The Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo (C2E2) returned to the South Building of McCormick Place on Dec. 10-12. It was a different season to hold the convention that usually happens in the summer, but organizers wanted to squeeze it in after a pandemic-related postponement.
Masks and costumes kept the guests warm throughout the weekend, and the creativity flowed as usual. Some of the popular costumes spotted this year included teams of Titans heroes from the DC Universe and various characters from Netflix's Squid Game. Deadpool's fans keep coming back for more every year in the antihero's signature red-and-black suit and several John Cena admirers wore Peacemaker outfits to meet him.
Dressing as Soundwave from Transformers, bmbids took home first place in the Crown Championships of Cosplay. Second place went to Say It Ain't Sew as The Raven Queen, from Dungeons & Dragons; and third went to Valerie Meachum as Marion Lavorre The Ruby of the Sea, from Critical Role.
Muffy Fishbasket, Mrs. Yuka Layme, Coco Sho-Nell and Vivian Dejour hosted a drag-queen story hour in a special area at the convention Dec. 11.
SheProp! created a safe space for women, two-spirit, nonbinary and transgender folks in the vendor area, with a booth bringing attention to this special online community (including Spanish speakers).
Safety was made a priority at this event while the country is in the middle of a health crisis. Patrons were able to use the CLEAR Health Pass to verify vaccination on an app to speed along the lines for security. Unvaccinated attendees had to produce proof of a negative test within 24 hours of entry to the convention.
There was a new Metaverse Membership offered to watch C2E2 live content broadcast from the Main Stage or on demand after the show for up to 30 days for those concerned with physical distancing. This new component allows members to view digital events all over the world at other comic cons throughout the year.
Entertainment guests included Giancarlo Esposito, from The Mandalorian, and Hayden Christensen, from several Star Wars projects. A special interactive section devoted to the Star Wars franchise allowed ticket holders to immerse themselves into large full-scale displays and to purchase exclusive memorabilia. The live gaming area continues to grow in size every year and family day was held Dec. 12 for the younger fans.
C2E2 returns Aug. 5-7, 2022. For tickets and current information, visit C2E2.com .