next Day was Saturday. I took some more cosplay pictures, then I went to the Original Sins Panel, which was very interesting. I had no interpreters there, and I was able to understand 75% of the panel, but I was not "covering" the panel. I sat in the front row and I took some pictures of what they had.

I did try one new thing that day. I did a Speed Dating event. I have NEVER tried Speed Dating. So I basically had to pony up $20 for the Speed Dating. I thought it was to be free. You had 40 women and 40 men all sitting in one chair each around the room near the walls. We had a number pinned on our t-shirts or polo shirts. I was number 44. It was three minutes to talk to each woman, and so when the first three minutes started, it was very noisy and hard to hear. I introduced myself, but there was a procedure. They cannot know your name. I was not aware of that. I talked with ten women, and from there, I had a basic understanding. Chicagoans have a North and South Side of Chicago. Some people loved reading, and other people loved watching TV shows, and other people want to travel to Canada or Paris.

For myself, it was a little difficult, but I had to listen to what they were saying carefully, then I asked them questions about their families, hobbies, and why they like coming to comic conventions. After I had run through 10 women, it was cut short. So there was two tables in the center of the room, and they had papers and pencils for guys to write their name and phone number on for women and the same for men. I did not get any phone numbers, but I did have an interesting experience doing Speed Dating.

I also stopped by the Marvel Puzzle Quest Booth that day, and I won $20 worth of Hero Points for the game that I was playing. I also played LEGO Marvel Super Heroes and Titanfall on Xbox Vehicle equipped with Xbox One. I also got an autographed book from the author of the A Geek's Guide to Dating.

I thought it was a good book for me to have considering. My meals were at McDonald's, or at that pizza place. I went to C2E2 Crown Championships of Cosplay. There were some outstanding cosplay costumes. We had dragon costumes, and so many other cosplay costumes that I can't name them all.

The next Day was Sunday. This was the day when I was covering my two panels. That was Marvel Puzzle Quest and Marvel Unlimited Plus. I went to the Marvel Unlimited Plus Panel, and got in like a half hour early before the panel was to start, and Agent M was already there, talking to the audience by himself, taking questions. For this panel, there were NO PICTURES allowed, but typing about the panel was allowed. Now as for swag, we got Original Sins Issue 0, some more eyeballs, and an Inhuman cover autographed. They also showed Ant Man footage, and there was some music finally put in the same Ant Man footage from last year's Comic Con. The music was "It's a Small World", which is an appropriate song considering the title of the movie. For Agents of Shield, the cast prepared their own messages for C2E2.

After that, I stayed for the Defiance Panel, and I shook hand with one of the cast member, and I told them that I will be at San Diego Comic Con, and they asked for my name, so they will know me when I get to San Diego Comic Con.

I went to the Marvel Puzzle Quest Panel, because I play that game everyday. I asked some questions about Daken and the dumb auto healing pop up every attack. I also took pictures of the slides they had, and they were open to new ideas. They were asking for character suggestions, and I said "Doctor Strange", because there was a name drop in the Captain America 2 movie. I also got a poster. I went to the Marvel Puzzle Quest Booth for a raffle drawing, but I didn't win.

So with that, I was off to the airport. There was a completely new adventure waiting there. I got to the airport about two hours early only to find my plane was delayed 20 minutes. I said "no problem' to myself. So I got onto the plane, and we were stuck on the tarmac for 45 minutes. We left Chicago at 7:05pm. We arrived in Atlanta at 9:40pm, which meant I missed my connecting flight to Miami. So I had to stand in line to get my hotel.

Let me back up a second here. This was the first time in my life that I have ever missed a connecting flight. Origin flights- not a problem. I already have a home to go back to or my parents to help, but never a connecting flight. So I had to wait to get my luggage, and that took three hours to get my luggage. So I had my luggage with me, and I took a cab to an airport hotel. Delta Airlines had gave me a voucher for a night's stay. In the first room, there was a cockroach. So I took the elevator back to first floor, and I requested a change in my room after I informed them there was a cockroach. Delta Airlines also rebooked me for a flight back to Miami the next day, but in First Class. I was happy to hear that. With that, my story ends.

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