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Five Minutes Till Wizard World Chicago Opens

What's the difference between San Diego and Chicago? Chicago has the Suicide Girls. San Diego doesn't. Yes, folks that's the only difference. Okay, okay, maybe not…

However, the Avatar booth at Wizard World Chicago Comic Con faces the Suicide Girls booth on one corner. And the Ugly Dolls booth on the adjacent one. For those who want their soft plushies, softcore piercings and From where I am I can throw a bread roll at Top Shelf. In fact I think I will.

Okay, I just missed Chris Staros' big head. He has to be lucky every time. I only have to be lucky once.

This show, unlike most others, is not slap bang in the middle of a city. Instead it's basically adjacent to an airport that does direct international flights. Which means while you're less likely to get any of the local colour, it's five minutes shuttle ride from the airport, a step away from the hotels and affordable on your average geek's disposable income.

On the downside is that the bigger comic book publishers seem to have withdrawn support and attendance from Wizard World shows and as a result the convention has skewed to multimedia.

But it would take the most malcontent fanboy/girl not to have fun at this show. There are stacks of artists showing their work, known and unknown, lots of dealers and just, you know, stuff. It's kind of Hall A and B of San Diego, with a few media names thrown in. And close, one-on-one contact with the gig comic book names. All in Blade Runner style hall. Carpets? Where we're going we don't need carpets…

Also, security is lax to all hell. I just walked in the back before show opened without any ID at all. They've stepped it up a little since but I'm wondering who else around me sneaked in.

On walking in, I bumped heads with Martin Oakley, who I've talked with online for years. Comics artist and dealer, he's selling comics, doing sketches and, it seems, making sandwiches for the expectant hordes.

I'm going to be talking to fans, dealers, creators, publishers and anyone else I stumble across, jet lagged and blind drunk. If you see me, say hi!

And check out the live streaming of bits of the show from the SFX360 guys at Justin.tv/sfxkona

Okay. I hear Todd Allen is around here somewhere. I need to go and murder him…

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